About DAFES AWARDS
We established the international competition program DAFES AWARDS to encourage creative achievements, share experiences and form guidelines for professional development in design, art, fashion, education and business.
DAFES AWARDS is awarded in five profiles, 20 categories and 80 nominations, as well as various partner nominations that we form together with educational and creative institutions.
About the nomination
This nomination accepts projects that do not fall under the definition of a font and in the creation of which the author uses calligraphy and lettering. The subject of the projects is not limited — it can be a brand identity, a series of postcards or posters, music covers, or an exhibition project. The jury evaluates the technical skill of the creator, the compliance of the stylistic approaches with the concept and the novelty of the idea.
Terms of participation
Both concepts and projects that have been implemented or published between November 1, 2023, and October 12, 2025, are accepted for professional nominations.
While confirmation of publication or implementation is not required for a project to participate in the competition, the jury may request verification from the competition organizers in disputed cases.
Requirements to projects
The specifics of the criteria for the selection, design and submission of the project for the competition are described in each nomination. It is desirable to follow the structure of the project presentation: problem/situation > idea > solution > implementation > results. All projects are submitted to the competition in the format of a longread-format report created on the DAFES platform.
Jury
Natalia Toropitsyna -is a lecturer in the Typography and Book Design program at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL
Vladimir Anosov — is a lecturer in the Communication Design and Branding program at The St Petersburg HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL
Elena Roytenberg is a curator of the Communication Design program and a teacher of typography at The Nizhny Novgorod HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL. Head of the HSE Fonts unit at the HSE Design Lab.
Yuri Gulitov is a lecturer in the Communication Design and Branding program at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL. The head of the HSE POSTER LAB unit at the HSE Design Lab.
Registering and uploading a project
The step-by-step way to create an account and create a project on the platform to participate in the contest is described in the instructions.
Stages of the competition
Project submission deadline — October 12, 2025 Voting proccess — October 13 to 19, 2025 Invitation of participants and preparation for the ceremony — October 20 to November 7, 2025
Awarding ceremony
The award ceremony for the winners will take place on November 21, 2025
Contacts