GDC Award runs every other year to praise and recommend the best designs with an aim to encourage creative designers since its foundation in 1992. Attracting designers from all over the world, GDC developed from “a top design award among Chinese designers” to “one of the most important global design awards”.
GDC Award is more than an award, but a design community that is full of creativity and continuous improvement. Through a two-year series of activities such as competitions, exhibitions, lectures, interviews, etc., GDC Award gathers top designers together to explore the value of design and promote the concepts of design.
GDC is curated and operated by Shenzhen Graphic Design Association (SGDA), a non-profit professional design association. SGDA expects GDC to continuously discover and motivate new creative forces, making efforts to shape a fairer and more sustainable future. The SGDA Council, which is elected every two years, is responsible for the operation and management of GDC.
The GDC Award (Graphic Design in China) was initiated in 1992 by the Shenzhen Graphic Design Association (SGDA) and was originally launched as the "Graphic Design in China Exhibition." It is China’s first global biennial design competition of comprehensive scale. Through three decades of evolution, it has become the industry’s most influential and authoritative top-tier design competition in China.
In 2025, the GDC Award will refocus on its essential proposition of "Graphic Design in China." Amid accelerating globalization and digital evolution, and against the backdrop of ongoing transformations in social structures and cultural concepts, GDC Award 2025 aims to identify outstanding design works that combine international perspectives with Chinese cultural identity. Through this selection, GDC Award strives to showcase the diversity of contemporary design while promoting the continued development and global dissemination of China's design value system.
■ Creative Expression & Technical Innovation: Leading the diverse exploration of design languages and media
■ Social Value & Humanistic Concern: Addressing real-world issues and evoking public resonance
■ Future Exploration & Foresight: Stimulating design conceptions and experiments for future lifestyles
GDC Award | Call For Entries
GDC Award | Show
GDC Award | Design Forum
GDC Award | Gala Ceremony
GDC Award | Exhibition
GDC Award | World Tour
■ GDC Award | GDC Grand Prix
■ GDC Award | GDC Gold Award
■ GDC Award | GDC Silver Award
■ GDC Award | GDC Bronze Award
■ GDC Award | GDC Merit Award
■ GDC Award | GDC Jury Award
■ GDC Young Award | Gold Award
■ GDC Young Award | Silver Award
■ GDC Young Award | Bronze Award
■ GDC Young Award | Merit Award
■ GDC Young Award | Outstanding Organization Award
■ GDC Young Award | Outstanding Mentor Award
-Open to global professional designers and design institutions.
-All entries must be created between October 1, 2023 and October 8, 2025.
-Entries may be submitted by companies or individuals holding copyright ownership of the work.
- Open to full-time undergraduates, graduate students, continuing education students, and recent graduates (within two years after June 2023).
-All entries must be created between October 1, 2023 and October 8, 2025.
- The number of submitted works is not limited and is subject to participants.
- Any works involving members of the GDC Award 2025 jury panel are disqualified from eligibility.
A Brand Communication Design
a-1 LOGO
a-2 Campaign Identity System (Exhibition, Event, Competition, Performance)
a-3 Brand Identity
a-4 Promotional Design (product catalogue, corporate brochure, calendar, flyer, ticket, invitation, booklets)
B Packaging Design
b-1 Retail Packaging (fast-moving consumer goods, beverages, and snacks, with sales barcodes for sale in supermarkets and convenience stores)
b-2 Limited Edition Packaging (gift boxes, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea)
b-3 Music Album Packaging
C Editorial & Book Design
c-1 Book
c-2 Album, Newspaper & Magazine
c-3 Conceptual Publication
D Poster Design
d-1 Commercial Poster
d-2 Cultural Poster
d-3 Dynamic Poster
E Typography
e-1 Typeface Family
e-2 Creative Typography
e-3 Application of Typeface
e-4 Variable Font
F Illustration
f-1 Commercial Illustration
f-2 Creative Illustration
f-3 Brand Illustration
G Digital Media Design
g-1 Film & TV Title Sequences / Animated Shorts
g-2 Website & APP
g-3 Multimedia Interactive Installation
H Cultural & Creative Product Design
h-1 Cultural Derivative Products
h-2 Merchandise Design
I Information Design
i-1 Infographics
i-2 Information Visualization
i-3 Dynamic Visualization
J Environmental Graphic Design
j-1 Signage System
j-2 Space Graphics
K Integrated Design
k-1 Integrated Media Design
k-2 Social Practice Design
The GDC Award 2025 jury process consists of two rounds:
The preliminary evaluation will be conducted online with digital submissions only.
