Key Dates

Self-promotional work (ie. identity for your own company) is eligible only if it was released commercially and distributed / made available to potential customers. We may ask for clarification for any entry.

Definitely, clients can enter work, but if it was produced by an agency, check with them, they may have wanted to surprise you.

Two entrants can't enter the same piece of work into the same category. If you have collaborated on an entry, play nice and check if your collaborators plan to enter. In case of duplicate entries, only the first entry to be paid for will be accepted.

You can enter the same work in as many categories as you choose. The entry fee is charged on a per category basis.

Work must have been produced, published and released before Judging Week of the entry year. If work has been previously entered it is ineligible unless there are significant evolutions to the work.

Anyone. You don't need to be a Member of the Designers Institute of NZ (DINZ) to enter. Full paid up Members of the Designers Institute pay a discounted entry fee (this does not include Affliate or International DINZ Members).

You can enter the same item in as many categories as you choose. The entry fee is charged per category.

You can enter online when our entries open April 2nd April 2024.

Yes. Entries should include a written description of the work when entering online, limited to 500 words. Judges read this information so think carefully about conveying the The Why / The Idea / The Design / Elevate

No, there shouldn't be anything on your images or within the text submitted that identifies the entrant. Nor should any supporting boards or samples identify you. The work must be anonymous during judging.

However in some instances it is impossible to hide the client or studio (eg in product design as projects entered will show the company 's brand as marketed). 

No, never. A judge with a conflict of interest to a specific entry submits a ‘no vote’ and does not take part in discussion, evaluation or awarding that entry. This is enforced by the convenor at all times.

The Convenor is not a judge. He or she, along with the Head of Judges, selects and appoints a group of judges and facilitates the judging process. The Convenor ensures that all categories and work is judged fairly, that all judges are given equal opportunity to comment and provide critical input and he or she manages any conflicts of interest.

This role will normally be undertaken by the CEO of The Designers Institute unless otherwise agreed to by its Board. The HoJ selects and appoints Convenors in consultation with The Institute's Board, and can instruct judging panels to reconsider judging decisions where overall standards of quality or fairness and have not been achieved.

We select judges from the local industry in Australia and New Zealand and past winners of the Best Awards.

The Head of Judges and the Convener appoint a good cross section of respected judges from the following broad criteria:
• Respected in the industry
• Past winners
• Known for the high calibre of their work
• Able to be objective
• Those that have had a significant role to play in the industry
• Skill set to compliment across the disciplines categories
• From related organisations in the industry (eg. Better by Design) or from offshore (eg. AGDA,DIA, GDA, WDO & ico-D etc).

Entrants may cancel or remove Entries via written request (email us at bestawards@dinz.org.nz) up until the entry deadline. The Designers Institute is under no obligation to refund payments made after entries close.

The Best Design Awards costs $289 for each entry. We have special rates for students and Designers Institute paid up full Members (this does not include Affliate or International Members). If you'd like to join the Institute prior to entering, visit designersinstitute.nz

The Designers Institute is a not-for-profit organisation. Entry fees contribute to funding programmes like the Best Design Awards. In doing so, we want the Best Design Awards to be recognised internationally and provide an archive of New Zealand visual culture.

Yes, if you pay the courier fee at the end of the entry process. Couier fees paid for will be returned in the two weeks after Judging Week.

Entrants who don't wish to pay courier fees may drop off supporting material to the DINZ office but must also collect after Judging Week. Supporting material not collected will be disposed of after a reasonable time

EXCEPTION - Product Entrants will be notified by a Best eDM when and where to send their Examples two weeks prior, 24th July, of Judging Week .

NOTE: We cannot return supporting material to addresses outside of New Zealand.

Send all supporting material along with your ENTRY NUMBER (a confirmation slip with the ENTRY NUMBER will be emailed to you once entry payments are made) to:

The Designers Institute
27 Gillies Ave,
Suite 5, Ground Floor
Newmarket,
Auckland 1023,
New Zealand

Product sector entry samples will be requested by the Product convener to be delivered to AUT (a map will be sent when request issued).

An eDM will go out to product entrants in advance for deliver date and location.

Ensure your ENTRY NUMBER is attached to your product.

In the Product sector if the product is too large to transport, and at the Conveners discretion, we will arrange site visits where deemed necessary and possible.

If entering the Product sector DO NOT send any product to the above address.