A new name, an expanded horizon, and regional ambitions: the Hungarian Design Award, with a professional legacy spanning more than four decades, is being relaunched as the Central European Creative Awards, placing Central Europe’s creative achievements on a shared platform.
More than forty years of professional heritage are gaining new momentum: established in 1979, the Hungarian Design Award returns in a renewed format with a regional focus under the name Central European Creative Awards. The transformed award marks a new era not only in name, but also in vision and scale – and now applicants have more time to apply. The submission deadline has been extended until March 8, 2026, giving Hungarian and regional creative industry brands and creators additional time to enter the free competition. Winners in each category will receive a gross cash prize of HUF 1,500,000.
More Than an Award: A Regional Platform
Coordinated by Creative Hungary, the initiative aims to frame Central Europe’s creative performance within a shared context and bring outstanding players from the fields of fashion, design, beauty, and gaming into international focus. The emphasis is not only on aesthetic excellence, but also on market viability and export potential – positioning the award as a quality hallmark with tangible economic value.
“By extending the application deadline, we want to ensure that as many innovative, market-ready, and professionally outstanding projects as possible have the opportunity to present themselves. Our goal is to create a regional platform capable of placing Central Europe’s creative achievements into a common framework and strengthening the region’s competitiveness in the long term,” emphasized Zsófia Jakab, CEO of Creative Hungary.
Nine Categories, Broad Spectrum
The Central European Creative Awards recognize outstanding achievements across nine categories.
Categories open to Hungarian applicants:
- Fashion Design of the Year
- Product Design of the Year
- Gaming Graphic Design of the Year
- Beauty Package Design of the Year
Additionally:
- Young Talent of the Year – spotlighting the next generation
- Collaboration of the Year – recognizing successful professional partnerships
- Lifetime Achievement – honoring an outstanding Hungarian professional career
- Audience Choice – where the public selects the winner
The dedicated CE Award regional category offers creators and businesses from Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia the opportunity to compete, fostering cross-border professional connections. Winners will be selected by the Hungarian Creative Industry Council with the involvement of recognized Hungarian and international experts. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 5, 2026, at the House of Music Hungary in Budapest.
Open Call for the Trophy Design
As part of the renewal, a separate open call has been launched for Hungarian fine and applied artists to design the official trophy of the Central European Creative Awards. Applications are open until March 1, 2026. Creative Hungary is looking for contemporary, distinctive concepts that visually express the values of Central European creativity, as well as the spirit of quality, innovation, and collaboration. Participation in this competition is also free of charge.
The Beginning of a New Era
The ambition of the Central European Creative Awards is clear: to become a prestigious and defining professional recognition in the region, while making export-ready brands and innovative initiatives visible – projects that will shape Central Europe’s creative industry position in the long term.
Application deadline: March 8, 2026.
Detailed application information, category descriptions, and entry requirements are available on the award’s official platforms.