To All Awards

2026 Student Awards

Call for Entry: November 24, 2025
Deadline: May 22, 2026
Eligibility Period: March 2025 – March 2026
Results Notification: late June 2026

YOUR IDEAS, CELEBRATED.

YOUR WORK, PUBLISHED.

YOUR TALENT, RESPECTED.

Current secondary, post-secondary, or graduate students studying Graphic Design, creative advertising, photography, illustration, digital, motion or gaming programs are eligible to enter the 2026 Student Awards competition.

Any school (group or individual) or personal work created at any time during your academic, creative program is eligible.

Whether you are just starting your journey or looking to launch your career, the Applied Arts Awards give you an advantage in this competitive market. So, draw attention to yourself now and be remembered when you send in your resume.

Breathtaking portfolio piece. Strut with confidence. Fast-track to landing your first job. Winning an Applied Arts Award is your best chance for success.

Showcase your work, gain recognition, and let your creativity be celebrated by the industry's leading professionals. Enter Today!

2026 Call for Entry Kit 2026 Student Awards Categories Kit Awards Entries

Jury & Judging Process
Categories & Entry Fees
Entry Material Guidelines
How to Enter
Payment & Refunds
Winner Recognition
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact
Disclaimer

Enter Now

Jury & Judging Process

What's more rewarding than to put your work in front of mid-to senior-level creatives, all currently working in the creative industry today? Our jurors are award-winning creative professionals who have contributed to notable advertising and branding campaigns for influential clients, such as Heinz, Adidas, Nike, and more. They know exactly how to spot Award-worthy work and provide the recognition that can help launch your career.

Nicolas Boisvert
PARTNER AND VICE-PRESIDENT, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LG2
Quebec City, QC

Nicolas is one of Canada's most-awarded creatives. With a career spanning over two decades at LG2, he is known for transforming complex challenges into highly impactful messages. His creative work for clients like SAAQ and Beneva has earned many international distinctions, including Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio, and Marketing Awards. His dynamic, inventive approach and extensive experience make him an influential voice in the industry.

Alma Mater: Laval University

Louise Delfin
ART DIRECTOR
ANGRY BUTTERFLY
Toronto, ON

Louise is a Toronto-based art director who sees creativity as multi-faceted and deeply human, with storytelling often hiding in the smallest details and unexpected insights. She's drawn to the moments most people might overlook, because that's often where the real story lives. Whether she's shaping a visual concept, collaborating with a team, or experimenting with ideas, she loves uncovering subtle touches that make work feel thoughtful, alive, and relatable. For Louise, storytelling isn't just in the big gestures — it's in the quiet, surprising moments that make you pause, smile, or feel that something truly.

Alma Mater: OCAD University

Christina Lee Kim Koon
SENIOR BRAND & WEB DESIGNER
Vancouver, BC

Christina, a Vancouver-based digital designer and university educator with over a decade of experience in brand identity and website design, specializes in creating meaningful, user-centred design solutions. Her work focuses on building cohesive brand identities that perform across digital platforms, balancing creativity with real-world business needs. As Chair of the IDEA School of Design at Capilano University, she leads the Bachelor of Design and Interaction Design programs, fostering a collaborative and hands-on learning environment where students explore visual communication and interactive design, particularly in sustainable, future-focused practices.

Alma Mater: IDEA School of Design, Capilano University

Gémina Gil Flores
CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
BBH LONDON
London, UK

Gémina is a Creative Art Director at BBH where she develops provocative and culturally driven advertising campaigns. Her work spans brands such as Adidas, Xbox, Tesco, Sky Sports and Audi. Gémina is also a mentor.

Alma Mater: School of Communication Arts, London, Sup De Pub, Paris, Brassart Design School, France

Shannon Glassford
ART DIRECTOR
BERLIN COMMUNICATIONS
Edmonton, AB

Shannon is the kind of designer who is equal parts conceptual thinker, creative doer, and fearless procrastinator. She found her way here (wherever here may be) by giving her best, having a bit of fun, and working with great people (they know who they are). She believes every culture has a context and a rhythm, and that paying attention to it makes communication and art stronger. Perhaps that's why she loves the idea of knitting—but is still fearlessly procrastinating on picking up the needles.

