The Joseph Binder Award 2027: Under Pressure is the 17th edition of designaustria’s international competition for graphic design and illustration. Founded in 1996 and named after Austrian graphic designer and illustrator Joseph Binder, the award presents contemporary visual communication through an international jury, exhibitions and the Joseph Binder Days in Vienna.
Under the theme “Under Pressure,” the 2027 edition takes a lighthearted look at the constant change, expectations and challenges faced by designers and illustrators. It celebrates bold ideas, fresh perspectives and outstanding work created during the past two years across graphic design and illustration, with categories covering corporate design, communication design, information design, type, posters, editorial, packaging, interfaces, book and media illustration, commercial and animated illustration, and other applications.
The program also includes Design Fiction, a special category for unpublished, independent or non-commercial projects, unrealized concepts and student work across disciplines, as well as the Henry Steiner Prize for a project that fosters connections between diverse cultural perspectives. Selected designers and illustrators become part of the Honored Selection, with their work presented through the award catalogue and exhibitions, while the Joseph Binder Days take place at MuseumsQuartier Vienna on April 28–29, 2027.
Entry fee: First entry: €105 regular, €79 for eligible association members or €55 for students; each further entry: €79 regular, €59 for members or €45 for students, all excluding 20% VAT; entries submitted by September 25, 2026 receive a 10% Early Bird discount, and selected entries must additionally pay a €360 nominees package fee excluding VAT, except in the Design Fiction category.
Eligibility
Open to graphic designers, illustrators, advertising agencies and design students worldwide submitting graphic design or illustration projects published or realized in 2025 or later, with students required to provide proof of study, entrants required to hold the necessary copyright and publication rights, AI-assisted work permitted in regular categories when the tool and extent of AI use are disclosed, and Design Fiction reserved for unpublished, independent or non-commercial projects, unrealized concepts and student projects.
Prize
Joseph Binder Awards in gold, silver and bronze are awarded as trophies in each category, while the jury may also grant up to three distinctions in each graphic design and illustration category. Up to five outstanding Design Fiction projects share cash prizes totaling €6,000, and one project supporting dialogue between diverse cultural perspectives is selected for the Henry Steiner Prize. Honored works are featured in the JBA catalogue and exhibitions, including the Honored Selection presentation in Vienna, and Honored Designers and Illustrators receive free admission to the Joseph Binder Days symposium.