Upon announcement of the finalists, shortlisted entrants must submit physical works for the final round of on-site judging.
The GDC Award 2025 jury Panel will comprise 13 globally renowned design professionals, who will assess all eligible entries based on the official judging criteria. The jury reserves the right to reassign categories and does not guarantee awards in every category.
All winners will be invited to attend the GDC Award 2025 Gala Ceremony (December 2025) in Shenzhen, China. Among them, GDC Grand Prix, GDC Gold Award, and GDC Jury Award will be presented on stage during the ceremony. Other awards (except for recipients of the Merit Award) will also be officially announced and presented at the event.
Awarded works will be showcased at the GDC Award 2025 Exhibition (held concurrently with the ceremony) and published in The Yearbook of GDC Award 2025. Physical submissions are mandatory for final judging and exhibition display. Winners must ship their works to the designated address as instructed.
The jury will conduct online evaluation of all qualified entries, selecting Merit Awards (shortlisted works for final review) based on GDC Award 2025 criteria.
Submission requirements:
1-10 images per entry
Image specifications: JPG format, RGB color mode, ≤5MB each
Optional video supplements: ≤150MB
After the shortlist is announced, selected entrants must deliver physical works to the designated address as required. The jury will then evaluate these entries on-site according to the GDC Award 2025 criteria to determine all category winners.
- Submissions must be created between October 1, 2023 and October 8, 2025.
- Open to professional students, designers, and design institutions worldwide.
- For details, please visit the official GDC Award website: www.gdcaward.com
- GDC Award 2025 is divided into GDC Award and GDC Young Award . Confirm your participation status before registering.
- GDC Award 2025 features 11 categories. Review the details to select the most suitable category for your work.
- Please login the GDC Award official website: www.gdcaward.com.
- Sign up with a valid e-mail address to create your GDC Account.
- Previously registered GDC Accounts remain valid.
- After registering, log in to your GDC Account and select "Create Entry" under your desired category.
- Fill in the entry details (title, creative summary, etc.) after selecting the category.
- Click "Add New Entry" to submit additional works.
- Submit 1–10 images per entry (RGB, JPG format, ≤5MB). Optional video support (≤150MB).
- Provide a bilingual creative summary (no more than 500 Chinese characters and 500 English words) for the jury's evaluation.
After confirming your entry details, choose a payment method:
Online payment channels for Mainland China participants:
Alipay, WeChat
Online payment channels for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas participants:
GDC PayPal Account: info@sgda.cc
Follow GDC Award 2025 updates via official channels:
Website: gdc.sgda.cc
WeChat Account: GDC-1992
RedNote: @GDC设计奖
Instagram: gdc_award
If your work wins, we will contact you via email or phone. Please do not contact us directly for results.
| Single | Series | |||||
| Early Bird Period | Regular Entry Period | Final Entry Period | Early Bird Period | Regular Entry Period | Final Entry Period | |
| GDC Award | 240 | 300 | 360 | 400 | 500 | 600 |
| GDC Young Award | 80 | 100 | 120 | 160 | 200 | 240 |
Submission Deadline: Entries must be registered by October 8, 2025, at 24:00 (UTC+8). The system will automatically close after the deadline.
June 7 to July 7, 2025
July 8 to September 15, 2025
September 16 to October 8, 2025
October 15 to November 1, 2025
November 3 to 5, 2025
December 2 to 4, 2025
December 5 to 6, 2025
December 6, 2025
December 7, 2025
1-1 Print Entry Labels
- After receiving the notice of being selected into the final round, you can log in to the member center on the website, click to the page of label printing, then print the list of your works, the label of each work and the outer packaging labels.
1-2 Packaging
Single Parcel: Please mount your works as per requirement. Put mounted works with the list of entries together into a sealed parcel. Please attach the packaging label with a QR code on the external surface of your parcel.
Multiple Parcels：If you send more than one parcel, please mark every parcel in the designated position (categorized by serial number such as 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, or by the name of designer, name of work and other information for identification). Put your mounted works and the list of entries into your first parcel. Please attach the packaging label with a QR code on the external surface of your parcel.