Alma Mater: University of Alberta

Frank Macera
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
VML CANADA
Toronto, ON

For nearly 20 years, Frank has created and led strategic, effective, world-class work in some of the industry's most competitive categories. Frank's work has been recognized at The Effies, The One Show, Cannes, D&AD, Clio Awards, and other award shows. As the creative lead at the VML Toronto office, he works with teams across the country to produce effective, breakthrough work for clients like OLG, Coca-Cola, HSBC, and others. In his spare time, Frank has run marathons, performed stand-up comedy, learned to juggle, solve Rubik's cubes, and written this bio, which makes him sound more interesting than he is.

Alma Mater: Carleton, Humber Polytechnic

Marty Martinez
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
TANK WORLDWIDE
Montreal, QC

Marty, with over 20 years of advertising experience, combines creativity with industry knowledge to push creative boundaries. As CCO of TANK Worldwide since 2015, his vision has made TANK a global leader in health and wellness, with offices in New York, Toronto, London, and Montréal. His creative teams reinvent the role of health/wellness agencies by crafting ambitious, impactful stories. Marty's work has won numerous awards globally, including Cannes, the LIA's, The One Show, The Webby Awards, Clio Health, the Lisbon Health Awards, New York Festivals, the Anthem Awards, Epica Awards, Applied Arts, the Rx Awards, and Communication Arts.

Alma Mater: Ahuntsic College, and Concordia University

Trong Nguyen
DESIGN DIRECTOR
ZULU ALPHA KILO
Toronto, ON

Multi-disciplinary Canadian-based designer, Trong started her career in product design, specifically improving engagement and accessibility, and was named on several patents and IP. Being in advertising for well over a decade, she uses her experience to connect unconventional solutions to problems, briefs, and initiatives.

Alma Mater: Conestoga College

Howard Poon
VICE PRESIDENT, DESIGN DIRECTOR
FKA
Edmonton, AB

Howard is known for frank feedback and a low tolerance for complexity. He feeds his curiosity with a Sunday New York Times subscription and stays hydrated with espresso. Deeply committed to nurturing emerging talent, he is an active volunteer with RGD, Canada's largest professional association for graphic designers. As VP Design at FKA, Howard collaborates with cross-disciplinary strategists, creatives, and designers to turn insights into exceptional brands. In prior leadership roles at DDB Canada and TBWA\Canada, his teams earned international, national, and regional recognition with work featured in One Show, Communication Arts, Applied Arts, and ADCC.

Alma Mater: MacEwan University

Ionut Radulescu
DESIGNER, ILLUSTRATOR & ART DIRECTOR
New York, NY

Ionut, a Romanian designer, illustrator, and art director based in Brooklyn, New York, blends illustration and design to tell bold stories. He works for clients like The New York Times, Refinery29, Converse, Teen Vogue, Peloton, Thinx, and Pepsi, exploring themes of queerness, self-expression, and empowerment. His work has been featured in Creative Boom, Applied Arts, AIGA Eye on Design, IQads, and more, earning recognition from American Illustration and Applied Arts Magazine. Committed to fostering creative growth, Ionut has judged panels, led workshops, and co-taught courses at The National University of Arts (UNArte) in Bucharest. He helps clients tell compelling stories while contributing to the design and illustration community through mentorship, teaching, and creative initiatives.

Alma Mater: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), National University of Arts

Cédric Rossel
CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
WEPLAYDESIGN
Switzerland

Cédric, an art director and co-founder of the Swiss design studio WePlayDesign, specializes in design practice and teaching art direction and graphic design. Renowned for his playful and innovative approach, he runs workshops and is invited to conferences and juries. WePlayDesign creates expressive, emotional, and narrative-driven brand images through visual and sonic worlds. Inspired by play as a driving force for experimentation and expression, the studio's unique approach leads to personalized, unexpected, and impactful solutions. Cédric Rossel and co-founder Sophie Rubin have received numerous awards and international recognition. Their work has been exhibited at biennials and events worldwide, including in Canada, China, the USA, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, Russia, France, South Korea, Switzerland, and many other countries.

