Event Overview
The North American Applied Arts Design Competition has been held for three years. It originated as the Canadian Applied Arts Exhibition and now spans across North America, including both the United States and Canada. Each year, the event receives over 40,000 submissions and attracts more than 20,000 participants, with over 300 participating institutions and companies. The competition aims to explore how art, design, and technology can be integrated to make art and design more practical and applicable.
- Organizational Authority
The competition is organized by the Canadian Association of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAAT), which was established in 2013 and is based in Quebec City, Canada. The association focuses on the fusion of art and science and conducts research on art trends as a nonprofit institution.
- Wide Participation
The competition is open to all design and art enthusiasts, students from art and design institutions, professional designers, university instructors, and scholars researching the intersection of art and technology.
- Three-Tiered Judging System
To ensure fairness and professionalism, the competition has a three-level judging system:
-- First Round:
The first round of judging is conducted by PhD students and teaching assistants in art and design. These scores serve as a reference only.
-- Second Round:
All submissions will undergo a second round of evaluation, where the first-round scores are used as a reference. The main judges in this round include registered university lecturers from the association, as well as professional designers and artists with approximately six years of experience in the field.
-- Third Round:
Submissions that pass the second round will proceed to the third and final round of judging, conducted by the association’s Vice President and registered associate professors, along with experts with over 10 years of industry experience. Winners will receive appropriate awards.
Wide Range of Submission Themes
The theme for this year’s competition is “Kite,” symbolizing freedom, innovation, and limitless possibilities. The theme is designed to spark creativity among participants but does not limit the design or representation to kites alone.
Here, “Kite” serves more as a metaphor and a starting point, representing the spirit of breaking conventions, striving for excellence, and exploring the unknown. We encourage participants to use this as inspiration to soar freely in the vast world of art and design.
There are no restrictions on design direction for this competition. Participants can choose any area of interest, including but not limited to
- Art and Technology
- Interactive installation art
- Digital art
- AI-generated art
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) art
- Bioart and eco-art
- Sound art and electronic music
- Robotic art
- Laser and holographic art
- 3D printing art
- Data visualization art
- Fusion art
- Fusion Art
- Material and art fusion (e.g., fiber art, ceramics, glass art)
- Information and art fusion (e.g., data art, internet art)
- Science and art fusion (e.g., bioart, chemical art)
- Traditional craft and modern technology fusion
- Cross-cultural art fusion
- Multimedia art fusion
- Architecture and art fusion
- Fashion and art fusion
- Graphic Design and Fine Arts
- Brand identity design (including logo design)
- Packaging design
- Book design
- Infographic design
- Advertising design
- Typography design
- Web design
- Painting (oil, sketch, gouache, watercolor, ink)
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Installation art
- Photography
- Digital painting
- Mixed media art
- Media art
- Media Art
- Film and animation
- Short videos
- Game concept art
- Interactive design
- Sound art
- Visualization design
- New media advertising
- Web UI design
- Environmental Art and Design
- Urban planning
- Public art installations
- Exhibition design
- Commercial space design
- Stage design
- Lighting design
- Wayfinding system design
- Landscape design
- Interior design
- Architecture design
- Product Design
- Industrial design
- Furniture design
- Smart product design
- Sustainable product design
- Medical device design
- Transportation design
- Consumer electronics design
- Toy design
- Sports equipment design
- Packaging structure design
- Fashion design
Substantial Cash Prizes
The competition offers a total prize pool of $40,000 to approximately 50 winners.
- Final Prizes
- Supreme Award (Applied Thinking) – 5 winners – $2,000
- Supreme Award (Creative Expression) – 15 winners – $1,000
- Supreme Award (Design Innovation) – 30 winners – $500
In addition to the 50 main winners, there will be 600-1,500 awards for active participants who contribute to the development of applied arts. All winning entries will receive an electronic certificate of honor.
- Prizes
- Gold Award – Top 5% of participants
- Silver Award – Top 10% of participants
- Bronze Award – Top 15% of participants
- Excellence Award – Top 15% of participants
Competition Timeline
- Submission Period: October 1, 2024 – December 1, 2024
- Judging Period: December 2, 2024 – December 12, 2024
- Results Announcement: December 13, 2024
Entry Fee
The entry fee is is approximately 10 CAD. The main expenses are allocated to the following areas:
- Judging Costs: Covering the fees for the professional judges and experts involved in the three-tiered review process.
- Organizational Support: Administrative and logistical support for managing submissions, communication, and coordination across North America.
- Awards and Certificates: Production and distribution of certificates and awards for winners.
- Event Promotion: Marketing and promotion to ensure broad participation and visibility of the event.
Registration Process
Registration is conducted online. This competition is open exclusively to members of the association. Please register as a member before submitting your entry. Both the submission form and the artwork files must be uploaded online during the registration process.
Contact Us
- Phone Contact: You can reach us via phone at +1 (416) 555-7890.
- Email Contact: For any inquiries, please email us at aadc@sfaaat.ca.