Award Categories
In total there are 11 award categories that cover every aspect of the modern sign industry – from traditional craft skills, through the rapidly developing décor and vehicle livery sectors, to highly engineered architectural signs.
Recognising that the sign industry is made up primarily of SMEs, there is a special award for the Small Sign Business of the Year, which is open to any business employing from one to five people.
We have also introduced a new Green Award recognizing the importance of environmental issues in the sig industry.
The Craftsman Award
This award is designed to recognise traditional sign making skills. Entries can be complete signs created using traditional methods or can be signs produced using modern techniques but which include a hand-crafted element.
Architectural Sign of the Year
The Decor Award
Category is open to projects designed and produced to enhance the interior of any building through the use of signage and/or graphics produced on plastics, wallpapers, textiles, glass, metals and ceramics etc.
Wayfinding Scheme of the Year
The fundamental purpose of a wayfinding scheme is to help people navigate to and through a place. It’s about ensuring the information is placed where it’s needed and can be easily interpreted by people on the move. Increasingly clients are also looking for a design that is distinctive, reflects the character of the brand and/or fits the architectural style of the building.
Illuminated Sign of the Year
Lighting technology provides sign makers with myriad options with which to create fantastic illuminated signs. The judges will be looking for an illuminated sign or signs that effectively harness the technologies available and deliver outstanding visual impact.
The Leisure & Retail Sign of the Year
While both these sectors have been badly hit by coronavirus crisis, this award provides an opportunity for sign makers to demonstrate their achievements prior to the advent of the pandemic. Winning an award could provide a tremendous boost for your business as we recover from the crisis. Signs and signage schemes produced for any entertainment, hospitality, sporting or retail environment are eligible.
The Green Award
A new category for 2020 designed to recognise the increasing importance of environmental issues in the sign industry. Entries are invited from sign makers who, through the selection and use of materials and technology, have delivered eco-friendly projects. The award is also open to suppliers of materials and services who have demonstrably taken steps to improve their environmental credentials.
Roll-out Programme of the Year
The award is for the implementation of a single, consistent signage scheme across multiple sites/buildings. Projects that were partially completed before lockdown rules were enforced may be entered.
The Small Sign Business of the Year
This category recognises that by far the majority of sign makers in the UK are smaller businesses. The award is open to any UK sign business that employs from 1 to 5 people. Please use the special entry form to describe your business and send up to six images that demonstrate the quality of work completed over the year from March 2019 – March 2020.
Vehicle Graphics of the Year
Graphics and wraps can be applied to vehicles of every type and size, from the family saloon, through every type of road-going commercial vehicle to planes, boats and trains. This year’s awards will recognise excellence across the full spectrum of vehicle graphics.
The Wide Format Project of the Year
Wide format digital printing now plays a major role in the sign industry. Entries for this award are invited from businesses that have made creative and visually dramatic use of the technology.