CREATIVITY TAKES THE STAGE: ART OF PACKAGING 2026 WINNERS

September 24, 2026

KRAKÓW, POLAND (24 September 2026) – CANPACK is proud to celebrate the winners of the Art of Packaging 2026 Aluminum Can Design award, announced on September 14 at the Art of Packaging Gala. The competition invited young designers, students and emerging talent to reimagine the aluminum can as a canvas for creativity with this year’s brief inspired by the biggest football event of 2026.

This year’s competition drew an incredible wave of creativity. Ten designers were commended with a spot on the shortlist, and three rose to the top as worthy winners.

FROM AMBITION TO EXECUTION

The talented individuals who took part truly embraced how creativity and technology can work hand in hand. Each concept was realized with real-world application in mind, using CANPACK’s eight-color dry offset printing and special effects capabilities to turn ambitious ideas into distinctive packaging, showing exactly what’s possible when creativity is matched with technical expertise. Across all ten shortlisted entries, that connection between imagination and execution was on full display.

MEET THE WINNING CONCEPTS

This year’s brief challenged designers to bring the emotion of the game to life on the aluminum can and the results have been outstanding. From vibrant storytelling to bold details, the three winning concepts show just how far creativity can be achieved on a beverage can with dry offset technology and imagination.

“More Than the Score” by Alicja Grabek earned 1st place for capturing everything fans feel – the joy, the heartbreak, the togetherness. Football is more than just the score: it’s about the emotions shared together, and this concept celebrates the universal language of the game, bringing people together no matter the age, background or allegiance. A Shimmer finish enhances the design’s sensory feel, paired with a colored can end that reinforces its energetic character and adds a touch of personalization that ties the whole story together.

“Emotions of Football” by Aleksandra Wawrzyniak earned 2nd place for interpreting the sport not literally but through the emotion of the fans – faces emerging from abstract color fields into a dynamic composition full of movement and passion. Designed across a limited-edition range of three flavors, each variant carries its own fruit-inspired color palette, using color as a storytelling device to give every can its own personality.

“Never Give Up!” by Kamila Kacprzyk completed the podium in 3rd place for turning an aluminum can into a bold symbol of determination and a showcase of the versatility of CANPACK’s dry offset technology. Simple graphic elements are elevated through special effects like Matt Tactile, Thermo and UV, while a design built with future sporting editions in mind gives it the potential to become a memorable, collectible item in its own right.

EVERY ENTRY, A CELEBRATION OF CREATIVITY

CANPACK extends its thanks to everyone who entered this year’s competition and couldn’t be prouder of every designer who made the shortlist. Each concept pushed the boundaries of storytelling on aluminum. Alongside the three winning designs, their work is a testament to the creativity CANPACK continues to inspire through its partnership with Art of Packaging.

A PARTNERSHIP UNLOCKING WHAT’S POSSIBLE

“The partnership with Art of Packaging demonstrated exactly what we hoped to achieve,” says Michał Schilbach, Global Marketing Manager at CANPACK. “The results were bold ideas that prove creativity is almost limitless, and that the aluminum can is a storytelling platform in its own right, one that can deliver emotional impact, capture attention and build real consumer engagement.”

Aluminum Can Design was a completely new category for Art of Packaging this year, and the response exceeded every expectation. The entries showed a level of ambition and technical understanding not always seen from emerging talent.

Through the partnership with Art of Packaging, CANPACK continues to foster innovation, promote design excellence and demonstrate how dry offset technology can unlock creativity – proof, for brand owners and the wider industry, of what CANPACK’s expertise can deliver.

See how far creativity can go: thatfeeling.canpack.com