Established in 2019 by the American Society of Magazine Editors to honor individual examples of visual excellence, the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration recognize the unique importance of the graphic arts to the practice of magazine journalism and celebrate the visual heritage of magazines and websites. The ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration are judged and presented with the National Magazine Awards.

The ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration are currently presented in 14 categories, including 4 categories for Best Magazine Covers. Finalists receive certificates of recognition. Winners receive awards displaying reproductions of their work. Finalists and winners will be honored with the finalists and winners of the National Magazine Awards and the ASME NEXT Awards for Journalists Under 30 at the ASME Editorial Conference in May 2027.

Among the notable changes this year are the introduction of new categories for Best Magazine Design, Best Website Design and Best Feature Design. The requirements for entry have been simplified; entry fees have been reduced 20 percent to encourage wider participation by magazines and websites; and the deadlines for entry are significantly later.

View the 2026 Finalists’ and Winners’ Gallery

Read the ASME Awards 2026 Administrator's Report for an overview of last year's awards

Who Can Enter All consumer and business magazines and websites edited and published in the United States are invited to enter the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration. Other creators and publishers of magazine-like content, including newspapers and newsletters, are also eligible. Marketing and promotional magazines and websites are not eligible. No entry may be submitted without the approval of the editors of the publication in which the work appeared. ASME reserves the right to determine if a media organization qualifies for entry.

Entries are also subject to the following conditions:

1 Print content must be dated 2026. Entries consisting of one example of work may include content dated December 2026/January 2027 or an equivalent, such as Fall 2026/Winter 2027 (content dated December 2025/January 2026 or an equivalent is not eligible). Entries consisting of two or more examples of work may include one example dated January 2027 or an equivalent, such as Winter 2027.

2 Digital content must have been posted in 2026. Screenshots may be requested to verify publication dates.

3 No entry can duplicate an entry in another category. No example of work may be entered in more than one category except as part of an entry in another category.

4 Content entered in the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration may also be entered in the National Magazine Awards.

5 Excerpts from previously published books are not eligible except as part of an entry.

6 No magazine or website will be nominated more than once in any category except as the partner of another publication.

7 Entries found to be in violation of commonly accepted editorial standards, including the ASME Guidelines for Editors and Publishers, may be disqualified at any time.

8 The executive director of ASME may at his own discretion extend the deadline for entry in any category.

How Finalists and Winners Are Chosen Three to five finalists are traditionally selected in each category by a panel of judges, including art directors and photo editors, chosen by the executive director of ASME in consultation with the members of the ASME Board of Directors. See the “About” page at asmeawards.org for information about the selection of the winners. Awards may be withheld in any category in which the entries fall below the standard of excellence set by the ASME Board of Directors or in which the number of entries is deemed insufficient by ASME.

PRINT AND DIGITAL CATEGORIES 1—10
Rules and Eligibility: Publications edited by ASME members may submit three entries in each of these categories. Nonmembers may submit two entries in each category. Depending on the category, entries may be print only, digital only or multiplatform, combining print and digital content. See below for instructions, fees and deadlines.

Except as noted, entries in Categories 1 to 10 consist of as many as three examples of work, which may include either of the following:
• one or more articles linked by designer, photographer, illustrator, topic or format
• one clearly branded editorial package or one series of no more than 10 social media posts

An entry may include or consist exclusively of content from special-interest publications. Examples of work may include one print or digital magazine cover related to the entry.

What to submit for print-only entries: PDFs of each example. Also required are separate PDFs of the covers of any issues or SIPs in which examples appeared. For digital-only entries: Links to each example. For multiplatform entries: PDFs of each print example and links to each digital example. Also required are separate PDFs of the covers of any issues or SIPs in which examples appeared.

Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate entries in these categories based on the achievement of visual excellence as demonstrated by the quality and consistency of the work; the ambition, resourcefulness and skill of art and photography staff and contributors; and the use of design, photography and illustration to fulfill the editorial mission of the publication. Digital-only and multiplatform entries may also be judged based on creative innovation, functional excellence and user accessibility.

1 Best Magazine Design
Honors the art direction of print media, including special-interest publications. An entry consists of one complete print issue or SIP.

2 Best Website Design
Honors the art direction of digital media. An entry consists of as many as 10 links to an editorial website.

3 Best Feature Design, News and Information
Honors the art direction of articles or editorial packages covering topics such as politics, business, science, technology, society and culture

4 Best Feature Design, Entertainment and Celebrity
Honors the art direction of articles or editorial packages covering topics such as popular culture and professional sports as well as entertainment and celebrity news

5 Best Feature Design, Service and Lifestyle
Honors the art direction of articles or editorial packages covering topics such as fashion, food, travel, design, health, parenting, personal finance and active sports

6 Best News and Documentary Photography
Honors the visual coverage of topics such as politics, business, science, technology, society and culture as well as news events and news makers

7 Best Entertainment and Celebrity Photography
Honors the visual coverage of topics such as popular culture and professional sports, including celebrity portraiture

8 Best Service and Lifestyle Photography
Honors the visual coverage of topics such as fashion, food, travel, design, health, parenting, personal finance and active sports

9 Best Still and Animated Illustrations
Honors illustrations published in print or on digital platforms

10 Best Illustrated Stories
Honors visually driven magazine storytelling published in print or on digital platforms

MAGAZINE COVERS CATEGORIES 11—14
Rules and Eligibility: Publications edited by ASME members may submit three entries in each of these categories. Nonmembers may submit two entries in each category. Entries may be print only, digital only or multiplatform, combining print and digital content. See below for instructions, fees and deadlines.

