17th ICMA Magazine Award 2026 is now open for entries!
The 17th ICMA Magazine Award 2026 recently announced for entries is an international competition dedicated to recognising outstanding creativity and design in magazines and editorial publishing.
Short description
The 17th ICMA Magazine Award 2026 is an international competition dedicated to recognising outstanding creativity and design in magazines and editorial publishing.
Organised as part of the International Creative Media Award (ICMA), the competition welcomes high-quality projects from around the world and provides designers, publishers, agencies and companies with an opportunity to gain international recognition for their work.
Entries are primarily invited from print magazines and trade journals, while online magazines, digital publications and social media projects are also eligible.
The competition includes categories covering magazine design, concept and innovation, cover design, typography and layout, photography, photo reportage, visual storytelling, visualisation, infographics, illustration, multimedia storytelling and print finishing.
A special category is also dedicated to sustainability, accepting magazines, articles and editorial projects focused on sustainability-related subjects.
Both print and online publications are accepted.
Eligible projects must have been created between 1 January 2025 and 31 October 2026.
Magazine categories include art, architecture, design and music; travel and photography; technology; fashion; food and drink; sport; lifestyle; politics and science; economy and finance; history and many other editorial fields. Entries are evaluated by an international jury of design and publishing professionals, with particular attention to areas including distinctive typography and layout, originality, innovation and the overall quality of editorial design.
Award-winning projects can receive Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards, as well as Awards of Excellence for outstanding individual achievements. Winners receive an official digital certificate and are published on the ICMA website.
Submission requirements
➜ Print magazines: submit PDF files of the publication. PDFs should preferably be prepared as double-page spreads with crop marks.
➜ For the main print magazine and trade journal categories, entrants should submit two different issues to demonstrate the publication's design across a series. Newly launched publications may submit one issue.
➜ Online magazines: submit a screenshot of the homepage, a link to the project and, where necessary, additional screenshots and a description of the publication.
➜ Social media projects: document the project using screenshots and provide a description, preferably together with a link to the project.
➜ Entrants must complete the official participation form and include it as a PDF with each submission.
➜ Files are submitted through the official ICMA Upload Centre. Up to 700 MB can be uploaded at once; larger submissions may be divided into multiple ZIP files.
Eligibility
The competition is open internationally to individuals and companies of any nationality. Designers, publishers, agencies, companies and other professionals involved in magazine and editorial design may participate.
Benefits
➜ Outstanding entries may receive Gold, Silver or Bronze Awards, while exceptional individual achievements can be recognised with an Award of Excellence.
➜ Award winners receive an official ICMA certificate in PDF format, which is included in the entry fee.
➜ Selected award-winning projects are showcased on the ICMA website, offering international exposure within the design and publishing community.
➜ Winners are entitled to use the official ICMA award logo to promote their achievement on websites, social media and other communication materials.
➜ Physical ICMA trophies are also available and can be ordered separately for an additional fee.
Entry fees
The entry fee is €270 per magazine and covers the submission of two different issues of the same publication.
Entries submitted after the regular deadline are subject to a 20% late fee.
