More than 120 designers and design associates have been nominated for the 2025 Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) Awards, with the shortlist unveiled this week ahead of the August ceremony at the State Library of NSW.

Now in its 14th year, the APDG Awards honour outstanding achievements in design across feature film, television, live performance and events. In 2025, the Guild will present awards in 18 categories, with a notably strong showing from the live performance and events sector.

“This year’s nominees reflect the extraordinary depth and diversity of talent working in production design across the country,” said APDG President Michael Scott-Mitchell. “We look forward to gathering in Sydney to celebrate these exceptional creatives. Peer recognition and support are vital in building a strong, connected design community.”

One standout production this year is the Empress Theatre production Arlington, which received two nominations – for Kate Beere (Set Design) and Aron Murray (Video Design). Live performance categories were especially competitive, with the most submissions received in Costume Design and Multi-discipline Design – the latter recognising creatives who take on multiple design roles in a single production.