Alma Mater: ECAL - University of Art and Design

Ariel Santillan
FREEELANCE ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
Vietnam and The Philippines

Ariel is a multi-disciplinary creative with over 15 years of experience in advertising, design, and illustration. He has held key roles at major agencies like Publicis, DDB, and Leo Burnett, driving campaigns for global and local clients across Vietnam and the Philippines. He is a recipient of multiple regional awards, including Best in Show at the MMA Asia Pacific and multiple Golds at the Tambuli Awards. Beyond advertising, Ariel is an accomplished illustrator with over 10 children's books published by top Philippine publishing houses.

Alma Mater: University of the Philippines Diliman - College of Fine Arts

Anthony Taaffe
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/FOUNDER
ANTHONY TAAFFE STUDIOS
Halifax, NS

Anthony is a hard-working creative director known for fresh ideas and tasty executions. He has crafted culturally resonant campaigns that have driven growth for some of Canada's major marketers. With over 25 years at the crossroads of art, technology, and storytelling, he excels at transforming complex, difficult subjects into accessible, engaging, award-winning work. (Cannes Lions, Marketing, Applied Arts, ADCC, Lürzer's Archive, +). After moving from Australia to Halifax in 2000, Anthony worked his way from Art Director to Creative Director for several of the region's signature agencies, including Extreme Group, Chester + Co, and Arrivals + Departures. Anthony's passion lies in building work for brands with purpose and pushing creative boundaries to achieve measurable impacts.

Alma Mater: Queensland College of Art

Jane Torres
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Montreal, QC

Jane, an art director with over 20 years of experience, has created distinctive, meticulously crafted work for leading Montreal agencies like Bleublancrouge, Bos, Nolin BBDO, Twist Image, Marketel, Nurun, and Cossette. Her strength lies in her precise visual craftsmanship, combining strong conceptual thinking with a refined aesthetic that elevates every project. She has led fully integrated 360° campaigns across diverse industries, bringing a thoughtful approach to strategy, concept, and execution. Jane is known for developing striking, emotionally resonant visuals while navigating demanding guidelines and complex communication ecosystems.

Alma Mater: Cégep du Vieux Montréal, UQUAM

Jess Willis
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SAJE NATURAL WELLNESS
Toronto, ON

Driven by a passion for redefining work, Jess has spent 25 years solving clients' business problems through creative innovation. Despite her aversion to self-promotion, she's thrilled you've read this far. Recognized internationally at Cannes, Effies, One Show, Clios, ADCC, and Marketing, Jess has lectured at Miami Ad School, Humber, and Brain Station, served on the Labatt Creative Council, and been featured in AdAge, Contagious, Wired, Fast Company, and The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. As VP, ECD of Mosaic North America, she led the agency to an 80+ point jump on the Creative Report Card, including their first showing on Strategy's Agency of the Year shortlist in 2020. Since then, she's held leadership roles at renowned Canadian creative shops like john st. and Performance Art. Now, she's reimagining a beloved Canadian wellness brand for the modern consumer.

Alma Mater: University of Guelph, Humber Polytechnic

Shirley Xu Wang
Associate Creative Director
LEO TORONTO
Toronto, ON

Shirley is a Associate Creative Director at Leo Toronto whose work has been recognized at national and international award shows, including Cannes Lions, Clios, ADC, Atomic Awards, Applied Arts, and Communication Arts. With a background in both advertising and PR, she blends strategic insight with creative storytelling to deliver culturally impactful campaigns. Her work has also reached mainstream audiences, appearing on major late-night shows including Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon. Beyond her creative work, she serves on the board of the Asian Arts and Culture Trust, advocating for greater representation of Asian heritage, arts, and culture in Canada.

