LDA
LDA

Guidelines

1. Soft Guidelines

1.1 The brief is open.

1.2 The competition is open to academic, commercial, and self-initiated projects.

We encourage the submission of projects that made it into the real world, works that were put to work and consequently seen.

1.3 The projects will be judged based on:

A. Design quality
B. Concept
C. Originality
D. Innovation
E. Relevance
F. Attention to details
G. Execution / Production

1.4 There is no limit to the number of projects submitted.

1.5 The selection of posters will be made based on the digital entry.

1.6 The selection of books will be made based on the physical copy.

1.7 Information provided in the entry form must be accurate. English is mandatory. Please double-check before pressing Submit. We may not be able to correct errors.

1.8 Before you begin, please have the following ready—it may not be possible to edit later:

A. Project Info: Title, short summary (350 chars max), detailed description (2,000 chars max)

B. Team & Details:

B.1 Books: Designer(s), client, printing house, print run, pages, format, publisher, ISBN, year, credits

B.2 Posters: Designer(s), client, format (W×H mm), year, credits

2. Hard Guidelines

2.1 Competition Dates & Fees

A. Online entry opens: June 19, 2025
B. Digital submission deadline: July 25, 2025 (23:59 EEST)
C. Physical samples must arrive by July 29 (to count as on‑time, shipment must be posted by July 25; retain your courier receipt).
D. Form & Payment: You must complete the form and pay the fee in one session; incomplete or unpaid entries won’t count.
E. Nominees will be announced (by email, at the address provided in the form) prior to the awards ceremony.
F. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony.

2.2 Digital Submission Requirements

A. Works can only be submitted using the form
B. File type: JPG, RGB, 300 DPI
C. Max size: 10MB
D. Posters: Min. 1, Max. 3 images
E. Books: Min 3, Max. 5 images
F. Naming convention: Lastname_Firstname_Category_00.jpg (e.g. Ionescu_Maria_Poster_01.jpg, Ionescu_Maria_Poster_02.jpg)

2.2.1 Poster Submissions

A. Please include at least one image of the actual poster (not a mock-up).
B. If submitting a series, upload a composed image showing the entire series together, and also include the individual posters combined in a single PDF file.

Please ensure your digital images clearly show all key details—zoom in where needed and include representative views of your project. These images will be used by judges to evaluate your work and may also be featured in LDA promotions; for awarded projects, we may request additional high‑resolution files.

2.3 Physical Samples

A. Required for the book category
B. Address: Fabrik, Strada Ceremușului 3-5, Sector 1, București, România, 012311
C. Contact Number: 0727 732 577
D. Labeling: Clearly indicate your name and Project title; note any special handling instructions.

It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure that the shipment is delivered to the organizer’s headquarters in Bucharest and to cover all courier, postage, and insurance costs, as well as any import taxes.

2.3.1 In-Person Book Drop-Off


You may deliver your book sample in person to: Fabrik, Strada Ceremușului 3-5, Sector 1, București, România, 012311, Contact Number: 0727 732 577


A. Drop-off hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00–16:00 (no appointment needed)
B. Packaging & labeling: Pack securely to protect your book. Clearly label with your name, contact details, and “Local Design Awards 2025.”
C. Confirmation slip: At drop-off you'll receive a printed confirmation with a unique serial number—keep it safe until at least December 31, 2025.

2.4 Categories

A. Posters: Single or series (static only; no animation).
B. Books: One-off publications (no recurring magazines, flyers, etc.).
C. Young: Under 26 years (eligible in any category).

The competition has two major categories: posters and books. A special section is dedicated to young designers. The organizer defines young designers as people under 26 years of age. 

The poster category is represented by a single or a series. The 2025 LDA competition is not accepting animated posters. The series will be judged as a single piece. 

The book category does not accept recurring materials, such as magazines, annual reports, leaflets, newspapers, or flyers. Please contact the organizer if you have any specific questions about this section.

3. Eligibility

3.1 For a project to be eligible it is required to meet at least two out of three of the following:

A. The designer is born in Romania
B. The designer is living in Romania
C. The work submitted is created for the Romanian market

3.2 Eligible Works: First published between January 1, 2023 and July 25, 2025; 

3.3 Disallowed content: 

A. Projects encouraging hate speech, racism, xenophobia, discrimination or violence are not eligible. We, the organisers, value human rights. And animal rights, of course.
B. Projects infringing on the intellectual property rights of others are not eligible. Plagiarism is theft.

4. Fees

4.1 The participation fee structure is as follows:

A. Book: 30 € per project
B. Poster: 30 € per project
C. Young Category: 10 € per project (for participants under 26)

4.2 If you would like your book sample returned after the exhibition (and it was not selected as a winner), a 10 € administration fee applies. Return shipping costs are also the responsibility of the participant.

