A' Design Award opens 2026 nominations for print and published media design

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for its 2026 A' International Print and Published Media Design Awards, with a September 30, 2026 deadline and winners due May 1, 2027. The competition targets designers, publishers and editorial teams worldwide, and includes a free preliminary review before paid nomination.

Why it matters: - The competition gives print and editorial designers a global platform to showcase work in books, magazines, catalogs, packaging inserts and other published media. - Winners get recognition that can support visibility, press coverage and professional credibility in a crowded design market. - The awards also package media and promotional support around winning work, which can amplify reach beyond the jury decision.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened its call for entries for the 2026 A' International Print and Published Media Design Awards. - The program is open worldwide to print designers, published media designers, graphic designers, typography experts, layout artists, illustrators, art directors, branding agencies, print manufacturers, print brands, advertising agencies, visual communication professionals, content creators, authors, editors, publishers, writers, journalists, publishing companies, and research and consultancy firms. - Printed publications and editorial projects completed within the last 10 years are eligible. - The entry deadline is September 30, 2026. - Results will be announced on May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition runs in two phases, starting with a complimentary preliminary design review. - Projects that pass the preliminary review can move to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Eligible submissions include brochures, posters, magazines, catalogs, flyers, business cards, billboards, books and similar print and publication design projects. - Entries are judged anonymously by an international jury of more than 300 academics, designers, publishers, journalists and communication professionals. - The awards focus on innovation, craftsmanship and design quality across editorial design, typography and visual communication. - Professional-edition laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes a design excellence certificate, lifetime winner logo license, yearbook inclusion, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy, gala-night invitation, translation into foreign languages, and inclusion in multiple rankings and classifications. - Winners also receive an exclusive interview, a press release announcing the victory, design images, photographs, logos and a press kit with high-resolution materials. - The press kits will be distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already agreed to publish selected winning projects. - The competition page lists sub-categories and descriptions at Award description. - Designers can register at Submit an entry. - Past winners are available at Previous winners.

Between the lines: - The awards are built to do more than name a winner; they also create a publicity pipeline around the winning work. - The free preliminary review lowers the barrier to entry, while the nomination fee still preserves a formal competition structure. - The anonymous jury format is intended to frame the results as merit-based rather than network-driven.

What's next: - Designers and publishers can submit eligible projects before the September 30, 2026 deadline. - Winning entries will be announced on May 1, 2027. - Laureates can expect post-win promotion through interviews, press kits and media distribution.

The bottom line: - A' Design Award is using its 2026 print and published media competition to combine juried recognition with built-in publicity for editorial and print design work.