About the Competition
Azerbaijan Design Award is an international and professional competition platform established in 2018 to discover creative and talented individuals in the field of design, raise industry standards, and contribute to the development of the design and creative industries.
It is the first and only professional competition in Azerbaijan dedicated entirely to design. Bringing together professionals from over 10 design fields across nearly 40 categories, the award plays a key role in fostering the local design ecosystem. The project was founded and is led by creative director and designer Rahim Ismayil.
The Azerbaijan Design Award has previously been held in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023. In 2025, the competition will be held for the fifth consecutive year and is now organized by the Azerbaijan Designers Association for the second year in a row.
Our Mission
- To contribute to the development of the design industry in Azerbaijan
- To promote a culture of healthy competition
- To support creative industries and professional designers
- To create opportunities for international exposure
- To encourage innovative thinking and approaches
- To discover and nurture new talent
Registration
Any creative individual or team may participate in the competition. To enter, simply complete the registration process and agree to the terms of participation.
- Registration is completely free of charge.
- Participant data is not shared with third parties.
- Participants may submit an unlimited number of projects. The first 2 projects are free, and a submission fee applies for each additional entry.
Important Dates
- Project submissions open: June 17, 2025
- Final submission deadline: To be announced
- Semi-finalists announcement: To be announced
- Finalists announcement: To be announced
- Final event: To be announced
(All exact dates will be announced soon by the organizers.)
Evaluation Process & Competition Rules
- Projects will be evaluated based on creativity, functionality, technical execution, innovation, and other relevant criteria.
- Competition stages include: Initial Selection → Semi-final → Final
- Each round has specific steps and evaluation guidelines.
Jury Panel
Each year, the competition invites local and international professionals from various design disciplines.
The jury includes both academic figures and industry-leading designers. To date, nearly 100 jury members from the world’s most renowned agencies and companies have participated, representing countries such as Azerbaijan, the United States, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Canada, and more.
- Each category is evaluated by several recognized local and international experts from the relevant field.
- All jury evaluations are conducted anonymously.
- Professionals interested in joining the jury may apply by completing the following form:
Jury Application Form
Awards & Benefits
What do winners receive?
- Physical award (trophy, diploma)
- National and international recognition
- Special honorary prizes
- Media exposure
- Valuable gifts from sponsors
- Certificates for portfolio use
- Opportunities to participate in international exhibitions …and more.
