If you have a question about the awards, hopefully you'll find your answer in our Frequently Asked Questions below.
If you're still stuck or have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us at awards-support@aadc.com.au and we'll do our best to help.
The support team will aim for a 1 day response time during the entry period, though we encourage you to start your entries before the deadline.
To enter, you must be an AADC member and resident of South Australia. If you’re not yet a member, or want to check your membership, you can sign up here: aadc.com.au/about/membership.
Entrants must be the creator or craftsperson responsible for the entry. Multiple names can be entered if more than one person is the creator or craftsperson responsible.
Work which had a first publish/airing date on or between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2026 is eligible for entry.
Work that is not eligible includes:
— Work that has been submitted in previous years
— Speculative work (note: pro bono work can be entered in the For Good category)
— Work that has been created or crafted by a person who is not an AADC member.
Absolutely! The Awards are an opportunity for students to be recognised for excellence by local industry leaders.
Student work can be entered in two categories: Idea and Craft. More details are in our Entry Kit.
To enter, you must be an AADC member and resident of South Australia. So if you have staff that live in South Australia, are AADC members and were responsible for the work, yes
No, work that has been entered into the AADC Awards previously is not eligible for entry.
Yes. 2026 marks the first year that AI-assisted work is officially acknowledged as being eligible for judging.
To ensure transparency and provide judges with appropriate context, entrants will be required to complete a series of AI disclosure questions as part of the entry process. These questions will outline the role AI played in the development and execution of the work.
Yes you can.
No. To ensure fairness and consistency for all entrants, AADC does not reclassify entries. If you're unsure which category is most suitable, we encourage you to review the Entry Kit or contact us before submitting your entry.
To submit an entry please go to: aadc.awardsplatform.com
A case study video is not required to win an Award. However, if, in your judgement, you feel as though a supporting explanation video is required, you may submit one. Its duration must be no longer than 2 minutes.
Yes, you can edit your submission right up until the Entry Closing Time.
Yes, you can easily save your entry and complete it later (before the Entry Closing Time).
All entries are independently assessed by a panel (a Jury) of leading creative professionals from across the globe. The Jury are selected for their expertise, experience, contribution to their respective disciplines and impartiality.
Each entry is evaluated against strict criteria with the Jury considering factors such as the strength of the idea, execution, craft and overall effectiveness where relevant.
To ensure fairness and consistency, entries are scored independently before results are aggregated to determine Finalists, Awards and Chairs.
The full Jury will be announced and published on the AADC website closer to the Awards Night.
The information provided in the new AI disclosure statement will not automatically advantage or disadvantage an entry. Rather, it will assist judges in understanding the extent and purpose of AI’s involvement, and in evaluating the level of human contribution, creative thinking and craft demonstrated in the final outcome.
We aim to keep our entry fees fair and transparent. The 2026 entry fees are as follows:
Individual: $140
Campaign: $170
Late Entries: Entry Fee +$60
Students: Free!
We have a Late Entry Period which extends one week post On-Time Entries.
On-Time Entries Close: Friday 31 July 2026 11:59pm
Late Entries Close: Friday 7 August 2026 11:59pm
No entries are accepted after the Late Entry deadline.
No, entry fees are not refundable.
All work deemed worthy of judging for an Award is categorised as Finalist. Making it into the jury selection for Finalist is a significant achievement; the high standards of our Awards means that AADC Finalists represent the top 5% of work in our state.
Entries that achieve high enough aggregate scores are elevated from Finalist to Award status, with Award winning entries each receiving a trophy on the night. Award winning entries represent the most outstanding work in their category.
Chairs are the highest level of Award. If work is awarded a Chair, it is recognised as the very best of the best in its category.
This year’s AADC Awards will be held Thursday 22 October 2026. Our venue will be announced closer to the date.
Tickets for The 2026 Annual AADC Awards will go on sale later this year. Keep your eyes peeled to our socials and/or sign-up to our mailing list for further announcements.
The Awards night dress code is formal attire.