The Art Directors Club's highest award accolade when originally founded in 1920 was the gold medallion created by sculptor Paul Manship, known for his Prometheus statue, a lasting symbol of human ambition and imagination located in New York's Rockefeller Center. The medallion award was replaced in the 1960s with today's ADC Cube, says the NPO.

Starting with the recently launched ADC 105th Annual Awards, the Paul Manship Medal is transformed into a new, enterable category aiming to recognise a single designer, art director, writer, director, or other creative leader who best acts as a catalyst for change, demonstrates foresight and innovation, making a significant contribution over the past 12 months to two years, says the NPO.

"Paul Manship's medal was more than The Art Directors Club first award," says Brian Collins, President of Art Directors, and Co-Founder of COLLINS, based in San Francisco and New York. "The medal became a statement: that the work we do can be both practical and profound. That commercial creativity, when done with care and conviction, can be the best of our culture, in itself. We're proud to bring back the Paul Manship Medal to honour those whose work redefines our profession. Work that doesn't follow the times, but helps set the direction of what's to come."

Nominees submit a biography and portfolio of up to five projects created within the last 12 months to two years. Each project requires project media, a project description and an explanation of the nominee's role in the creation of the work, adds the NPO.

They Also Provide a Reply for the Following:

  • In what ways has the nominee advanced the field of design or advertising over the past year, demonstrating a compelling vision for its future?
  • Considering Paul Manship's legacy of excellence and craftsmanship, how does the nominee's body of work or career trajectory exemplify these qualities?

The award — consisting of the famed medallion embedded in a glass ADC Cube — is open to nominees or to individuals who wish to nominate themselves. It is presented onstage at the ADC 105th Annual Awards ceremony during Creative Week in May 2026, says the NPO.

About ADC 105th Annual Awards

Entries can be submitted now, with fees increasing after each deadline period.  Regular deadline is January 23, 2026, with extended deadline of February 6, 2026, and final deadline February 20, 2026. Jury Presidents and full juries will be announced shortly, says the NPO.

In addition to the Paul Manship Medal, other noteworthy changes for 2026 include the separation of Health & Wellness and Pharma into two distinct disciplines, and addition of four new categories for Film & Moving Image, Motion & Graphic Design, Experiential & Interactive, and Digital & Emerging Media within the Artificial Intelligence discipline, adds the NPO.

A  tiered pricing structure aims to make it easier for smaller agencies, studios and freelancers to participate. Larger agencies and brands pay the standard entry fee; smaller shops get a discount on entries (amount varies by discipline), while freelancers and one-person shops are eligible for an even greater reduction in their entry fee, concludes the NPO.

For more information, visit www.oneclub.org. You can also follow The One Club on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or on TikTok.

*Image courtesy of contributor