The Thelma Afford Award applications are now open. Are you a costume designer or know of someone who you think is deserving of this incredible opportunity?
Sabina Myers was the 2024 recipient of the Thelma Afford Award. She used the $10,000 prize money to travel to Italy where she embarked on a figure drawing immersion. The APDG asked Sabina some questions about her experiences:
What was the absolute highlight of your studies?
”Studying together with artists and practitioners from different industries. Drawing is such a universal foundational skill, but everyone's methods are different - I was able to see techniques I would never have encountered in my usual environment.”
What skills were you able to acquire and/or improve upon, and how does this inform your practice now?
”Figure drawing is the backbone of how I communicate character and costume. Increasing that skill level through concentrated study feels like it's given me more freedom to actually be experimental and expressive with pose and the body as a storytelling device."
Applications are now open.
For further information regarding the award, and to check your eligibility, please visit the Thelma Afford Award page on the APDG website, link in bio.
Image credits: Sabina Myers' travel photography and drawings.
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“Designing is such a pleasure to me that I really cannot call it work.” - Thelma Afford (Melbourne Herald, 1937)
Thelma Afford was a talented designer working in 1930s - 1970s in Austraila, who explored the uses of various media for her costume work and was a recognised authority on the history of costume and theatre in Australia.
She designed for large-scale productions including centenary celebration pageants in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney in the 1930s. Thelma’s designs for the 1936 Centenary event included innovative interpretations of technology as well as agricultural products and flora and fauna.
As per Thelma Afford’s wishes, recipients shall use the award monies to further their education or training in Australia or overseas, in visual arts, including the history of period clothes, at any art school or university that has a suitable course. Study may be full-time, part-time, at a summer school or as part of a formal mentorship program.
The prize of $10,000 is awarded biennially.
For further information regarding the award, please visit the APDG website, link in bio.
Image credits: Thelma Afford costume design illustrations, courtesy of the State Library of NSW.
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Accreditation is considered the highest honour that can be bestowed on an APDG member and applications are now open!
Are you an APDG member who has demonstrated high standards in design and design innovation, as well as having actively promoted the value and contribution of design to the Screen and Live Performance industries? Or perhaps you know a member worthy of APDG Accreditation who you can encourage to apply this year?
There are many designers in our membership who are worthy of accreditation. If you are keen to apply, we encourage you to get in touch and we will connect you with a current accredited member to discuss your eligibility and where suitable, endorse your application.
For more information visit the link in bio.
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The Thelma Afford Award for costume design in stage and screen is now open!
Established to promote the further study of theatre, film or TV costume design, in various visual dramatic media, the award is for students from drama and art schools, and professionals wishing to participate in further education in costume design are also welcome to apply.
The award is an initiative of the late Thelma May Afford, an Australian designer, theatre performer and journalist. Thelma Afford was a talented designer who explored the uses of various media for her costume work and was a recognised authority on the history of costume and theatre in Australia.
For further information regarding the award, please visit the Thelma Afford website page: link in bio.
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ENTRIES CLOSE THIS MONDAY
Less than 1 week to submit a 2026 APDG Awards entry! Entries are open until this Monday April 27, 2026, 11:59pm.
Any questions about your entry, feel free to contact us, link in bio.
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If Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) can stand on a monster truck in the desert, you can get your APDG Awards submission complete by April 27!
Spotlight on the ‘Set Decoration for a feature film or a television production’ award category: this award is for set decoration for a feature film or television production in any format (series, stand-alone show, or documentary).
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: 'Furiosa, A Mad Max Saga', winning entry for the ‘Netflix Set Decoration for a Feature Film or Television Production Award’, 2025. Katie Sharrock – Set Decorator, Colin Gibson APDG – Production Designer, Daniel Waring – Lead Man, Ben Howell – Senior Buyer/Dresser.
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This is a reminder that the APDG is celebrating Game Designers with the inaugural Game Design award!; this award is for designers who have designed characters, creatures, costumes, worlds and/or elements of these worlds for any screen media.
If you or a team member have designed elements of a game that you think may be award winning and it was publicly released between Feb 2, 2025 and March 1, 2026 please enter!
Awards Submissions Close 27 April!
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
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While an entrant can only submit the same work into one category across the APDG Awards, the Concept Art award category is unique in that you CAN submit the concept art for a project that you have submitted to another category.
Spotlight on the Concept Art award: this award is for concept illustration, storyboard drawings, costume drawings or concept models for a live performance, screen production, event, game, interactive media, exhibition, transmedia, virtual reality, or augmented reality production.
APDG Awards Entries are now open and close on April 27.
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: Nominated entry for the ‘Film Cars Concept Art’ award, 2020/2021. Concept Artist, Matthew Hatton’s concept/environments process for ‘Extraction’ is demonstrated through an informative ‘before and after’ video.
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Spotlight on the Graphic or Title Design award category: this award is for graphic or title design for a screen production in any format.
APDG Awards Entries are now open and close on April 27.
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: Winning entry for ‘Next Printing Graphic Design’ award, 2022, ‘Pieces of Her’. Graphic Design by Jacqui Schofield, with Khristine Perez, Marcella Tattersall and Mathilda Robba.
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Spotlight on the Set Design for a live performance or event:
this award is for set design for any genre of live performance (event, dance, drama, physical theatre, music theatre, transmedia) or event.
APDG Awards Entries are now open and close on April 27.
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: Winning entry for ‘Event Engineering Set Design for a Live Performance or Event' award, 2024, ‘1001 Remarkable Objects’ exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. Exhibition Design by Pip Runciman APDG, Julie Lynch APDG and Ross Wallace APDG, with lighting by Damien Cooper APDG.
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Spotlight on the Art Direction for a feature film or a television production award category: this award is for art direction for a feature film or television production in any format (series, stand-alone show, or documentary).
APDG Awards Entries are now open and close on April 27.
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: Winning entry for the ‘Docklands Studios Melbourne Art Direction for a Feature Film or Television Production’ award 2022, ‘Firebite’, Jenny Hitchcock - Art Director, who collaborated with Amy Baker - Production Designer, Colin Robertson - Supervising Art Director, Michael Leon - Set Decorator.
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Spotlight on the Visual Effects or Digital Design award category:
this award is for visual effects design, world or production design, for a game or transmedia, interactive media, virtual reality, or augmented reality screen production.
APDG Awards Entries are now open.
For a full list of this year’s Awards Categories visit the Awards Entry Guide, link in bio.
Credit: Winning entry for the ‘WYSIWYG 3D Design for a Digital Production or Performance’ award 2022, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’, Method Studios; Nathan Ortiz, CG Supervisor and Josh Simmonds, VFX Supervisor.
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