The Lahti International Poster Triennial, established in 1975, is a prestigious poster design competition celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. Held in Lahti, Finland, this triennial offers a unique platform for showcasing outstanding graphic design talent from around the world. With its half-century legacy, the competition remains a vital event for creative professionals, artists, and design enthusiasts who value the power of visual storytelling through posters. The Triennial is organized by the Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva, which has long supported innovative art and design through exhibitions, events, and competitions that attract a global audience.
For its 2025 edition, the Lahti International Poster Triennial invites designers to submit works in three categories: Cultural, Social, and Ideological Posters; Environmental Posters; and Freedom of Expression Posters. This structure not only encourages diversity in design themes but also addresses relevant issues, allowing artists to communicate powerful messages through visual media. Each category emphasizes topics that are highly relevant today, such as social justice, environmental awareness, and the importance of free expression in society. The submitted posters will be judged based on creativity, originality, visual aesthetics, and communicative impact, fostering a high standard of design excellence.
The 2025 exhibition will run from June 6 to September 7, 2025, at the Malva Museum, with an opening ceremony on June 5, 2025. Visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to engage with a curated selection of international poster designs that exemplify cutting-edge trends in graphic design and visual communication. The Lahti International Poster Triennial attracts graphic designers, industry professionals, and art lovers, offering exposure to both emerging and established talents. Through this prestigious competition, Lahti reaffirms its position as a central hub in the international design community, encouraging the ongoing evolution of poster art and promoting important cultural and social dialogues.
The entry fee is €20 per artist or collective, allowing submission of up to four posters. Notably, there is no registration fee for Category C (Freedom of expression).
Eligibility
Open to poster designers worldwide. All submitted entries must have been created after January 1, 2022.
Prize
Prizes will be awarded to posters demonstrating high standards of creativity, originality, aesthetics, and communicative effectiveness. The main prize is the Grand Prix, valued at €5,000. An international jury of graphic designers will select the prize-winning posters. Additional prizes may be awarded at the jury’s discretion.