*The GDC Award 2025 packaging label shall be attached to the external surface of the parcel, which ensures your packages arrive at the GDC Award Organizing Committee in good condition.
Participants in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan of China or overseas
Please pack your works by single parcel or multiple parcels as per instruction.
Please write down the following message on the surface of each parcel:
international competition material – no commercial value – tax free recipient address – bill to shipper
GDC Award Organizing Committee will not bear any extra freight fee or custom duties or taxes arising from incomplete information on the parcels.
Participants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of China, and from overseas countries, can entrust the organizing committee to print and mount the display boards.
Participants shall provide softcopy files (300 dpi) of display boards, and mark identifier information and sequential number.
Please refer the website page for specific requirements for the display boards:
www.gdcaward.com - Submission Requirements for Finalists
Production fee of Display Boards:
●20RMB/board
●3USD/board
The email address for sending softcopy files of display board, and payment information will be announced at the same time as the announcement of the finalists.
2. Delivery Address
Shenzhen Graphic Design Association Secretariat
Address: Room 209, Block A4, OCT-LOFT, Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China
Postcode: 518053
Tel: +86-755-88606391
Received by: Xiao Feng, Chen Yongqi
A Brand Communication Design
a-1 LOGO
Submission requirement:
The submitted works must be printed (manuscript unacceptable). The size of the work shall be 290mm×420mm. Each piece of work shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of black board. A series entry consists of 2-10 pieces of work (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. For the same series, please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
a-2 Campaign and Visual Identity (exhibition, activity, competition, show)
a-3 Brand Identity
a-4 Promotion Materials (product catalogue, company catalogue, invitation cards, catalogues, brochures)
Submission requirement:
Please submit at least 5 objects or pictures. Small objects shall be submitted in a big envelope or a transparent plastic cover. Submitted pictures shall be printed (manuscript unacceptable) in size of 290mm×420mm. Submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (All mounting boards shall be stuck with corresponding labels at lower right corner in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
B Packaging Design
b-1 Sales Package (fast moving consumer goods, beverages, snacks with sales barcode sold in supermarkets and convenience stores)
b-2 Limited Edition Package (gift set, wine, cigarettes, tea)
b-3 Record Package
Submission requirement:
The maximum side length of the submitted object shall not be greater than 1m. Print out the entry label and paste it on the bottom of the submitted object. For oversize objects, printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) shall be submitted instead of the physical object. The printed picture in size of 290mm×420mm shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 3 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (All mounting boards shall be stuck with corresponding labels at lower right corner in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
C Editor / Book Design
c-1 Book
c-2 Album, Newspaper, Magazine
c-3 Conceptual Publication
Submission requirement:
Only printed products are acceptable. No mounting is required. A series entry consists of 2 to 4 pieces of work. Please paste the printed entry label at lower right corner on the back of the submitted product.
D Poster Design
d-1 Commercial Poster
d-3 Cultural Poster
d-3 Dynamic Poster
Submission requirement:
Only printed posters are acceptable. No mounting is required. The size of poster is 364mm×515mm at minimum and 1200×1800mm at maximum. A series entry shall consist of 6 pieces of work maximumly. Please paste the printed entry label at lower right corner on the back of the submitted poster. Each piece of a series entry shall be stuck with corresponding label at the lower right corner of the reverse side. Works that fail to meet the size requirement will be disqualified.
E Typography
e-1 Typeface Family
Submission requirements:
The submitted fonts shall be applicable body fonts or headings fonts for book, newspaper, magazine, screen and other media. Formation, shadowing or other effects done to the existing computer fonts are not acceptable. Horizontal (vertical) paragraph layout effects with different font sizes are required. Only printed works are accepted. The size of the work (vertical) shall be 700mm×1,000mm. Please paste the printed entry label on the back of the submitted works. A series entry shall consist of 4 pieces of work maximally. Each piece of work shall be stuck with corresponding label at the lower right corner of the reverse side. Works that fail to meet the size requirement will be disqualified.
Note * At least 60 different Chinese characters are required.
