On October 1, 2023, the autumn application round for the Latvian Design of the Year Award 2024 - the highest award in the field of design in Latvia - was opened. It is presented to identify, evaluate, and popularize the achievements of Latvian designers, as well as to promote the use of design created in Latvia and the development of the design industry. The autumn application for the award will last until October 31 of this year.
Works can be submitted to the competition by its author, or another person related to the work, such as its owner or contractor. Works can be submitted by individuals or legal entities, including state administrative institutions, municipalities, educational institutions, companies, organizations, etc.
Works created since January 2021 are eligible for the National Design Award of Latvia 2024. Both works implemented in Latvia (regardless of the nationality of the authors) and those that have been implemented anywhere else in the world can be applied for if the country of affiliation of their authors Latvia is. The submission of entries takes place on the website www.dizainabalva.lv where the application form is available. www.dizainabalva.lv, kur pieejama konkursa pieteikuma forma.
"A strong generation of young designers and entrepreneurs is entering the creative industries of Latvia. The National Design Award of Latvia 2023 was distinguished by the widest number of competition applications to date, where we saw both new designers and fresh brands. The competition of the National Design Award of Latvia 2024 will continue to evaluate the quality and excellence of creative works in different categories. Significantly, more and more excellent design is turning to accessibility, positive social interventions, and public education. This trend is a benefit for both young designers and users, who will be able to demand quality design even more actively in the future," emphasizes Agnese Logina, Minister of Culture.
The evaluation of the works submitted for the National Design Award of Latvia 2024 will consider the design objectives and action directions defined in the Latvian Design Strategy 2022-2027 and the values of the European Commission's New European Bauhaus initiative. Bauhaus” vērtības.
The evaluation of the entries submitted to the competition will be based on the following quality criteria:
- originality and creativity of the idea,
- the defined problem and task(s), and the chosen solutions to solve the problem,
- co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation in the work process,
- functionality and technological solution,
- aesthetics and other dimensions of quality of experience,
- economic relevance, sustainability, and circularity,
- social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility.
Entries must be applied for and will be evaluated in five categories: product design, service design, communication design, environmental design, and digital solutions:
- Product design – products that offer solutions to contemporary problems and contribute to the improvement of the quality of life and the development of society without negative impact on the environment. New or improved products introduced to the market, produced in larger or smaller factories and workshops, as well as developed product prototypes, can be submitted in this category. Private, public (state and municipal) and non-state sector products in any industry.
- Service design – new or improved services and processes introduced in the market, as well as developed prototypes of services and processes, which contribute to the improvement of the quality of life and the development of society. User-friendly, inclusive, and responsive public, private and non-governmental sector processes, systems, and programs that build better infrastructure, communication, and interaction between stakeholders.
- Communication design – graphics and communication solutions that deliver powerful, understandable, and inclusive messages. Branding, graphic, advertisement, marketing and public educational campaigns, packaging, publishing, and typeface, as well as illustration and other visual communication works can be submitted in this category.
- Environmental design – environmental solutions contributing to creation of a beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive environment. Design solutions for public and private indoor and outdoor spaces. From infrastructure to interior, from culture to commercial environment, from temporary to permanent solutions.
- Digital solutions – digital works with high audience engagement, interaction, and efficiency. Works created and used in the digital environment- websites, apps, games, NFTs, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, audio, video, immersive experiences, and other solutions.
The National Design Award of Latvia is an award of national significance in design. The purpose of the award is to identify, evaluate and popularize the best performance of Latvian designers, promote the use of design created in Latvia and the development of the Latvian design industry, connection with other industries and long-term growth. The award was established in 2017 with the support of the Ministry of Culture. It is organized by the Latvian Design Centre until May 2025. Latvian Design Centre is a member of the Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) and an official partner of the European Commission's New European Bauhaus Initiative. Latvian Design Centre is involved in design policy making, research and education, and initiates cooperation and strategic partnerships with other design organizations, designers, companies, and design users. With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Latvian Design Centre maintains the creative industry communication platform FOLD.