For 40 years, Applied Arts Media has inspired, informed and celebrated the creative community. Through editorial coverage and the Applied Arts Awards, we showcase the ideas, craft and innovation shaping visual communications in Canada and beyond—and recognize the work that holds up.
Creative Excellence. Celebrated.
The Applied Arts celebrate creativity in visual communications. Since 1992, we've helped advertising agencies, design firms, photographers, illustrators, and emerging artists gain industry-wide exposure—building careers, collaborations, and community across Canada and beyond.
All Entries are judged by an Internationally recognized jury of award-winning professionals who are actively working in advertising and design.
Winning work is showcased: in Applied Arts magazine, online in the Winners Gallery and archive, and shared across social media.
Winning work is showcased in Applied Arts magazine, online Winners Gallery and archive and shared across our social channels.
Opportunities for every stage
- Young Professionals: Explore Young Blood categories—open to entrants with under five years of professional experience in advertising or design, and under three years for Photography and Illustration.
- Small-Community/Business Professionals: Exclusively for CANADIAN creators in smaller markets or single-establishments. Small Community categories weigh local resources and budgets during judging.
- Students: If you're currently in secondary, post-secondary or graduate studies, you're only eligible for the Student Awards, where entries are judged alongside peers at a similar level.
News
Cossette's Big Drop
August 6, 2026
To launch Hostess Craze, Cossette Marketing & Communications agency didn't just create a campaign—it staged a spectacle. Movie-style teasers, social-first storytelling and a record-breaking skydive starring the brand's puppet mascot, G.O.A.T. ( ...
+ Read MoreFeatured: Sabina Fenn
August 5, 2026
Farmer's Market, Sabina Fenn Toronto illustrator and artist Sabina Fenn has built a career celebrating the beauty found in everyday life. Represented by i2i Art Inc., her vibrant illustrations have attracted an impressive range of editorial, publi ...
+ Read MoreFeatured Julian Calverley
July 28, 2026
From expansive landscapes to ambitious advertising campaigns, photographer Julian Calverley, represented in Canada by AhHa Reps, approaches every project with the same goal: creating imagery that leaves a lasting impression. His distinctive visual st ...
+ Read MoreBranding the Return of Women's Professional Baseball
July 24, 2026
Women's sports continue to gain momentum, and with that comes the opportunity to build brands that carry real cultural weight. As the Women's Professional Baseball League prepares for its inaugural season, Toronto independent agency Arrivals + Depar ...
+ Read MoreCurrent Issue
Discover the year's best creative work in the Summer issue of Applied Arts. Featuring the winners of the Photography, Illustration, and Design Awards, this collector-worthy edition delivers more than 150 pages of award-winning inspiration from today's top creative talent. The issue also features Brace for Impact, a compelling look at how artists and designers are using their work to challenge convention, provoke dialogue, and shape culture. Subscribe or order your copy today.
Click here for more information about the issue or for a list of our stockists.