To All Awards

2025 Illustration Awards

Call for Entry: November 25, 2024 - February 7, 2025
Eligibility Period: February 2024 - February 2025
Results Notification: Mid-March 2025

KEEP CLIMBING THE CREATIVE LADDER

Illustrators or animators—of all levels—professional or enthusiasts—Canadian, US or International—dabbling in stills or creating animations for film, TV or online—Have your work published in print, online Winners Gallery and the Awards Archive.

Eligible published, unpublished, or personal work created between February 2024 and February 2025 can be entered into nearly 50 categories, including advertising, conceptual, corporate, environmental & spaces, editorial, portrait, posters, promotional, and more.

Winning an Applied Arts Illustration Award will help you broadcast your work to top creative professionals in the advertising and design industries today. Winning could be a career changer!

This is an international competition open to all forms of commissioned, published, unpublished, and personal Illustration work, for illustrators of all levels — including newly minted professionals with 3 years or less industry experience.

For current students, you are ONLY ELIGIBLE to enter the Student Awards Competition where work is judged alongside your peers at a similar level of experience.

Applied Arts remains committed to recognizing talented artists who continue to pursue excellence in their creative projects. Our mandate is to showcase their exceptional craft that has resulted from years of hard work. We provide artists with the opportunity to grow their community and business by getting the eyes of established industry creatives on their work. Thus, Applied Arts will not accept generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the competition.

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

Illustration Awards Jury

Our Photography & Illustration Awards jury comprises award-winning creatives working in the industry today in Canada and beyond. Who better to view and judge your entries? After all, their work relies heavily on the imagery they choose for their winning campaigns.

Judging Process

All work is entered and judged digitally. There are no hard copies. Therefore, please read our RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES, under the ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section ensure you submit your work properly for maximum impact.

The judges are divided into groups, with each viewing a different and random group of entries. Each judge reviews and scores entries separately. Judges do not confer or discuss the work and there is only one round of judging.

Entries are given one total score, based on three criteria only:

  1. Creative merit.
  2. Technical excellence.
  3. Suitability for end use in the category it was submitted to.

NOTE: Entries submitted to the Young Blood categories are judged with the level of experience and/or available resources taken into consideration.

Eligibility

Open internationally to all forms of commissioned, published, unpublished and personal work from professionals and enthusiasts created between February 2024 and February 2025 (but not entries that have been submitted into last year's competition). Only digital entries are accepted for this competition.

Young Blood
For professionals that have graduated within the last three (3) years.

Students
There is a stand-alone awards competition for students studying in a creative arts program at the post-secondary or high school level. Work from any year of study is eligible and may be entered up to one year after graduation. Students are only eligible to enter the Student Awards competition. Visit Student Awards for eligibility and deadlines.

Categories & Entry Fees

Entry fees vary per sub-grouping and category.

ILLUSTRATION SINGLE: $40 / SERIES: $65
Advertising Illustration
Arts & Culture Illustration Cartoon/Comic Illustration
Conceptual Illustration
Corporate Illustration
Editorial Illustration
Environmental Factor Illustration Environmental/Spaces
Fashion & Beauty Illustration
Gallery Illustration
Packaging Illustration
Photo-Illustration – Submit through the Photography Awards competition
Portrait Illustration
Poster Illustration
Promotional Illustration
Pro Bono/PSA/Charity Illustration
Self-Promotion
Small Community/Business Illustration
Unpublished/Personal Illustration

MOTION – SHORT: $100 / LONG: $115
Animated Character
Animation
Explainer videos
Promotional Social Media

YOUNG BLOOD - SINGLE: $30 / SERIES: $55
Entries can be from any application from the above groupings of categories.

Entry Material Guidelines

Acceptable file formats and restrictions

STILLS

IMPORTANT NOTE RE MULTI-PAGE PDFS: These are recommended when incorporating additional images while still adhering to the maximum number of files allowed. For example, the PDF could have several pages that show the image/illustration in its final context, inside pages from a book, or multiple views of 3D entries such as packaging. It only counts as 1 file.

MOTION

RESTRICTIONS

Main Entry Files

REQUIRED
Main Entry File(s) must clearly show the images (ideally with no additional graphics) to be judged in hi-res format.

PERMITTED

SINGLE | One Image*/max. 1 file

A single piece, such as a single image, illustration, exhibit, storefront, or multipage unit, such as a book/publication/brochure, etc.

SERIES | 2-5 Images*/max. 5 files

A series of images/illustrations that relate to one another by topic or product.

*Exceptions are noted in specific categories.

Support Files

Support Files are for clarity to assist the judges. They are not for publication (except where noted) and do not count towards the file limitations noted above. These files can be added to your main entry material or uploaded to the "Entry Supporting Materials" sub-section of Entry Materials Section. Only one file/URL may be uploaded.

REQUIRED
~ English translations for non-English entries: Include any important text (e.g. headlines and the entry title) either as a Support File or within a multipage PDF as your Main Entry File.

PERMITTED
~ Brief descriptions: Are recommended in cases where the use/intention is not obvious or to provide further clarity for the judges. Limit to 50 words in English (10-second intro for motion).
~ Case studies: Not recommended (as outcomes are not a consideration for judges in scoring), case studies can be added ONLY as a Support File and should be limited to max. 50 words in English (or up to 45s for videos). REMINDER: The actual creative is to be judged as your Main Entry File.

NOT PERMITTED
~ Uploading the same creative: Do not submit the same creative either as a file or URL if it's already been added as the Main Entry File.
~ Entrant information: Do not add a watermark that identifies the entrant on the Support files/URLs.

RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES

Judging is online. Here's how to help the judges:

How To Enter

The Entry Form consists of five (5) steps. You will have the option to save your progress during each step of the process.

