Creative Quarterly (CQ) magazine has opened its 86th international juried competition, inviting participation from professionals and students. The competition invites art directors, designers, illustrators, photographers and fine artists from around the world. Winning work will be featured in the online Gallery and in the printed 2026 Creative Quarterly Annual. Winners will receive a complimentary eBook version and an award certificate.

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Unseen Imaging has opened submissions for the World Street Photo Awards 2026. The international competition invites photographers from around the world to participate with street photography that captures real, candid moments of life in public space. The best works will be awarded with cash prizes, certificates and international exposure. The total prize pool is €2,500.

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LensCulture is hosting the LensCulture Black & White Photography Awards 2026, inviting participation from photographers from around the world. The competition is open for submissions and welcomes monochrome work, from classic darkroom processes to digital and experimental approaches. Submitted work must have been made within the last 10 years. A total of 33 photographers will be honored as winners, jurors’ picks and finalists. The best works will be awarded with cash prizes totaling $10,000, a group exhibition in London, and publication and exposure through LensCulture.

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Gráficas LAR is hosting their 18th PHOTOLAR photography contest and calling for entries from all parts of the world. The subject for 2026 is “SAIL” and eligible for entry are images with “anything that floats and can be driven“. The winner will be awarded a 400 Euro cash prize, and his/her name will be printed in the whole 2026 Graficas LAR calendar. The winner will also be the author of the twelve pictures that will illustrate the photo calendar.

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The 18th JEJU International PHOTO Contest is open for entries. This global contest welcomes everyone who loves Jeju Island in South Korea. This year’s topic is: Jeju Island – landscapes, nature, culture, public tourist attractions etc. A total of 5,800,000 KRW (around $4,260) in prizes will be awarded to 14 winners.

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The Xposure Independent & Freelance Photojournalist Award (IFPA) is open for entries for 2026. Xposure’s IFPA recognises outstanding independent and freelance photojournalists across Spot News, Environment and Solutions. Three winners each receive $5,000 and are invited to exhibit at Xposure in Sharjah, UAE, where their work is presented to an international audience of photographers, editors, industry professionals and the public.

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The InnovMetal Award (IMA), formerly known as the China Hardware Products International Industrial Design Competition, has opened for entries for 2026. Centered on the theme of “Design Driving the Future of Hardware”, IMA seeks to explore new functions, values, and user experiences for traditional hardware products. The Award aims to guide the hardware industry toward sustainable development and create infinite possibilities for future living. With the goal of empowering industrial upgrading through design innovation, IMA brings together outstanding design resources from around the world and promotes the deep integration of excellent design achievements with the hardware manufacturing industry in Yongkang, China.

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The call for entries for the 19th international Stereohype Button Badge Design Competition is now open. If you are 18+ and into design, illustration, typography, photography or visual experimentation, submit a maximum of four original badge artworks in total. Enter them as individual designs, a set of four, or a combination of both. This time, Stereohype will award a total of six prizes – five main, and a special prize – and will award all kinds of printed goodies with the winning designs, books and more.

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Wege Prize 2027 challenges transdisciplinary teams of university students to develop products or services that solve complex, “wicked” problems through the framework of the circular economy. The Wege Prize functions as both a product design competition and a global learning laboratory. The initiative aims to foster cross-functional collaboration by requiring teams to converge different academic disciplines, mirroring the complexity of solving real-world issues. The total prize pool for the Wege Prize is $65,000, of which $30,000 are reserved for the 1st Place award.

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The 2026 IIDA Global Excellence Awards have been announced. 2026 commemorates the 17th annual design competition. The IIDA Global Excellence Awards honor excellence in originality and creativity in international interior design and interior architecture projects across 19 categories. Winners will be celebrated with an awards ceremony in Paris, France in February 2027. Winners will also be featured on IIDA.org and across IIDA’s social media platforms, receive official digital assets, including competition winner logos for self-promotion, and coverage in an official press release distributed to leading industry outlets and media partners.

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