Alma Mater: Miami Ad School Toronto, McGill University

Nicolas Boisvert
PARTNER AND VICE-PRESIDENT, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
LG2
Quebec City, QC

Nicolas is one of Canada's most-awarded creatives. With a career spanning over two decades at LG2, he is known for transforming complex challenges into highly impactful messages. His creative work for clients like SAAQ and Beneva has earned many international distinctions, including Cannes Lions, One Show, Clio, and Marketing Awards. His dynamic, inventive approach and extensive experience make him an influential voice in the industry.

Alma Mater: Laval University

Louise Delfin
ART DIRECTOR
ANGRY BUTTERFLY
Toronto, ON

Louise is a Toronto-based art director who sees creativity as multi-faceted and deeply human, with storytelling often hiding in the smallest details and unexpected insights. She's drawn to the moments most people might overlook, because that's often where the real story lives. Whether she's shaping a visual concept, collaborating with a team, or experimenting with ideas, she loves uncovering subtle touches that make work feel thoughtful, alive, and relatable. For Louise, storytelling isn't just in the big gestures — it's in the quiet, surprising moments that make you pause, smile, or feel that something truly.

Alma Mater: OCAD University

Christina Lee Kim Koon
SENIOR BRAND & WEB DESIGNER
Vancouver, BC

Christina, a Vancouver-based digital designer and university educator with over a decade of experience in brand identity and website design, specializes in creating meaningful, user-centred design solutions. Her work focuses on building cohesive brand identities that perform across digital platforms, balancing creativity with real-world business needs. As Chair of the IDEA School of Design at Capilano University, she leads the Bachelor of Design and Interaction Design programs, fostering a collaborative and hands-on learning environment where students explore visual communication and interactive design, particularly in sustainable, future-focused practices.

Alma Mater: IDEA School of Design, Capilano University

Gémina Gil Flores
CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
BBH LONDON
London, UK

Gémina is a Creative Art Director at BBH where she develops provocative and culturally driven advertising campaigns. Her work spans brands such as Adidas, Xbox, Tesco, Sky Sports and Audi. Gémina is also a mentor.

Alma Mater: School of Communication Arts, London, Sup De Pub, Paris, Brassart Design School, France

Shannon Glassford
ART DIRECTOR
BERLIN COMMUNICATIONS
Edmonton, AB

Shannon is the kind of designer who is equal parts conceptual thinker, creative doer, and fearless procrastinator. She found her way here (wherever here may be) by giving her best, having a bit of fun, and working with great people (they know who they are). She believes every culture has a context and a rhythm, and that paying attention to it makes communication and art stronger. Perhaps that's why she loves the idea of knitting—but is still fearlessly procrastinating on picking up the needles.

Alma Mater: University of Alberta

Frank Macera
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
VML CANADA
Toronto, ON

For nearly 20 years, Frank has created and led strategic, effective, world-class work in some of the industry's most competitive categories. Frank's work has been recognized at The Effies, The One Show, Cannes, D&AD, Clio Awards, and other award shows. As the creative lead at the VML Toronto office, he works with teams across the country to produce effective, breakthrough work for clients like OLG, Coca-Cola, HSBC, and others. In his spare time, Frank has run marathons, performed stand-up comedy, learned to juggle, solve Rubik's cubes, and written this bio, which makes him sound more interesting than he is.

Alma Mater: Carleton, Humber Polytechnic

Marty Martinez
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER
TANK WORLDWIDE
Montreal, QC

Marty, with over 20 years of advertising experience, combines creativity with industry knowledge to push creative boundaries. As CCO of TANK Worldwide since 2015, his vision has made TANK a global leader in health and wellness, with offices in New York, Toronto, London, and Montréal. His creative teams reinvent the role of health/wellness agencies by crafting ambitious, impactful stories. Marty's work has won numerous awards globally, including Cannes, the LIA's, The One Show, The Webby Awards, Clio Health, the Lisbon Health Awards, New York Festivals, the Anthem Awards, Epica Awards, Applied Arts, the Rx Awards, and Communication Arts.

Alma Mater: Ahuntsic College, and Concordia University

Trong Nguyen
DESIGN DIRECTOR
ZULU ALPHA KILO
Toronto, ON

Multi-disciplinary Canadian-based designer, Trong started her career in product design, specifically improving engagement and accessibility, and was named on several patents and IP. Being in advertising for well over a decade, she uses her experience to connect unconventional solutions to problems, briefs, and initiatives.

