Applied Arts Photography & Illustration Awards 2027

The Applied Arts Photography & Illustration Awards celebrate the vision, craft and point of view behind exceptional image-making, from a captured moment to an original illustration. Run by Applied Arts, Canada's magazine for visual communications, the 2027 edition opens on 23 November 2026 and closes on 29 January 2027, with results on 3 March 2027. Entries from Canada and around the world are welcome.

Winning work is published in the Photography, Illustration & Design Awards Annual and in the online Winners Gallery.

Key Dates

23 November 2026 — Competition opens
29 January 2027 — Deadline
3 March 2027 — Results
Eligibility period — Work from January 2026 to January 2027

Entry Fees

Fees are in Canadian dollars. A single advertising, corporate or promotional photograph costs $50, a series $75, and categories that accept single or series entries $65. Cinematography entries cost $85 to $125. The full list of categories and fees is on the awards page.

Who Can Enter the Photography & Illustration Awards?

Photographers, illustrators, studios, agencies and in-house teams from Canada and around the world, for work made during the eligibility period. Current students enter the separate Applied Arts Student Awards instead.

Judging

The jury brings together leading creative voices from Canada and beyond. Each entry is scored independently on its vision, craft and creative excellence, and the awards have no quotas: every entry above the cut-off score becomes a winner.

What Winners Receive

Winning work appears in the Photography, Illustration & Design Awards Annual and becomes part of the online Winners Gallery and Awards Archive. Applied Arts says past winners have found new commercial work and assignments through the exposure.

Tips for Entering

Choose the category that matches the work's purpose: advertising, editorial, packaging or self-promotion. For self-promotion, show the work in its promotional context. Present series as a coherent set, and include the client and art director in your credits.

Photography or Illustration?

Enter your work under the discipline that matches how it was made. Photographers should pick the category that matches the work's purpose, such as advertising, corporate, packaging or photojournalism. Illustrators have parallel categories, including advertising, corporate, packaging and environmental illustration, plus album and podcast covers. Where both photography and illustration were used, choose the discipline that carries the main idea of the piece.

Supporting Files

Some categories recommend or require a support file showing the work in context, such as an ad in a magazine or a cover on a shelf. These files help the jury see how the image was used. Read each category's notes before you upload.

Credits and Permissions

Before you enter commissioned work, check that the client and any agency agree, and gather full credits: client, agency, art director, creative director and any collaborators. Accurate credits matter if your work is selected and published, and they help the jury understand who did what.

Before You Submit

Check the technical requirements carefully: file format, size, colour space and how files should be named or numbered. Keep the original high-resolution files ready, as organisers often ask for them if your work is selected. Submit a few days before the deadline to avoid last-minute problems with uploads or payment.

Things to Consider

Fees in Canadian dollars.
No quotas.
Students use the Student Awards.
Deadline: 29 January 2027.

Enter the Awards

Ready to put your images in front of the jury?

Enter the Applied Arts Photography & Illustration Awards

Categories, fees and rules are on the Applied Arts website.

Looking for more open calls? Browse all competitions and opportunities on Good Stuff Weekly.

Last verified: November 4, 2026