Organizer Information
Monoline Design Awards is an independently run international design competition operating through the monolineawards.com platform, covering professional Graphic, Illustration, and Product Design divisions alongside a dedicated Experimental category open to non-professionals. Based on what the organizer's own site and site) states, the 2026 edition is presented as the award's first public open call, with a "developing" archive rather than a multi-year track record, and the organizer does not publish a founding date, parent company name, or physical headquarters on the site. The award positions itself as unaffiliated with any single design school, publication, or trade body, judged by an independently assembled Jury Team drawn from graphic design, illustration, product design, education, and culture. Limited public information is available about Monoline Design Awards beyond what is published on its own platform — worth noting for anyone assessing the award's standing before entering.
Title & Description
International Design Awards 2026 Open Call — Monoline Design Awards
Monoline Design Awards is an international design competition spanning Graphic Design, Illustration, Product Design, and Experimental Design. It states its aim as recognizing clarity, craft, originality, and purpose — work built around "a distinct point of view and the power to extend beyond their medium." Professional entrants choose among Graphic, Illustration, or Product according to the primary discipline and outcome of their work; the Experimental category is separately positioned for design research, visual observation, everyday discoveries, or creative experiments, explicitly stating that no traditional design outcome is required, and is open to all ages and backgrounds. The organizer states the award is intended for entrants worldwide and that designers do not need to be based in the United States.
Categories
- Graphic
- Illustration
- Design
- Industrial Design
- Digital
- Research
- Art
Eligibility
- Open to entrants worldwide; designers do not need to be based in the United States, and work may address local, regional, or global audiences
- Graphic, Illustration, and Product divisions: open to professional designers, studios, agencies, in-house teams, artists, illustrators, makers, brands, educators, and multidisciplinary collaborators
- Experimental division: open to all ages and backgrounds; no traditional design outcome is required
- Entrants under 13 entering Experimental must have a parent or legal guardian create/manage the account, submit the entry, and provide required consent; other minors may also need guardian permission under applicable law
- Client work and commissioned work are eligible provided the entrant has permission to submit the materials and credits all contributors accurately
- Team, studio, agency, school, and collective submissions are permitted, with individual contributors and responsibilities listed in credits
- Previously published, commercially released, exhibited, or previously awarded work may be entered only if the entrant holds the rights and the work meets current eligibility rules; entrants are told to contact Monoline before paying if status is unclear
- Each paid entry must use the single category that best reflects the work's primary design problem and outcome; the same project should not be submitted to multiple professional divisions unless current rules explicitly permit it
Program Benefits & Awards
- 2026 Cash Award: $300, awarded to each of two "Design of the Year" distinctions (one Professional, one Experimental)
- Category Winner recognition for a leading project in Graphic, Illustration, Product, or Experimental
- Monoline Winner recognition, typically awarded to approximately the top 3% of eligible entries
- Merit Award recognition, extending to approximately the top 10% of eligible entries
- Finalist recognition, extending to approximately the top 30% of eligible entries
- Participation Record: a downloadable digital certificate for every eligible entry
- Official Winner Mark/Badge and a permanent Winner Profile published on the Monoline platform
- Featured Project Page and digital award certificate
- Consideration for the Monoline annual publication and an editorial interview
- Consideration for international exhibition and media-programme opportunities
- Independent Jury Team review, finalist/winner consideration, and eligibility for publication across the Monoline platform apply to every paid entry
Application Fee
- Early Entry: $35 (through August 26, 2026)
- Regular Entry: $45 (August 27 – September 5, 2026)
- Late Entry: $60 (September 6 – September 10, 2026)
Fee stage changes occur at 12:00 AM Pacific Time immediately following each published deadline; entries close September 11, 2026 at 12:00 AM Pacific Time.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Early Entry Deadline: 26 August 2026 ($35/entry)
- Regular Entry: August 27 – September 5, 2026 ($45/entry)
- Late Entry: September 6 – September 10, 2026 ($60/entry); entries close September 11, 2026 at 12:00 AM Pacific Time
- Jury Review Period: September 11–15, 2026
- Finalists & Winners Announced / Public Results: September 17, 2026
Location
Chino Hills, CA, United States
Additional Details
- Entrants retain copyright of their work; the accepted Rights and Submission Terms grant Monoline limited permissions for judging, award communication, editorial presentation, and archive display
- Submitted entries can be corrected for 72 hours after submission
- Entrants should not upload confidential, embargoed, or unreleased client materials without authorization
- Physical products should not be shipped unless Monoline sends a specific written request with handling instructions — the submission process is digital
- Jurors recuse themselves from reviewing work where a professional, educational, or personal conflict of interest exists
- The organizer states that no design award can guarantee commercial results, employment, press coverage, or exhibition placement; any confirmed winner benefits beyond those stated will be set out in the official program