Alma Mater: Conestoga College

Howard Poon
VICE PRESIDENT, DESIGN DIRECTOR
FKA
Edmonton, AB

Howard is known for frank feedback and a low tolerance for complexity. He feeds his curiosity with a Sunday New York Times subscription and stays hydrated with espresso. Deeply committed to nurturing emerging talent, he is an active volunteer with RGD, Canada's largest professional association for graphic designers. As VP Design at FKA, Howard collaborates with cross-disciplinary strategists, creatives, and designers to turn insights into exceptional brands. In prior leadership roles at DDB Canada and TBWA\Canada, his teams earned international, national, and regional recognition with work featured in One Show, Communication Arts, Applied Arts, and ADCC.

Alma Mater: MacEwan University

Ionut Radulescu
DESIGNER, ILLUSTRATOR & ART DIRECTOR
New York, NY

Ionut, a Romanian designer, illustrator, and art director based in Brooklyn, New York, blends illustration and design to tell bold stories. He works for clients like The New York Times, Refinery29, Converse, Teen Vogue, Peloton, Thinx, and Pepsi, exploring themes of queerness, self-expression, and empowerment. His work has been featured in Creative Boom, Applied Arts, AIGA Eye on Design, IQads, and more, earning recognition from American Illustration and Applied Arts Magazine. Committed to fostering creative growth, Ionut has judged panels, led workshops, and co-taught courses at The National University of Arts (UNArte) in Bucharest. He helps clients tell compelling stories while contributing to the design and illustration community through mentorship, teaching, and creative initiatives.

Alma Mater: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), National University of Arts

Cédric Rossel
CO-FOUNDER & CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR
WEPLAYDESIGN
Switzerland

Cédric, an art director and co-founder of the Swiss design studio WePlayDesign, specializes in design practice and teaching art direction and graphic design. Renowned for his playful and innovative approach, he runs workshops and is invited to conferences and juries. WePlayDesign creates expressive, emotional, and narrative-driven brand images through visual and sonic worlds. Inspired by play as a driving force for experimentation and expression, the studio's unique approach leads to personalized, unexpected, and impactful solutions. Cédric Rossel and co-founder Sophie Rubin have received numerous awards and international recognition. Their work has been exhibited at biennials and events worldwide, including in Canada, China, the USA, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, Russia, France, South Korea, Switzerland, and many other countries.

Alma Mater: ECAL - University of Art and Design

Ariel Santillan
FREEELANCE ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND ILLUSTRATOR
Vietnam and The Philippines

Ariel is a multi-disciplinary creative with over 15 years of experience in advertising, design, and illustration. He has held key roles at major agencies like Publicis, DDB, and Leo Burnett, driving campaigns for global and local clients across Vietnam and the Philippines. He is a recipient of multiple regional awards, including Best in Show at the MMA Asia Pacific and multiple Golds at the Tambuli Awards. Beyond advertising, Ariel is an accomplished illustrator with over 10 children's books published by top Philippine publishing houses.

Alma Mater: University of the Philippines Diliman - College of Fine Arts

Anthony Taaffe
CREATIVE DIRECTOR/FOUNDER
ANTHONY TAAFFE STUDIOS
Halifax, NS

Anthony is a hard-working creative director known for fresh ideas and tasty executions. He has crafted culturally resonant campaigns that have driven growth for some of Canada's major marketers. With over 25 years at the crossroads of art, technology, and storytelling, he excels at transforming complex, difficult subjects into accessible, engaging, award-winning work. (Cannes Lions, Marketing, Applied Arts, ADCC, Lürzer's Archive, +). After moving from Australia to Halifax in 2000, Anthony worked his way from Art Director to Creative Director for several of the region's signature agencies, including Extreme Group, Chester + Co, and Arrivals + Departures. Anthony's passion lies in building work for brands with purpose and pushing creative boundaries to achieve measurable impacts.

