6 Graphic Design Comps That Aren’t Just for Students or Professionals
You don't necessarily have to be a student or an established professional designer to start entering design competitions. I put together 6 design competitions to check out that aren't strictly for students or professionals so if you're a new designer, recent graduate, freelancer, self-taught designer, or just looking for an excuse to create something new, this list is for you! Some let you submit work you've already created, while others give you a specific theme or prompt to design around.
01. American Graphic Design Awards — GDUSA
The American Graphic Design Awards from Graphic Design USA recognize work across a huge range of graphic design categories. That means you can potentially submit work in areas like:
Branding + identity
Posters
Packaging
Social media
Web + digital design
Editorial
Marketing
And more
If you already have a strong project sitting in your portfolio, start by looking through their categories before assuming you need to make something new.
Competition: American Graphic Design Awards
Organization: Graphic Design USA (GDUSA)
Check it out:
https://gdusa.com/enter-our-63rd-gdusa-design-awards/
02. LogoLounge Book 16
If you love logo design or branding, check out LogoLounge Book 16. LogoLounge gives designers the opportunity to submit logo work for consideration in its internationally recognized logo collection. And something I especially like about this one: your logo doesn't necessarily have to be an approved client logo. You can also look into submitting unused concepts, which could make this a really interesting opportunity if you have strong logo explorations that never made it into a final identity.
Good for: Logos + identity design
Check it out:
https://www.logolounge.com/compete
03. 2027 International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest
Want an actual prompt to design around instead of submitting an existing project?
The International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest asks designers to create a poster around a specific annual theme. For 2027, the theme is: “All Paths Lead to Compost”. This could be a fun opportunity if you want to create a new poster project while practicing concept development, typography, illustration, or visual storytelling.
Good for: Poster design, illustration + conceptual design
Theme: All Paths Lead to Compost
Check it out:
https://compostfoundation.org/icaw-poster-contest-rules/
04. 7th Bolu International Poster Design Competition
The Bolu International Poster Design Competition is another opportunity for designers interested in poster design and visual communication. The competition asks participants to respond visually to a theme centered around imagining a sustainable future. If you're trying to add more conceptual poster work to your portfolio, a prompt like this can also give you a reason to create something outside of client or school work.
Good for: Poster design, conceptual design + visual communication
Check out the theme:
https://biahposter.com/theme/
05. Super South Poster Design Competition
Super South is another poster-focused competition centered around using design to respond to an idea. For this one, the prompt focuses on the future we imagine. Open-ended prompts like this can give you a lot of room to experiment with your own style, typography, illustration, photography, collage, or whatever approach makes sense for your concept.
Good for: Poster design, experimentation + conceptual work
Check it out:
https://supersouth.org/poster-design/
06. United States International Poster Biennial 2027
If poster design is something you're interested in, add the United States International Poster Biennial to your list too. The biennial gives designers an opportunity to submit poster work for consideration in an international poster exhibition and competition. If you already create posters whether they're client projects, personal work, cultural posters, experimental pieces, or another eligible category look through the current submission guidelines and see whether your work fits.
Good for: Poster design + visual communication
Check it out:
https://www.usipb.com/
Before You Start Designing
Before you spend hours creating something specifically for one of these competitions, read the full guidelines first.
Every competition is different.
Make sure you check:
Who is eligible to enter
Current deadline
Entry fee, if any
Age requirements
Country or residency requirements
Required dimensions
File format
Whether existing work is accepted
Whether the project needs to respond to a specific theme
How many entries you're allowed to submit
Usage and rights terms for submitted work
Deadlines and requirements can change, so always use the competition's official website for the most current information.
You Don't Have to Be an Established Designer to Put Your Work Out There
One of the biggest reasons I've been sharing design competitions is because I want newer designers to realize that you don't have to wait until you feel established to start putting your work out there. If you're a recent graduate, freelancer, self-taught designer, new designer, or someone who's simply making work you care about, start looking for opportunities to actually do something with that work. And if you don't already have something to submit, a competition prompt can become the starting point for a new portfolio project. You never know where putting your work out there can lead. For more graphic design competitions, portfolio resources, opportunities, and resources for emerging designers, you can find me on Instagram at @jadacreativee.
