The DIELINE Awards 2027 competition, organized by Dieline Media, invites packaging designers from around the world to enter its global award for consumer packaging and CPG design. The call is open for entries through an entry window that is now active. Entries are accepted online only, and all communications between DIELINE and entrants are conducted in English. The best works will be awarded with recognition rather than cash prizes: Best of Show, Editor’s Choice, Studio of the Year and Rebrand of the Year honors, plus place-and-merit awards at every level.

Read more about DIELINE Awards 2027 – Packaging Design Competition on Contest Watchers.

With the aim of promoting modern photographic creation, the Photometria International Photography Festival is announcing the Parallel Voices portfolio contest for 2027. Applicants from around the world are invited to participate in a free international competition that showcases curated portfolios of fifteen photographs each. The nine best works will be awarded with an opportunity to showcase their portfolio at the Photometria International Photography Festival 2027, discounted accommodation arranged by the organizers, and inclusion in the curated group exhibition “Parallel Voices”. The winning portfolios serve as the foundation for a dedicated exhibition that presents a diverse range of contemporary photographic voices.

Read more about Parallel Voices 2027 – Photometria Portfolio Contest on Contest Watchers.

The third edition of the Better Design Award (BDA) has opened its global call for entries, under the stated vision “Better Design, Better Life, Better Future“. The 2026 edition invites enterprises, institutions, universities, design teams, research institutions and individual designers from any country or region in the world to submit their work through the official website. Entries are assessed across two main categories, Product Design and Design for Industry, with a focus on products launched after September 2024 and on system-level solutions that drive industrial transformation. The total prize pool is RMB 4.1 million, distributed across 326 awards. The BDA Grand Award comprises 16 awards — ten Product Grand Awards of RMB 200,000 each and six Concept Grand Awards of RMB 100,000 each. The Better Design Award carries 300 awards (200 in Product Design and 100 in Concept Design) without an attached cash prize, while the Design for Industry Award pays RMB 150,000 to each of its ten recipients.

Read more about Better Design Award (BDA) 2026 on Contest Watchers.

The Epson International Pano Awards has opened for entries to its 2027 competition, inviting photographers from around the world to submit panoramic images across Open and Amateur categories. Eligible entrants may enter in three disciplines — Nature/Landscape, Built Environment, and Aerial — with no restriction on the number of submissions per photographer. The 2027 competition will award prize packages to winners across Open, Amateur, and VR/360 divisions. Cash prizes range up to $3,000 per category winner in the main competitions, with total package values reaching over $10,455 for the Open 1st Place (including trophy, Epson products valued at $5,500, and vouchers from sponsors). The Amateur 1st Place prize includes a cash award of $3,000, a Japan cherry blossom tour valued at $5,000, and additional sponsor vouchers.

Read more about Epson International Pano Awards 2027 Competition on Contest Watchers.

TerraViva Competitions has launched the Courtyard Stories architecture competition for 2026, inviting architects and designers from around the world to submit proposals. The call is open to students, architects, designers, urbanists, engineers, artists, makers and anyone interested in architectural design. Participants may enter individually or as a team. The best works will be awarded with a prize pool of €8,000: First prize €3,000, Second prize €2,000 and Third prize €1,000. Beyond the cash awards, five Golden Mentions come with a coupon for a free membership, ten Honorable Mentions with a coupon for a free competition entry, and 30 finalists are published on TerraViva channels.

Read more about Courtyard Stories – TerraViva Competitions on Contest Watchers.

The 19th edition of Plaktivat, the international poster design competition, is now open. This year’s theme is Community(ies), and TAM-TAM are inviting creatives from around the world to design a poster that inspires people to come together and build genuine human connections. The jury will select one winning poster from all eligible entries. The winning design will be printed and displayed at 500 TAM-TAM poster locations across Slovenia. It will also be entered into the competitive programmes of the Slovenian Advertising Festival (SOF) and the Brumen Biennial of Slovenian Design.

Read more about Plaktivat 19: Community(ies) – Poster Design Competition on Contest Watchers.

TABU Spa has opened the 9th edition of the Ideas4Wood Design Contest 2026/2027. The contest invites designers to propose wood surface decorations for furniture and interiors. The competition is aimed at the design of geometric, organic or combined decorations for wood applications. Participation is open to professionals and students from around the world. A total of €15,000 will be awarded to the best entries across all competition categories. First prize in the Professionals category is €5,000. First prize in the Students category is €5,000. The Carpanelli Award offers €3,000 for Professionals and €2,000 for Students. Special awards are offered by IQD Magazine, Roda For You, Sherwin Williams and Carpanelli.

Read more about Ideas 4 Wood 2026/2027 Design Contest on Contest Watchers.

Nikon Instruments Inc. has opened entries for the 53rd annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography and Video Competition. The 2027 edition is now accepting submissions. The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or older with access to a light microscope. It welcomes still images and videos that reveal the structure, color and complexity of subjects too small to be seen with the naked eye. Subject matter is unrestricted, and any light microscopy technique is accepted. The best works will be awarded with cash prizes, including $3,000 for the first-place winner in each of the two competitions. The Photomicrography Competition recognizes a top 20 and also awards honorable mentions, while Small World in Motion recognizes a top five. Honorable mentions in both contests receive $200 each.

Read more about Nikon Small World 2027 Photomicrography and Video Competition on Contest Watchers.

The Anča civic association has opened the call for entries for the 20th Fest Anča International Animation Festival. The milestone edition of the Slovak festival will present animated short films and music videos from around the world. The competition is open to animators of any age, both professionals and students. Only animated short films and music videos completed after 1st January 2025 are accepted. All works must be original and created by humans. A total of €6,000 will be awarded across five Anča Awards. The winners of Best Animated Short and Best Slovak Animated Short will each receive €1,500, while Best Student Animated Short, Best Animated Music Video and Best Animated Short for Children carry €1,000 each.

Read more about 20th Fest Anča International Animation Festival 2027 on Contest Watchers.

The 14th PHODAR Biennial invites photographers worldwide to submit their work on the theme “Traces Remain”. Founded in Bulgaria in 1999, PHODAR celebrates contemporary photography through its international competition, exhibitions, and publications. Its focus is the photographic series, encouraging projects that combine a distinctive visual language with depth of meaning. Awards include the Grand Prize, Debut Award, and Award for Humanistic Photography.

Read more about 14th PHODAR Biennial Series Awards: Traces Remain on Contest Watchers.