Alma Mater: Queensland College of Art

Jane Torres
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Montreal, QC

Jane, an art director with over 20 years of experience, has created distinctive, meticulously crafted work for leading Montreal agencies like Bleublancrouge, Bos, Nolin BBDO, Twist Image, Marketel, Nurun, and Cossette. Her strength lies in her precise visual craftsmanship, combining strong conceptual thinking with a refined aesthetic that elevates every project. She has led fully integrated 360° campaigns across diverse industries, bringing a thoughtful approach to strategy, concept, and execution. Jane is known for developing striking, emotionally resonant visuals while navigating demanding guidelines and complex communication ecosystems.

Alma Mater: Cégep du Vieux Montréal, UQUAM

Jess Willis
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SAJE NATURAL WELLNESS
Toronto, ON

Driven by a passion for redefining work, Jess has spent 25 years solving clients' business problems through creative innovation. Despite her aversion to self-promotion, she's thrilled you've read this far. Recognized internationally at Cannes, Effies, One Show, Clios, ADCC, and Marketing, Jess has lectured at Miami Ad School, Humber, and Brain Station, served on the Labatt Creative Council, and been featured in AdAge, Contagious, Wired, Fast Company, and The Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. As VP, ECD of Mosaic North America, she led the agency to an 80+ point jump on the Creative Report Card, including their first showing on Strategy's Agency of the Year shortlist in 2020. Since then, she's held leadership roles at renowned Canadian creative shops like john st. and Performance Art. Now, she's reimagining a beloved Canadian wellness brand for the modern consumer.

Alma Mater: University of Guelph, Humber Polytechnic

Shirley Xu Wang
Associate Creative Director
LEO TORONTO
Toronto, ON

Shirley is a Associate Creative Director at Leo Toronto whose work has been recognized at national and international award shows, including Cannes Lions, Clios, ADC, Atomic Awards, Applied Arts, and Communication Arts. With a background in both advertising and PR, she blends strategic insight with creative storytelling to deliver culturally impactful campaigns. Her work has also reached mainstream audiences, appearing on major late-night shows including Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon. Beyond her creative work, she serves on the board of the Asian Arts and Culture Trust, advocating for greater representation of Asian heritage, arts, and culture in Canada.

Alma Mater: Miami Ad School Toronto, McGill University

Entries are judged digitally by award-winning creatives working in Canada and beyond.

Categories & Entry Fees

Entry fees vary per sub-grouping and category. Download the 2026 Student Categories Kit for detailed pricing.

CREATIVE ADVERTISING SINGLE / SERIES: $35 | CAMPAIGNS: $45
Brand Activation Campaign
Concept Development Campaign
Copywriting for Advertising
Digital Advertising
Digital Experimental/Innovative Campaign
Experiential/Event
Print Advertising
PR/Viral Campaign
Radio
Social Responsibility
Video Advertising

DESIGN - SINGLE / SERIES: $35 | PROGRAMS: $45
Brand Identity Design
Logo Design
Concept Development
Digital Content
Digital Experimental/Innovative
Editorial Design
Game Design & Development
Motion
Packaging Design
Product Development
Promotional Design
Social Responsibility
Typeface Design
Website
Typography
Website and App Design

DIGITAL, MOTION & GAMING - SINGLE / SERIES: $45
Animation
Digital Content
Game Design & Development
Motion
Website and App Design

ILLUSTRATION - SINGLE / SERIES: $35
Animation
Cartoon/Comic illustration
Conceptual Illustration
Editorial Illustration
Graphic Novel Illustration
Packaging Illustration
Social Responsibility Illustration
3D Modelling
Photo Illustration/Mixed Media

PHOTOGRAPHY - SINGLE / SERIES: $35
Conceptual Photography
Food Photography
Lifestyle photography
Motion
Nature, landscape & Wildlife
Portrait Photography
Photo Illustration/Mixed Media
Photo Manipulation

HIGH SCHOOL - SINGLE / SERIES: $20
Entries can be from any application from the sub-groupings above.

Entry Material Guidelines

Main Entry Files

REQUIRED
Main Entry File(s) must clearly show the images, ideally without additional graphics to be judged in hi-res format.

