A' Design Award opens 2026 call for handmade, crafts and artisan entries

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for its 2026 Handmade, Crafts and Artisan Design Awards, with submissions due Sept. 30, 2026 and results set for May 1, 2027. The competition is open worldwide to makers and artisan-focused businesses, with winners receiving promotion, exhibition opportunities and other prize benefits.

Why it matters: - The awards program gives handmade, craft and artisan makers a global stage for recognition, press exposure and potential commercial visibility. - Winners receive promotional support that can help turn a finished work into broader media attention and industry credibility. - The contest covers both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary artisan design, widening the field beyond a single material or discipline.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened the 2026 call for entries for the A' International Handmade, Crafts and Artisan Design Awards. - The competition is open to artisan designers, handmade artists, craftspeople, craft product designers, artisan brands, artisan manufacturers and related creative businesses worldwide. - Eligible work must have been developed within the last 10 years. - The entry deadline is Sept. 30, 2026. - Results will be announced May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition uses a two-phase process that starts with a complimentary preliminary evaluation. - Projects that pass the preliminaries can move to nomination, which carries a nominal fee. - Entries are judged anonymously by an international jury of designers, artists, craftsmen, artisans, material specialists and creative professionals. - Evaluation criteria include craftsmanship, originality, material exploration, technical skill, functionality, cultural value and design excellence. - Eligible categories include pottery, ceramics, glassworks, textiles, woodcrafts, metalworks, jewelry, leatherwork, fiber art and handcrafted sculptures. - Sub-category information is available in the official category listing. - Registration is available through the entry portal.

Between the lines: - The program is designed to blend recognition with marketing, giving winners awards, publicity tools and media distribution as part of the package. - Professional-edition laureates receive the A’ Design Prize, which includes a design excellence certificate, winner logo license, yearbook inclusion, exhibitions in Italy, a trophy and invitation to the gala night. - Winners also get translation of awarded works, entry to Prime Clubs and placement in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Artisan Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Laureates receive an exclusive interview, a press release, design images and a larger press kit prepared for distribution. - The press kits are sent to thousands of accredited media contacts, and dozens of press partners are already set to feature select winners.

What's next: - Makers and brands interested in the competition can register now and submit work for preliminary review. - Past winners are available in the winners archive. - The competition will publish results on May 1, 2027, followed by winner promotion and press distribution.

The bottom line: - A' Design Award is positioning the Handmade, Crafts and Artisan Design Awards as both a competition and a publicity platform for contemporary craft makers worldwide.