Submit your work

For taking part you are required to register online. For each entry, a separate registration form containing details on the project (short description with max. 1,000 characters // relevant images (printable) and/or videos (mp4/flv/mov), altogether max. 10 files, no specification of size), information on the team and the client must be filled in online. This form will serve as an administrative aid and as the basis for a possible future publication of the project in the catalog and exhibition. Students are asked to enclose a confirmation of studies.

For each entry successfully registered you will receive a confirmation via e-mail containing an individual entry number and the invoice. Participants whose submission(s) have been nominated by the jury for the second round will be notified in December 2026 and will receive further information and formal instructions on the physical entry(ies).

Entry conditions

Eligibility: Participation is open to graphic designers, illustrators, advertising agencies, and design students from all over the world. They may enter projects in the fields of graphic design and illustration published or realized in 2025 and after. The number of entries is not limited.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

1 — Corporate Design Corporate identity programs, logotypes, brand guidelines, design systems, business stationery (digital & print), etc.

2 — Communication Design
Visual communication and integrated campaigns across multiple channels, including advertising, brochures, leaflets, mailings, social media content and other communication materials in print, digital, social and OOH.

3 — Information Design
Signage systems, exhibition design, forms, data visualization, user instructions, etc.

4 — Type Design
Fonts, lettering, etc.

5 — Poster Design
Indoor and outdoor posters of all formats and genres

6 — Editorial Design
Books (fiction and non-fiction), art and exhibition catalogs, annual reports, magazines, newspapers, digital editorial formats, etc.

7 — Packaging Design
Packaging graphics, labels, etc.

8 — Interface Design
Websites, microsites, apps, AI product interfaces, conversational and voice interfaces, AR/VR and spatial computing interfaces, newsletters, software design, etc.

ILLUSTRATION

1 — Book Illustration
Illustrations for children's books, fiction, poetry, non-fiction, graphic novels, etc.

2 — Media Illustration
Illustrations for periodicals, newspapers, etc.

3 — Commercial Illustration
Illustrations for advertising media, etc.

4 — Animated Illustration
Animated illustration for digital media, social media, websites or interactive platforms, short films, music videos, etc.

5 — Illustration in Miscellaneous Applications
Illustrations for diverse communication media, game design, storyboards, etc.

DESIGN FICTION (SPECIAL CATEGORY)
Unpublished works, independent/non-commercial projects, unrealized concepts, student projects, etc. in all disciplines

HENRY STEINER PRIZE (SPECIAL CATEGORY)
Among all submissions, one project that supports the idea and mission of fostering connections between diverse cultural perspectives will be selected for the Henry Steiner Prize.

Works to be entered in several categories must be registered separately for each category. This competition exclusively assesses works in the field of graphic design and illustration.

FIRST ENTRY
Regular: 105 euros

Members*: 79 euros

Students: 55 euros

FOR EACH FURTHER ENTRY
Regular: 79 euros

Members*: 59 euros

Students: 45 euros

Entry Deadline: 31 October, 2026

Early Bird: Benefit from a 10% discount by entering by 25 September, 2026
Fees do not include 20% VAT.

*Members of AGD, AGI, BDG, CREATIVE CLUB AUSTRIA, dba, Design Denmark, Design Luxembourg, Kuvittajat, Latvian Design Center, STGU, tga and designaustria benefit from reduced entry fees.

Please contact your organization for your member discount code. Members of designaustria can find the code in the members area at www.designaustria.at.

PAYMENT
The participation fees must be paid online at the time of submission. It is not possible to take part in the competition without paying the entry fee.

NOMINEES PACKAGE (for catalog and exhibition)
Projects which were selected by the international jury will be presented to a broad public: online on our social media channels and on our website, printed in our catalog (English) and in person in several exhibitions. Therefore, entrants will be charged a fee to cover parts of the production costs in the amount of 360 euros (excl. 20% VAT) per entry. Entrants whose projects have been selected will receive two free copies of the catalog per published entry. They will receive a 50% discount when ordering further copies. No fee will be charged in the Design Fiction category.

In the first round between 26 November and 10 December 2026, the jury will rate all of the projects entered online. Those projects scoring highest will subsequently have to be sent in the form of printed examples (if available) and be assessed physically at designforum Wien, 5 February 2027.

Members of the jury are excluded from participation in the competition. There will be no correspondence on the jury or its decision.

The entrants declare that they hold copyrights and publication rights in the works entered (obtain permission from clients if necessary) and that no rights of third parties will be infringed through the publication of the works.
 
Work created with the support of AI-assisted tools may be submitted in the regular categories, provided the use of AI is disclosed on the entry form (type of tool, extent of use). The jury continues to evaluate primarily the design idea, concept, and execution quality contributed by the entrant.
 
The entrants permit designaustria to publish and use their works for promotional and advertising purposes in the context of this competition, starting from the moment of submission (i.e. staff picks during the submission period), crediting the author(s) of the work(s) in question. designaustria declines any responsibility as to the infringement of the rights of third parties and cannot be held responsible for damage to the works, except in cases of sabotage or gross negligence.
 
Works for which no entry fees have been paid will not be admitted to the jury process. Entries will only be returned upon the explicit request of the entrants and at their risk and expense. Participation in this competition does not entail any legal claims. By registering online and sending the registration form, entrants accept the conditions mentioned herein.