PERMITTED

SINGLE | 1 file

A single unit – Such as a magazine ad, annual report, book/publication, multiple-page brochure, poster, environmental signage for an event/storefront, image/illustration, video, website, etc.

SERIES | 3 files maximum

2-3 units – i.e. Magazine ads, images/illustrations A family of logos, packages, posters.

CAMPAIGN | 6 files maximum

Up to 6 elements/units from an entire campaign or program to promote an event, brand, product, service or business.

NOTE ON MULTIPAGE PDFS: Recommended when incorporating any additional images into the maximum number of files allowed (e.g. the image in context, inside pages from a book, or multiple views of 3-dimensional entries such as packaging). It only counts as 1 file.

Support Files

Support Files help clarify your entry for judges. They are not for publication (unless noted) and do not count towards your main file limits. Only one (1) file or URL may be uploaded.

REQUIRED
~ English translations for non-English entries; must be included either as a Support File or within a multipage PDF as your Main Entry File.

PERMITTED
~ Brief descriptions: Optional, recommended if the use or intention is not obvious. Limit to 50 words in English (10-second intro for motion).
~ Case studies: Optional, ONLY as a support file. Limit 50 words in English or 45s for videos. Note: judges score the creative, not the outcomes.

NOT PERMITTED
~ Uploading the same creative: Do not submit the same creative either as a file or URL if it's been added as the Main Entry File.
~ Entrant information: Do not add entrant-identifying watermarks on support files or URLs (self-promo work excluded).

RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES

Judging is fully online. Here's how to make your entry clear and impactful:

How To Enter

The Entry Form consists of five (5) steps. You can save your progress at any point.

Log in or sign up for an account

View a sample entry

Step 1: entry information

Choose the Awards competition, sub-group, category, and add your entry title.

Step 2: Entry Materials

Upload all required digital files. Follow the Entry Material Guidelines for specs and tips.

Step 3: Winners' Information

For publication only, not for judging.

Step 4: Creative Credits

List the creatives who worked on the project and specify their roles.

Step 5: Certificate information

Provide the winning company/individual and/or client name to appear on the certificate.

One certificate will be given for each winning entry. Additional certificates can be ordered later.

FINALIZE & PAY

Click Save to return to your dashboard to add or copy entries.

Payment completes the submission—entries are not officially submitted until payment is processed.

You may edit entries up until payment. After payment, only limited edits (e.g., Winners' Information) are allowed. Once results are released, there will be a 48-hour window to update Winners' Information and creative credit role.

Enter Now

Payment & Refunds

NOTE TO STUDENTS WITH A SCHOOL CODE For students with a school code, please select "School Code" as the method of payment, followed by the school code issued by your instructor/school.

NOTE TO TEACHERS If you have a large volume of student entries to submit and would like to organize payment through your school, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com for a School Group Code. We will track entries and issue an invoice.

Entries are non-refundable. If an entry is submitted to the same category, entrants will have the option to move the entry to another category or enter new work in its place.

Keep a record of your submissions.

Winner Recognition

Award recipients receive:

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS*

  • Extra certificates for your team or client (with optional plaque mounting).
  • Additional copies of the Awards Annual at a discounted rate.
  • A personalized, engraved Lucite AACE trophy (3.5 × 3.5 × 3.5 in.).

*Additional fees apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility FAQ

I'm a high school student. Can I enter? Yes. There are a limited number of categories available for high-school students in the Student Awards competition. The rest of the categories are open only to post-secondary students attending a college, university or other type of art school.

I am currently studying a post-graduate/graduate program, am I still eligible to enter? Yes. You are still eligible to enter the Student Awards competition.

Am I still eligible to enter if I recently graduated? If you've graduated in the past year you are still eligible to enter the Student Awards. You may also qualify to submit work to the Young Blood categories in the professional competitions. Please see the specific discipline for eligibility.

Judging FAQ

Will the judges see my descriptions during the judging? Judges do not see the creative descriptions you have entered. These are only for publishing beside your entry if chosen as a winner. If you feel judges need an explanatory note, you may include a brief description as a Support File (no more than 50 words or 10 seconds for broadcast/video).