Note 1: If the book is awarded, it becomes part of the LDA archive and the administration fee is not refundable.
Note 2: The administration fee does not apply to the young category.

4.3 Payment Receipt

If you require a receipt for your payment, please email hello@localdesigncircle.com with the Cardholder’s name as entered in the payment step, and we will send the receipt to the contact email you provided in your submission (please note we can only issue a receipt, not an invoice, and VAT numbers cannot be included).

Note that as an NGO, this fee is a donation to support our ongoing activities and the organisation of the Local Design Awards. This is the reason we cannot provide an invoice. We do not do this for profit.

 

5. FAQ

Q: Can I submit animated posters?
A: No, only static posters.

Q: What qualifies as a “book”?
A: Any standalone publication—not recurring magazines, newspapers or flyers.

Q: How should I name my files?
A: Lastname_Firstname_Category.ext (e.g., Ionescu_Maria_Poster.jpg).

Q: Can I change my submission after the deadline?
A: No, all entries are final after July 25.

Q: Who pays return shipping?
A: Participants cover return shipping costs and the admin fee.

Q: When will I know if I’m nominated?
A: Nominees are notified by email after the jury meeting.

Q: Is a description of my work required?
A: Yes, we require you to send the title of the project, a short summary of your project (maximum 350 characters), and a longer description of your project (maximum 2000 characters)

 

For more questions, email hello@localdesigncircle.com

6. Terms & Conditions

Please read these legal terms carefully—they form a binding agreement between you ("Participant") and Asociația Local Design Circle ("Organizer").

 

6.1 Definitions

A. Organizer: Asociația Local Design Circle, headquartered in Bucharest, Romania.
B. Participant: individual designer or team submitting a Work.
C. Work: any digital file and/or physical sample entered into the competition.
D. Rights Holder: owner of the Work’s copyright.
E. License: rights you grant to Organizer.

 

6.2 Governing Law & Jurisdiction
Romanian law applies; disputes resolved exclusively in Bucharest courts.

 

6.3 Intellectual Property & Usage

Works cannot be sent without the prior permission of the rights holder of the works.

The organizers reserve the right to publish the submitted works in the catalog, exhibitions, on the competition website, in digital communication, and in other promotional materials. The organizer is obliged to always mention the designer and/or client. The organizer also has the right to record and publish videos and images from the award ceremony.

All matters concerning the copyright of the entry are the sole responsibility of the entrant. The organiser will not be held liable for any breach of proprietary rights.

 

6.3.1 Ownership: You keep all copyright and moral rights.
The entrants retain full ownership of their entry and are guaranteed the right to be credited every time their work is published or exhibited.

6.3.2 License Grant: By entering, you give Organizer a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable license to:

A. Reproduce, adapt, publish, exhibit and archive your Work in future LDA exhibitions and the official archive.
B. Use in printed and digital awards catalogs.
C. Promote via website, social media, flyers, posters, press releases.

6.3.3 Moral Rights Waiver: You waive any moral rights to the extent allowed by law.

6.3.4 Third-Party Clearances: You confirm all elements are original or properly licensed and agree to indemnify the Organizer against any infringement claims.



6.4 Warranties, Liability & Indemnification

A. As-Is Submissions: Works are submitted “as-is.” The organizer makes no warranties of fitness, quality or legality.
B. Liability Limit: Organizer’s total liability is limited to the entry fee you paid.
C. Indemnity: You indemnify and hold Organizer harmless from any losses, claims, or expenses arising from your breach or third-party claims.

 

6.5 Privacy & Data Protection

The protection of your personal data is important to us. By submitting your work through the form, you agree to your personal information being stored and used by Local Design Circle. We collect name, email, and address to run LDA and let you know the results. GDPR rights (access, correction, deletion) via hello@localdesigncircle.com

 

6.6 Withdrawal & Force Majeure

A. Withdrawal: Full refund if before July 25; no refunds after.
B. Force Majeure: If we must cancel/postpone due to events beyond our control, fees refunded minus unavoidable costs.

 

6.7 Sample Returns

All nominated materials will be exhibited in an exhibition on the day of the awards gala. The process of returning non-winning projects begins immediately after the exhibition has ended.

Any submitted material can be returned, except in cases where it has won a prize. Winning materials become part of the competition archive and, therefore, the property of the organizers.

If participants still wish to have their samples returned, they must clearly indicate this during the submission process by ticking the box before completing the application process. Requests for the return of samples after the selection process has been completed will not be accepted.

All packaging and shipping costs, together with a non-refundable administrative fee per work, are the responsibility of the participant.