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About D&AD

D&AD exists to stimulate, enable and award
creative excellence in design and advertising.

The Backstory

In 1962 a group of designers and art directors come together to celebrate creative communication and raise standards within their industry.

Amongst the group are David Bailey, Terence Donovan and Alan Fletcher. Calling themselves British Design & Art Direction, the following year they organise their first Awards event. And they are picky. From 2,500 entries they select just 16 pieces of work to receive the soon-to-be coveted D&AD Yellow Pencil; the first of its kind.

Today, British Design & Art Direction has grown mightily, but slimmed down its name. Now D&AD, its members represent the creative, design and advertising communities, not just in Britain, but worldwide.

Everything You Need to Know:

What is D&AD

Since 1962, D&AD has been inspiring a community of creative thinkers by celebrating and stimulating the finest in design and advertising. The D&AD Awards are recognised globally as the ultimate creative accolade, entered and attended by the best from around the world.

But it's much more than just awards. Members join a vibrant global community, whilst creatives and clients are inspired by a world-class Training programme.

As a non-profit advertising and design association, all D&AD's surpluses go straight into programmes such as New Blood, inspiring the next generation of creative talent and stimulating the creative industry to work towards a fairer more sustainable future.

D&AD is a Member-run organisation, led by an elected Board of Trustees. Each year D&AD appoints a President from the Board of Trustees to lead the charge and shape the conversations for the year ahead. The job of the president is to galvanise the creative communities and bring them together to inspire and celebrate the finest in design and advertising.

The D&AD Board of Trustees represent the full breadth of the advertising, design and digital industries. As a member-run organisation, the elected board are responsible for the overall direction of D&AD, its programmes and where its money is spent.

D&AD President 2024/25

From its inception in 1962 to the present day, the role of D&AD President has always been integral to the continual development and direction of D&AD as a organisation. Take a look back at the past D&AD Presidents, providing a snapshot of D&AD's ever-developing history.

D&AD Chairman

D&AD Board of Trustees 2024

Apply To Join The Board of Trustees

D&AD invites applications for future vacancies on the Trustees Board for consideration by the Appointments Sub-committee of the Board, followed by the full Board.

The only qualifications required are that the applicants should be creative practitioners in the advertising or design industries; and should have been personally awarded by D&AD at the level of Wood Pencil/In Book or above.

D&AD Advisory Board

Meet D&AD's Management Team

D&AD Articles of Association

How the governance of D&AD works, as well as the roles, responsibilities and operating process of various bodies and people within its structure. Download the PDF documents below.

D&AD Creative Futures

Creative Futures informed, trained and educated in order to improve commercial creative excellence across the EU. This project saw D&AD, CDC and BETC come together to address the following specific objectives:

Identification of macro-trends and cultural shifts in advertising and design.
Development of strategies and solutions to respond to these trends.
The hosting of events in London, Madrid and Paris to provide professional development, the cultural exchange of ideas and the advising of new talent.
The development and delivery of a tailored training program that addressed business/start-up skills gaps.
Ensuring the widest impact for Creative Futures’ educational resources and main outcomes.

Where Does Your Money Go?

As a non-profit, D&AD takes all of its surplus revenues and invests them back into the creative industry. The funds from the D&AD Foundation are dedicated to funding programmes that develop the next generation of creative talent while campaigning for the creative industries to help solve the world's toughest social and environmental issues.

Emeritus Board