Categories FAQ

Can I enter a piece in multiple categories? Yes. In your account on the Awards Entries home page, click "Copy" on any entry you've created. Be sure to change the discipline and/or entry category to the new one you want to submit to.

Which category does my entry belong in? Often the best way to understand a category is to see previous work that won in that category. Check our online Winners Gallery for examples. If you still have questions regarding our categories or require assistance in selecting the appropriate category, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

NOTE: Applied Arts reserves the right to move an entry to another category if we feel it unsuitable or incorrectly categorized.

Is my entry a single series, and campaign? A single means one piece, and series means you are submitting more than one piece of the same project to a maximum of three. A campaign is up to six pieces for the Student competition. If an entry contains more than the specified images, we will either contact you to split the submission into multiple entries, or choose which ones will be judged, so it's best to stick to the indicated number of pieces specified.

Entry Material FAQ

At what specs do I need to submit my entry? Refer to ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section for specifications.

Can I submit a hard copy or disk? No. Only digital uploads are accepted.

The program crashed. Did I lose everything? No. You are saving your work as you go through each section of the entry form. If the program crashes as you are completing a certain section, it may not have been saved in that section.

The file I uploaded won't show me a preview. Why? You may not see the image preview if you haven't followed the specs outlined in ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES. Check your file and re-upload. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

I uploaded the wrong file. Can I change it? Yes. You can resubmit images at any time until payment is made. Click the "X" beside the appropriate file and re-upload your image.

NOTE: The thumbnail image may not correctly display your new image. If this happens close your browser and log back into "Awards Entries" for the changes to show. If you continue to experience difficulties, try clearing your browser history or contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Rights FAQ

Do I need to get the rights of the subjects or material used from external sources in my entry? It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure copyright is not infringed. Upon entry you must grant us the rights to reproduce the image or images for both our online and print publications, so you would most likely need to have these rights in place to protect yourself. Although you do not need to send us a copy of the release forms, we do suggest that you have them. Entrants who request we don't run their winning work because they don't have the rights will not be refunded for their entry. NOTE: Student work is often exempt from copyright rules.

What rights do I retain if my work is chosen? You retain all rights to your images.

Payment FAQ

How do students enter and pay? Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, or with a School Code. If using a school Code select the "School Code" option under Payment Method to finalize the entries.

Can I submit more entries after paying? Yes. In Awards Entries, you will have the opportunity to submit additional entries even if others already entered have been paid. This will simply generate a new confirmation email when you complete your entries with payment.

I want to change something after I've paid. What do I do? Once an entry is paid, you cannot change the category, entry title, entry format, winners information, description of entry, or credits. A paid entry is final, so check carefully before proceeding to the payment field. If chosen as a winner, you will be given a small window of time to add or edit information.

Can I get a refund? Entries are non-refundable; costs cover administration, processing and the judging of the entry. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.

I'm getting error messages when I try to pay. What do I do? If you entered your payment information incorrectly on your first attempt, any subsequent attempts would be declined, even if you change your payment type. Close your browser and log back into Awards Entries. You should now be able to proceed with payment. If you continue to experience difficulties, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Winners FAQ

If I win, what image will you use for reproduction? We will use the image(s) you submitted on entry. In the case of series, complete, campaign or motion, we select a sampling at our discretion from the images/files submitted.

Contact

Questions? If you've checked all of the above sections and cannot find the answer to your question, or if you are having difficulty entering, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

Disclaimer

Applied Arts reserves the right to amend these rules throughout the competition. Applied Arts assumes all entries are original and the property of the entrant, with all rights granted therein. Applied Arts reserves the rights to publish or exhibit entries for our print or electronic formats, or related promotions. Entries are non-refundable. Costs cover administration, processing, and the judging of the entry. Entries may be moved to a more suitable category, if Applied Arts deems the category chosen unsuitable. All descriptions and credits are subject to be edited for length, clarity and grammar in accordance with the Applied Arts editorial style guide. A submission of entry acknowledges acceptance of these rules.