Entries in Categories 11 to 14 consist of one example of work, which may include either of the following:
• one print or digital cover
• two related print and digital covers

An entry may consist of the front and back covers of the same issue, one gatefold cover or no more than
six split covers. Additional fees will be charged for entries consisting of front and back covers, gatefold
covers or split covers. See below for entry fees.

What to submit for print-only entries: a JPEG or PNG of the work. For digital-only entries: a JPEG, PNG, GIF or MP4 of the work. For multiplatform entries: a JPEG or PNG of the print work and a JPEG, PNG, GIF or MP4 of the digital work.

Judging Criteria: Judges will evaluate entries in these categories based on the achievement of editorial and visual excellence as demonstrated by the quality of the cover image, editorial copy and art direction; the ambition, resourcefulness and skill of editorial, art and photography staff; and the topicality, timeliness and significance of the subject. Digital-only and multiplatform entries may also be judged based on creative innovation, functional excellence and user accessibility.

11 Best News and Information Covers
Honors print and digital covers on topics including but not limited to politics, business, science, technology, society and culture

12 Best Entertainment and Celebrity Covers
Honors print and digital covers on topics including but not limited to popular culture and professional sports

13 Best Service and Lifestyle Covers
Honors print and digital covers on topics including but not limited to fashion, food, travel, design, health, parenting, personal finance and active sports

14 Best Independent Magazine Covers
Honors print and digital covers of publications serving highly defined reader communities, including city and regional titles, as well as the covers of magazines and websites on topics including but not limited to literature, science, politics, media and the arts. Independent magazines and websites may also enter Categories 11 to 13.

ASME READERS’ CHOICE AWARD
Readers will vote for their favorite covers in March 2027 when every entry in the four Magazine Covers categories is posted on Instagram. Ten finalists will be chosen. Each will receive a certificate of recognition. The top vote-getter will receive the ASME Readers’ Choice Award.

INSTRUCTIONS AND FEES

See the online entry forms before preparing submissions

For assistance with entries, email asme@asme.media or call 212.872.3737

Entries Containing Print Content may require the submission of PDFs. Each example of work must be uploaded as a single PDF in correct page order. Advertisements may be included. Pages in editorial spreads should be shown together. Barcodes should be removed from covers. High-resolution files are preferred. Copies of print issues are not required or accepted in any category.

Entries Containing Digital Content may require the submission of web links or app-specific instructions, including usernames and passwords enabling judges to access content free of charge. Submissions that do not include usernames and passwords or contain error-prone credentials may be deemed ineligible. Promotional codes in lieu of usernames and passwords are not acceptable.

Entry Statements Each entry must include a statement limited to 100 words describing the editorial mission of the publication and its audience. The same copy may be used for multiple entries. An optional statement limited to 300 words describing the entry may be added to assist the judges in their evaluation of the entry. As entries are often considered self-explanatory, a statement describing the entry is not required except to note significant challenges to the accuracy or fairness of an entry or to disclose the use of artificial intelligence in the creation of work submitted as part of an entry. Links to supplemental materials may also be provided in optional statements. Supplemental materials may include but are not limited to articles, social media, reader correspondence or media coverage related to the entry. Links to file-sharing services are not acceptable.

Entry Fees ASME provides significant financial support for the administration and presentation of the ASME Awards for Design, Photography and Illustration, entitling ASME members currently enrolled as chief editors, senior editors or associate members to pay lower entry fees. New members who join ASME and remit dues as chief editors or senior editors before the date of entry are also entitled to pay lower fees. To apply for ASME membership, visit asme.media/membership.

Entry fees must be paid on or before December 31, 2026, or entries will be deemed ineligible. ASME members whose dues are past due as of the date of entry will be charged nonmember entry fees. Entry fees will be refunded for entries withdrawn on or before December 31, 2026, but no entry fees will be refunded after that date.

The entry fee for ASME members in all categories is $195 for each entry. The entry fee for nonmembers is $100 higher for each entry. An additional $95 fee will be charged for entries in the Magazine Covers categories consisting of the front and back covers of the same issue, one gatefold cover or two split covers. A fee of $195 will be charged for entries consisting of more than two split covers.

DEADLINES FOR ENTRY

Entries may be submitted online beginning September 24, 2026

Entries should be submitted on or before the applicable deadline to ensure that entries can be distributed to and evaluated by judges in advance of their meetings in January 2027. Because the deadlines are later than in the past, exceptions to the deadlines will not be permitted.

DEADLINE 1 for content published on or before October 1 is 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 5
After November 5, entries due on Deadline 1 will be accepted until Deadline 2 on December 3, subject to a late fee of $95 per entry. After December 3, entries due on Deadline 1 will be accepted until Deadline 3 on December 31, subject to a late fee of $195 per entry.

DEADLINE 2 for content published on or before November 30 is 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 3
Entries may include content published on or before October 1 as part of the entry. Entries consisting solely of content published on or before October 1 will also be accepted, subject to the late fee for entries due on Deadline 1. After December 3, entries due on Deadline 2 will be accepted until Deadline 3 on December 31, subject to a late fee of $95 per entry.

DEADLINE 3 for content published after November 30 is 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 31
Entries may include content published on or before November 30 as part of the entry. Entries consisting solely of content published on or before November 30 will also be accepted, subject to the late fees for entries due on Deadlines 1 and 2. No entries will be accepted after December 31.

Download the Call for Entries
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For more information, email asme@asme.media or call 212.872.3737