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Submission details

2026 Cover Design Award

Submitting your entry

All entries must be submitted as a PDF via the submission form, which will be open until 2pm on Thursday, 29th January 2026.

Entries submitted in any other way, including by email or hard copy, will not be accepted.

Naming your PDF

In order to ensure that the shortlist selection process is completely impartial, the judges will only see the PDF and its file name.

Please name your PDF with your initials, underscore, date and month you were born, underscore and the award category.

For example, if your name was Allen Lane and you were born on 21 September, then it would be: AL_2109_Fiction / AL_2109_Childrens.

Cover design templates

Fiction Category: Night Watch
Children's Fiction Category: A Wrinkle in Time

File format

  • PDF
  • 300dpi
  • CMYK
  • 3mm bleed
  • Maximum file size 5 MB
  • Crop and bleed marks applied

If you’re unsure what crop and bleed marks are, click here for our cover design jargon buster.

For each book title, please include the front cover only on the first page of your PDF and a full cover spread (front, spine and back cover) on the second page of your PDF (supplied as one document). This means you will submit a 6-page PDF – as illustrated in this example.

You can do this by creating your InDesign document with ‘facing pages’ selected, which will make it into a book and magazine format.

Shortlisted entrants

Shortlisted entrants will be notified by email by the end of February 2026.

Shortlisted entrants will be required to provide the following support material for their final submission – submitted digitally:

  • A short, typewritten text (max. 50–100 words only) explaining the concept for their design.
  • A one-page landscape PDF demonstrating the development of the thought process from the original research to the final concept.
  • A high-resolution PDF and JPEG of the front cover only and of the full cover design with and without bleed and trim marks

FAQs

What are the prizes?

1st Prize
The first prize winner of each category (Adult Fiction and Children's) will receive a six-month-long mentorship programme with a member of the Penguin Art Department (dates to be confirmed). They will also receive a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium tablet and Penguin books to the value of £100. 

2nd Prize 
The second-prize winners of each category will receive a Wacom Intuos Pro Medium tablet and Penguin books to the value of £100. 

3rd Prize 
The third-prize winners of each category will receive a Wacom Intuos Medium tablet and Penguin books to the value of £100. 

How is the shortlist selected?

The Penguin Random House Art Directors look through all the submitted designs and together decide which will proceed to the shortlist. At that point they do not have sight of the entrant’s name or any of the details submitted on the entry form, just the design.

Can I use generative AI in my design?

The Cover Design Award encourages originality from aspiring creatives, and therefore we will not be accepting entries that include any elements created using generative AI.

Can I work with an illustrator or a photographer?

Yes, but we can only award one prize to the named entrant. Copyright must be cleared for all images used in your cover design and you must include a credit line on the back cover of your design for any third-party images used.

I'm not sure how to set up a template, can you help?

Take a look at the template jargon buster page. 

Are there any restrictions to the fonts I can use in my design?

You can use any font that you wish in your design.

The normal copyright rules around font usage apply to your work and it’s your sole responsibility to ensure that you have the correct permissions to use them in your design.

I don’t have the fonts that are specified on the templates, can I use an alternative font that is closely matched?

Yes, you can use an alternative font as long as you have the correct permissions to use it.

Can I enter more than one submission?

You can enter a maximum of one entry per category, so two entries (two designs) in total.

Can I share my design on social media?

We love seeing your interpretations of the Cover Design Award briefs on social media – spread the word about your work! If you choose to share your designs, please include: #PRHDesignAward hashtag and tag @PenguinUKBooks / Penguin Random House UK.

Will the winning designs be printed to sell in bookshops?

The Cover Design Award is a portfolio development opportunity; the work submitted will not be used in any published works.

In some cases, we do work with the shortlisted designers on published books. For that, we work with the designers as we would do any freelancers.

Any work entered into the Cover Design Award is owned by the entrant.

How do I find out about job opportunities at Penguin Random House?
Still have questions?

Email us at mail@penguinrandomhousedesignaward.co.uk