Create your "MY ENTRIES" Account.

This is your Applied Arts Awards account for all Awards competitions. Once logged in, personal account information can be updated, a new entry can be started, copied from an existing one, or edited; and you can pay for all or some entries.

Bookmark https://www.appliedartsmag.com/myentries/ for easy access to your account later.

NOTE: If you've entered the Applied Arts Awards previously, please use the email address associated with your account.

All entrants must complete an online entry form in My Entries, regardless of payment method, to be eligible for entry.

View a sample entry

Step 1: entry information

Select from one of the Awards competitions, choose a sub-group, category and your entry title.

Step 2: Entry Materials

Entry format: All entries are to be submitted in digital format. See the ENTRY MATERIAL GUIDELINES section above for detailed specifications and helpful tips.

Step 3: Winners' Information

THIS SECTION IS FOR PUBLICATION ONLY AND IS NOT VISIBLE TO THE JUDGES. Please review the information carefully. After the winners have been notified, you will only have 48 hours to make edits.

The "Winner" field is the primary company or individual you want to be credited on the piece (i.e. company name, photographer, illustrator, Young Blood, etc.).

NOTE: In the instance that a team (e.g. AD & writer) worked together (typically for the Young Blood or Student categories), enter only the first individual of the team as in the "Winner" field. The other team member(s) should be added in the CREATIVE CREDITS section. (See Step 4: CREATIVE CREDITS for further explanation on how to enter additional names so that they are properly credited as "Winners").

Optional fields: Phone, email, web address, social handles, and the URL to the winning entry (typically, for motion entries). If these are entered, they will be published beside your winning work.

NOTE: We recommend including the URL as, due to file sizes, we don't upload the MP4 files directly for viewing in the Winners Gallery. They are only used for judging.

Description of Entry: For the purpose of providing a brief creative summary of the project to be published beside your winning entry. The description is limited to a maximum of 500 characters (includes spaces).

NOTE: The "Descriptions of Entry" are for publication use only and are not shown to the judges.

Step 4: Creative Credits

Credits are a summary of the individual's or companies that have worked on the project.

A credit can be designated with an individual's name or an organization's. A credit role is a job function (e.g. creative director, or production house). Multiple names can be assigned to one credit role (i.e. if you have two creative directors, they are counted as only one credit role).

A maximum of 6 creative credit roles will be published in the Annual, however, any/all creative credits you entered will appear in the online Winners Gallery.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Step 5: Certificate information

One certificate will be given for each winning entry.

Complete the winning company/individual and/or client you wish to appear on the certificate. The entry title and the category the project won in will automatically be included on the certificate. You will have the opportunity to order additional certificates once winners have been notified.

NEXT: FINALIZING YOUR ENTRY
After Step 5, the entry form is complete. Press the "Save" button to return to "My Entries" dashboard to submit a new entry, copy an existing entry to a new category, or submit payment.

IMPORTANT: A submitted entry is not final and entered in the competition until it's paid for. Entries may be edited until paid. Once payment has been processed, it is final.

Payment & Refunds

Entry fees vary. Check the categories kit for entry fees. Once an entry is paid it is officially in the competition and cannot be modified.

Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard or American Express (AmEx is for Canadian payments only at this time), or PayPal. US and international entry fees are payable in US funds.

We only accept cheques or direct deposits in special circumstances. These cases must be pre-approved. To request them, contact awards@appliedartsmag.com.

If you are entering a piece as both a Single and as part of a Series, ensure there are two separate entries on My Entries - one for the Series and one for the Single.

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.

Winners

All entrants will be notified by mid-March 2025 via email. At that time, you will have only 48 hours to correct or finalize creative credits and descriptions.

To ensure you don't miss the results notifications, add winners@appliedartsmag.com to your white list.

Award recipients will earn the following recognition for their outstanding work

ADD-ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR WINNERS*

  • Order additional certificates for your creative team, client, etc. with an option to order a plaque-mounted certificate.
  • Order additional copies of the Awards Annual at a discounted price.
  • Order a personalized, engraved Awards trophy. This attractive and original Lucite AACE cube is 3.5x3.5x3.5 square inches.

*Additional fees apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility FAQ

Can students enter? No. Students may only enter the Student Competition. Go here for categories, eligibility and deadlines for the Student Awards competition.

Can I enter something I entered last year? Not in the same competition, but if it meets the eligibility period for a different competition, then yes.

Can I enter something in multiple Awards competitions? Yes. Each competition has different eligibility periods; please check each competition for eligibility requirements.

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 My 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.

What is a single, series, and campaign? A single means one piece. Series means you are submitting more than one piece of the same project to a maximum of three (five pieces for the Photography & Illustration competitions). A campaign is up to nine pieces. 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.

What is the Young Blood category? Young Blood is a series of categories open only to entrants who have been out of school for up to a certain number of years (three for the Photography and Illustration competitions and five for the Design and Advertising competitions). As with all categories, they are judged on creative excellence, technical merit and suitability for end use, but the jury also takes into account the level of professional experience. You will be required to specify the name of the Young Blood entrant to qualify.

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 "My 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.

My client has revoked the right for me to enter work I've won for. What do I do? We do not issue refunds in these cases, but please contact awards@appliedartsmag.com if you need the entry removed from the Winners' pool.

Payment FAQ

Can I submit more entries after paying? Yes. In My 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 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.

My client has revoked the right for me to enter work I’ve already paid for. What do I do? We do not issue refunds in these cases, but contact awards@appliedartsmag.com if you need the entry removed from the judging or winners' pool.

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 My 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, we select a sampling at our discretion from the images/files submitted. For digital or motion, we will contact you to provide us with final image selects.

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.