

THE DMAs
Awards Categories
Meet The Team
The D'licious Magazine Awards (DMAs) are all about celebrating every corner of the cake and sugar art world - from jaw-dropping modern creations to playful novelty cakes, delicate sugar flowers to dazzling showpieces, this year's categories have been designed to shine a light on the incredible range of skills, styles, and passions that make our community so vibrant.
Whether you're a seasoned professional, an emerging talent, or someone who simply loves to push creative boundaries, there's a category for you. Each one gives you the chance to showcase your artistry, your imagination, and your unique voice within the industry.
From classic to contemporary, big builds to small but mighty details - these categories make sure every type of sugar artist has their moment to sparkle.
Here's our categories for this year.

CAKE ARTIST OF THE YEAR - SPONSORED BY PROP OPTIONS
This award is for a cake or sugar artist who has blown you away this year with their creativity and awe-inspiring pieces. Who do you think has stood out above the rest in the past 12 months?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
COOKIE ARTIST OF THE YEAR - SPONSORED BY JULIA M. USHER, LLC
This award is for a cookie artist whose skill and precision is truly excellent. Which artist's work makes you think "that can't be a cookie!?"
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
SUGAR FLORAL ARTIST - SPONSORED BY SUGAR DESIGN
This award is for the artist who can create amazing and beautiful floral and fauna out of sugar. Whether fantasy flowers or botanically correct, which floral expert produces the most amazing flowers in your opinion?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
CUPCAKE ARTIST OF THE YEAR - SPONSORED BY SEBASTIEN H. CUPCAKE ARTIST
This award is for the artist who can create amazing creations out of cupcakes. Whether they are fabulous with cupcake florals or magnificent at modelling cupcake toppers - we want to know about them.
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
SUGAR MODELLING
This award will go to the artist who dazzles us with their modelling skills and expertise.
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
EDIBLE SCULPTOR
Think carved and sculpted cakes, busts and realistic modelling for this award. Is there an artist who can transform sponge into amazing sculptures and works of art?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
EDIBLE PAINTER
This award is for the artist who uses their cake, cookie, edible plaque etc as their canvas. Painting with any edible medium is allowed. Who is your Picasso or Van Gogh of the sugar world?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
ONE TO WATCH - SPONSORED BY CAKENOTE
This award will recognise the talents of an up and coming star in the industry; someone we are sure will go on to great things. Or an existing established artist who has really come to the forefront over the last year. Do you have someone in mind?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
BEST TEACHER / MENTOR
Is there an artist or a company that have taught you all you know? Who is the best teacher in the biz? Who has a teaching style to rival all others? Who has helped shaped you into the sugar artist you are today?
Only teaching in last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* The range of classes / tutorials / mentorship offered
* Reviews and feedback from customers
* Innovative / creative ideas
* Originality of classes
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
FINISHING TOUCHES SUPPLIER
We spend hours creating masterpieces for our customers but it's the finishing touches that can sometimes just finish them perfectly and set us apart in the industry. From beautiful boxes to elegant stands, acrylic or glitter card toppers, balloon arches or dried flowers - what finishing touches make your work stand out from the crowd.
This category will be judged on the following:
* The range of products offered
* Reviews and feedback from customers
* Affordability and ease of website
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
BEST ONLINE COMMUNITY - SPONSORED BY THE VANILLA VALLEY
We want to reward the people behind the online communities who help you the most. Which online group or community helps guide and advise you. Please note: the group / community must be ONLINE and must be FREE to join.
This category will be judged on the following:
* The support offered within the group
* Reviews and feedback from customers
* Interactivity on the group
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
TUTORIAL OF THE YEAR
Which D'licious Magazine tutorial did you love the most from the past 12 months? Which was the most in-depth, most helpful? Which did you enjoy reading?
This category will be judged on:
* Innovation, creativity and originality of the tutorial
* The usefulness / helpfulness of the tutorial
* The quality of the photographs
* How easy it is to follow
* The range of skills taught
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
MODERN ARTIST / INNOVATOR
Do you know a sugar artist who is always one step ahead of the game? Maybe they are a real trend setter in the industry? Perhaps they work with different materials and mediums in new and exciting ways? Maybe their designs are always super fresh and modern? We want to know all about them and reward them for their bravery in tackling designs and challenges. We want to shine a spotlight on those who really stand out from the crowd.
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
SUGAR AUTEUR - SPONSORED BY SOPHIA FOX CAKE ART
Taken from film theory, the term auteur refers to an artist (usually a director) whose individual style and control over all elements of a film give it a distinct and recognisable look. So adopting this idea, the Sugar Auteur of the year will be the sugar artist who has such a distinct and personal style and has honed their skills so well, that their work is instantly recognisable as theirs without us even being told!
This category will be judged on the following:
* Recognisable style and look across the work
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
BEST BUSINESS COACH - SPONSORED BY ORIDA
Who has helped you in your business? Who has taught you how to upscale, increase sales, work your social media etc? Who has given you the confidence or knowledge you needed to progress? We want to hear who has helped you the most in either a free or paid capacity.
This category will be judged on the following:
* The support offered
* Reviews and feedback from customers
* Affordability
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
ROYAL ICING ARTIST
Who can work with royal icing in a way that no one else can? Who amazes you with their skills with this medium?
Only work produced over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
BEST COLLABORATION
Which international sugar art collaboration has wowed you the most in the last 12 months? Online and live collaborations are eligible.
Only collaborations released over the last 12 months will be considered. This category will be judged on the following:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
SHINE A LIGHT AWARD
This new award aims to shine a light on an artist within the industry who is yet to be recognised with an award, but who definitely deserves to be.
Only artists who have not won an award to date are eligible for this category.
This category will be judged on:
* Innovation, creativity and originality
* Skill (including difficulty, range, ability and precision)
* Range, amount and quality of work produced
* Stand out appeal / WOW factor / impact
* Ability to create new and exciting designs
* The number of nominations received will also be taken into account.
BEGINNER SUGAR ART OF THE YEAR - SPONSORED BY YENERS WAY
One of our two competition categories, the Beginner Sugar Art of the year will look at which piece of sugar art by a beginner has wowed us the most in the past 12 months.
The judging panel will decide the finalists and then the panel and the public will vote for the winner.
Beginners are classed as someone who is new to competitions this year or someone who has been in the industry for less than three years. If you have entered this category before you will not be eligible to enter again this year.
To enter the Beginners Sugar Art of the year please visit www.dlicious-magazine.co.uk/sugarartoftheyear
SUGAR ART OF THE YEAR
One of our two competition categories, the Sugar Art of the year will look at which piece of sugar art by a professional artist has wowed us the most in the past 12 months.
The judging panel will decide the finalists and then the panel and the public will vote for the winner.
To enter the Beginners Sugar Art of the year please visit www.dlicious-magazine.co.uk/sugarartoftheyear
If you have any queries regarding the awards please email: info@TheDMAs.co.uk or editor@dlicious-magazine.co.uk.