The TDC 72nd Annual Competition
The TDC 72nd Annual Competition is now open for entries!
The Type Directors Club, the world’s leading typography organization and part of The One Club for Creativity, is calling for entries, for its TDC72 Annual Competition, open worldwide to typographic works produced or published during 2025.
Short description
The TDC72 Annual Competition, hosted by the Type Directors Club, the world’s leading typography organization, is the prestigious event in the world of typography and design.
TDC72 recognizes typographic excellence and innovation, while maintaining its ongoing commitment to the art and craft of typography and design.
This competition stands out as a globally recognized platform, attracting a diverse array of submissions under three main disciplines:
➜ Communication Design is for any creation that uses type, lettering, or written language - be it print design, digital design, immersive experiences, architecture, fashion, film titles, social media campaigns, or otherwise.
➜ Lettering is for work where the letters are either modified or created - this could entail traditional or abstract calligraphy, tattoos, wordmarks and custom logotypes, or typefaces that are just a little too out there to be classic typeface design.
➜ Type Design is for entries showcasing the design of workable font software; this could mean single typefaces, type families, emoji or symbol fonts, or software for generating and creating type.
To be eligible, work must have been produced or published in the 2025 calendar year.
The jury is selected and composed of the top typographers and type designers from across the world to judge all submitted entries. During the judging process, the jury will base their decision on three criteria, reviewing if the entry is:
➜ Technical Excellence
➜ Conceptual Strength
➜ Innovation/Advancement of the Discipline
➜ Cultural Relevance
➜ Craft Quality
Winners will be notified in April 2026.
Who may enter?
Open worldwide to typographic works produced or published during 2025.
Prize:
Winners of TDC71 receive a TDC Type-High Gold, Silver, Bronze awards or Merit certificates, and digital seal certifying their work is among the world’s best of the year. Winning work will also be featured in the highly respected TDC Annual, The World’s Best Typography, and showcased in eight exhibitions that travel to museums, schools and design organizations around the world. These shows travel throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asian countries.
Entry fees:
Entry fees start at $35 USD and vary depending on the submission deadline and entry type.
To make TDC71 as accessible as possible on a global level, the organization is offering significant regional discounts on entry fees. Approximately half of the world’s countries qualify for a 60% discount, and another quarter of them receive a 20% discount, with only the most economically prosperous countries and regions paying the full entry fee. Additional discounts are also available to TDC members.
