International Busan Design Award 2026
What It Is:
The International Busan Design Award (IBDA) 2026 is a major international design competition organized by Busan Metropolitan City and Design Council Busan. Recognized as one of Asia’s largest design awards, IBDA offers designers, students, organizations, and young creatives a global platform to showcase innovation and creative excellence. The award promotes international exchange, creative thinking, and industrial design development.
Goals:
• Advance design thinking and practice across disciplines.
• Foster global collaboration in industrial and public design.
• Enhance design competitiveness and real-world impact through shared concepts.
Who Can Enter:
• Undergraduate and graduate students, individual designers, and companies.
• Youth Division: elementary, middle, and high school students, and youth aged 18 or under.
• Invited/Nominated Designers from related exhibitions.
• Entries may be submitted individually or as teams (up to 4 members), with a maximum of 2 works per entrant/team.
Categories:
- Free Theme – includes:
- Communication & Service Design (advertising, graphics, multimedia, social innovation, etc.)
- Product & Environmental Design (consumer goods, industrial products, architecture, public design)
- Craft & Fashion Design (metal, ceramics, textiles, clothing, accessories, etc.)
- Busan Urban Public Design – creative proposals to improve public spaces and facilities in Busan.
Important Dates:
• Online submissions: January 2 – April 3, 2026
• Offline physical submissions: April 18 – April 22, 2026
• First screening results: April 15, 2026
• Final screening: April 29, 2026
• Final results announcement: May 4, 2026
• Exhibition & Awards Ceremony: Around May 21, 2026 at the BEXCO Exhibition Center during the Busan Design Festival.
How to Submit:
Participants must submit work through the official IBDA submission platform and follow category guidelines. Submissions often require design concepts, visuals, descriptions, and supplementary documents. Offline submissions may be required for selected finalists.
Eligibility & Fees:
• Students, individuals, and youth: Free entry.
• Companies/organizations: KRW 100,000 per entry at submission.
• No nationality restrictions; international participation is encouraged.
Judging:
Designs are evaluated by expert jurors based on originality, relevance, impact, and aesthetic quality. A two-stage evaluation (online + offline) ensures fair global assessment.
Awards & Prizes:
The total prize pool for 2026 is approximately 56,700,000 KRW (~$38,900), including:
• IBDA Grand: 20,000,000 KRW + trophy + certificate
• Gold Awards: 4,000,000 KRW each
• Silver Awards: 2,000,000 KRW each
• Bronze Awards: 1,000,000 KRW each
• Winner, Idea & Best Designer awards and multiple certificates for various categories and levels
• Youth Division prizes include cash awards and certificates.
Why It Matters:
Winning or selected works gain international exposure, exhibition opportunities, and professional recognition. IBDA not only celebrates design but also supports industry-wide innovation and cross-cultural dialogue.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE OFFICIAL COMPETITION WEBSITE.