The 2026 International AF Art and Design Awards

The 2026 International AF Art and Design Awards aim to discover and recognize artworks and designs with cutting-edge concepts, innovative spirits, exquisite techniques, and profound thoughts. We encourage participants to submit original works that reflect contemporary art and design from a global perspective showcasing the diversity, and at the forefront of, contemporary art and design. The jury consists of 5-10 representatives from the contemporary art world, including artists, curators, designers, art educators, and critics. The awards include categories for contemporary art, contemporary design, and emerging artists, determined by anonymous voting from the jury. The organizing committee will provide corresponding publicity for the winning list or works and publish them in the Art Frontier journal and related media.                         
Official Organization
Sponsoring Organization: Chinese Arts Association of San Francisco
Primary Organization: California Academy of Art
Assisting Organization: Art Frontier Journal
Co-Organizers: iCultures Publications, YMM Art Space, Frontier Press                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
The Jury Expert Committee:
Morgan Jeremy, Professor of San Francisco Art Institute.
Lampo Leong, Distinguished Professor, Department of Arts and Design, University of Macau; Professor, School of Visual Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia.
Ren Jian, Professor, School of Art and Design, Dalian University of Technology.
Ziyu Liu, Professor of Saint Peter’s University.
Wang Ping, Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou Normal University.
Guo Yan, Professor of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Reference Criteria for Evaluation
– Frontier Concepts 30%;
– Innovative Spirit 30%;
– Exquisite Technique 20%;
– Profound Thought 20%.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Who Should Submit Entries
Artists, designers, art groups, design studios, art school faculty and students, etc. from around the world. 
Award Categories
– Contemporary Artwork Award (including experimental art, painting, sculpture, calligraphy, arts and crafts, and other categories of fine art works).
There will be one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes awarded in each category
– Contemporary Design Award (including graphic design, architectural design, environmental design, industrial design, digital media, etc.).
There will be one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes awarded in each category.
– Art History Theory and Criticism Award (There will be one first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes awarded in each category).
– Emerging Artist Award (recognizing young and emerging artists and designers).
 
Requirements for Submitted Works
– Entries must be original and not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.
– Entries should demonstrate innovation, cutting-edge ideas, practicality, and aesthetic value in contemporary art and design.
– Submissions must include detailed descriptions of the creative process, artist/designer biographies, and relevant images or video materials.
 
Awards Setting
– The authors of shortlisted works will receive a certificate of shortlisting.
– Winning artists/designers will be awarded a certificate by the organizer, and their works will be recommended for publication in international publications. They will also be able to participate in international exchange and exhibition events organized by the organizer.
 
Registration Period
Entries open: June 12th, 2026
Entries Close: December 15th, 2026, midnight PDT
 
Awards Process
– Registration Period: From June 12th, 2026, to December 15th, 2026, the organizing committee will accept submission materials, which will be forwarded to the jury in batches. Entrants will be notified via email about the status of their submissions, and shortlisted works will be notified via email and required to pay the evaluation fee as instructed.
– Evaluation: The 2026 International AF Art and Design Awards organizing committee will conduct a centralized selection.
– Publication of Winners: Winning works will be featured in the Art Frontier journal and on the website.
Participation Rules
1. Each participant can submit only one artwork per category, but may participate in different categories with different artworks.
2. Participants must complete the registration form and upload digital photos of their works before the deadline for the first round of preliminary selections.
3. Participants must submit a complete photo of the artwork (not partial) and may provide two additional partial photos of the artwork. Up to 5 digital photos can be uploaded in JPEG, TIF, or PNG format, with each image not exceeding 30MB. Design works must provide a complete design proposal with up to 4 additional photos. Video files can be provided via cloud link or compressed file. The digital photos and proposals submitted by participants will not be used for any purpose other than the competition without the author’s permission.
4. Entries must be recently completed (preferably completed after 2021). Participants must confirm that the submitted works are their original creations and that they own all intellectual property rights to the works. 5. Participants must ensure that the information provided is valid. If false information is provided, the participant’s eligibility will be revoked.
6. Shortlisted works must pay a registration fee of USD $100. The registration fee is non-refundable.
7. Participants can inquire about any issues during the registration period via email.
8. The organizing committee may use the artworks for publication and online display as needed for the exhibition. The printed materials of the artworks may be used for publications, promotional materials, postcards, online platforms, etc., without requiring payment to the authors.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
Submission Method
Please send your works and related materials to artfrontierAW@outlook.com with the email’s subject labeled "Submission for the 2026 International AF Art and Design Awards." Submissions should include the author’s name, artistic resume, work category, title, and contact information.artfrontierAW@outlook.com
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact our organizing committee:
– Email: artfrontierAW@outlook.com
– Official website: https://www.cafrontierpress.org/
- Email：artfrontierAW@outlook.com
- Web：www.cafrontierpress.org

Registration Form: The-2026-International-AF-Art-and-Design-Awards
We look forward to your wonderful works, together promoting the development of global art and design!