Characters applicable for Latin typeface:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz1234567890*&$%@#!?.,:;”-'/ (78 characters in total).
e-2 Creative Typography
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 4 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
To ensure a good presentation effect, the participants may print their work vertically on a 700mm×1,000mm paper without mounting. Please print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side.
e-3 Application of Typeface
Submission requirement:
Please submit at least 5 objects or pictures. Small objects shall be submitted in a big envelope or a transparent plastic cover. Submitted pictures shall be printed (manuscript unacceptable) in size of 290mm×420mm. Submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (All mounting boards shall be stuck with corresponding labels at lower right corner in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
e-4 Variable Font
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 4 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
To ensure a good presentation effect, the participants may print their work vertically on a 700mm×1,000mm paper without mounting. Please print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side.
F Illustration
f-1 Commercial Illustration
f-2 Creative Illustration
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 4 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
To ensure a good presentation effect, the participants may print their work vertically on a 700mm×1,000mm paper without mounting. Please print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side.
f-3 Brand Illustration
Submission requirement:
Please submit at least 5 objects or pictures. Small objects shall be submitted in a big envelope or a transparent plastic cover. Submitted pictures shall be printed (manuscript unacceptable) in size of 290mm×420mm. Submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (All mounting boards shall be stuck with corresponding labels at lower right corner in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
G Digital Media Design
g-1 Film & TV Openings / Animated Shorts
g-2 Websites & APP
Submission requirement:
Please submit key screenshots of the submitted work as well. The screenshots shall be printed on a paper of 290mm×420mm and mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of black board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 5 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
g-3 Multimedia Interactive Installations
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 4 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
To ensure a good presentation effect, the participants may print their work vertically on a 700mm×1,000mm paper without mounting. Please print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side.
H Cultural and Creative Product Design
h-1 Cultural Product Design
h-2 Derivative Product Design
Submission requirement:
Please submit at least 5 objects or pictures. Small objects shall be submitted in a big envelope or a transparent plastic cover. Submitted pictures shall be printed (manuscript unacceptable) in size of 290mm×420mm. Submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (All mounting boards shall be stuck with corresponding labels at lower right corner in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
I Information Design
i-1 Infographics
i-2 Information Visualization
i-3 Dynamic Visualization
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
J Environmental Graphic Design
j-1 Sign System
j-2 Space Graphics
Submission requirement:
Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
K Mixed Design
k-1 Mixed Design
k-2 Social Practice of Design
Submission requirement:
In addition to the electronic files, the physical objects or pictures (at least 5 items) of the entries must be submitted. All small physical items of a same entry should be submitted in a large envelope or transparent plastic bag. Please submit printed pictures (manuscript unacceptable) in a size of 290mm×420mm. The submitted pictures shall be mounted on the center of a black KT board or a black card board in size of 380mm×510mm. Print out the entry label and paste it at the lower right corner of the reverse side of the board. Each piece of work shall have maximum 10 pieces of board to demonstrate effects and description. (Please paste the entry label at lower right corner on the back of each piece of board. Please mount your works in the same direction, either horizontal or vertical. Works with incorrect mounting will be disqualified.)
Participants of the GDC Award 2025 must agree and authorize the GDC Award Organizing Committee to use, copy, reproduce, and publish all submitted design works (including but not limited to drawings, photographic photos, images, source files, drafts, texts, slides, physical items, and digital materials) without any fees or remuneration. The GDC Award Organizing Committee will use the said designs in related professional activities and promotional materials.
All entries must be original works created and owned by the participant (or their group), with full authorship rights. In case of any disputes over intellectual property rights or authorship claims related to the entries, the GDC Award Organizing Committee will disqualify the participant’s entry, and the participant shall bear all consequences.
-All copyright or intellectual property disputes arising from the entries are unrelated to the GDC Award Organizing Committee.
-The GDC Award Organizing Committee has the right to exhibit, publish (including electronic publication), and collect selected works.
-Under no circumstances shall the GDC Award Organizing Committee be liable for the loss or damage of any entry.
-The GDC Award Organizing Committee does not provide any delivery or return services for entries, nor shall it bear any shipping fees, tariffs, or related costs.
-All delivered works will be collected by the GDC Award Organizing Committee and will not be returned.
- The GDC Award Organizing Committee reserves the right of final interpretation for any doubts arising from the rules of this competition.
- The GDC Award Organizing Committee will further refine the rules and provide interpretations for any matters not explicitly addressed in this competition.
E-mail: gdc@gdcaward.com
Tel: +86-755-88606391
Contact: Ms. Xiao, Ms. Chen
Enterprise WeChat：SGDA online customer service