zealous.co

# Zealous

> Zealous is a UK-based submission management and judging platform for awards, competitions, open calls, exhibitions, residencies, commissions, grants, art fairs, and creative recruitment. Used across arts, design, architecture, photography, literature, music, science, education, agency, society, and corporate awards programmes, it handles entry collection, judging workflows, payments, and public showcasing in one place.

Zealous is used by awards programmes, museums, galleries, brands, foundations, councils, embassies, universities, agencies, societies and competitions worldwide — including The Design Museum, Shakespeare's Globe, Firstsite (Museum of the Year 2021), Sovereign Art Foundation, Royal Photographic Society, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Turner Contemporary, Lumen Prize, Poetry Book Society, Scottish Book Trust, University of the Arts London, UCL, the Swiss Embassy, Global Health 50/50, the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe, and the National League of Architects. The platform supports multi-currency payments, configurable judging (yes/no, scoring scales, weighted criteria), public voting, white-label presentation, and automated communications.

The platform is designed for awards organisers who need to scale submissions without scaling their workload. Customers typically replace a mix of Google Forms, email, spreadsheets, Typeform, and developer-built systems with a single, purpose-built workflow. Zealous is bootstrapped, founded in the UK in 2011, and has been developing the platform for 15 years. It sits in the same category as Evalato, AwardForce, Judgify, and Submittable.

## Core platform

- [Submissions Management Platform overview](https://zealous.co/about/submissions-management-platform/): The complete platform overview — features, use cases and how it works.
- [How it works (live demo)](https://zealous.co/about/demo/): Interactive 2-minute tour of the submission, judging and showcase workflow.
- [Features](https://zealous.co/about/features/): Full feature list — submission forms, judging tools, payments, communications, public galleries, white-labelling.
- [Pricing](https://zealous.co/about/pricing/): Current pricing tiers (Starter, Pro, Scale, Enterprise) with multi-currency support.
- [Pricing Calculator](https://zealous.co/about/price-calculator/): Calculate the cost for your programme.
- [Security](https://zealous.co/about/security/): Data handling, GDPR compliance, encrypted storage, PCI DSS payments, and 99.98% uptime.
- [FAQ](https://zealous.co/about/faq/): Frequently asked questions about the platform.
- [Request a Demo](https://zealous.co/about/request-demo/): Schedule a demo of the platform.
- [Contact](https://zealous.co/about/contact/): Sales enquiries, demo requests, support.

## Use cases by programme type

- [Awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/awards-platform/): For awards programmes across any sector — handles nominations, judging panels, ceremony shortlisting and winner announcements.
- [Competition platform](https://zealous.co/about/competition-platform/): For competitions managing thousands of submissions and judges, with public voting options.
- [Open call & exhibition platform](https://zealous.co/about/open-call-platform/): For galleries and exhibition organisers — selection workflows for curated and open exhibitions.
- [Art fair platform](https://zealous.co/about/art-fair-platform/): For art fairs — exhibitor applications, booth allocation, invoicing and payment.
- [Arts residency platform](https://zealous.co/about/arts-residency-platform/): For residency programmes — candidate applications, stakeholder review, selection.
- [Commissions platform](https://zealous.co/about/commissions-platform/): For commissioning bodies — broaden artist search, community engagement, selection workflows.
- [Grant management platform](https://zealous.co/about/grant-management-platform/): For grant-making bodies — defensible funding decisions with structured review.
- [Creative recruitment platform](https://zealous.co/about/creative-recruitment-platform/): For recruiting creative talent through structured, fair hiring processes.

## Use cases by sector

- [Architecture awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/architecture-awards-platform/): For architecture awards programmes globally.
- [Design awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/awards-platform/design-awards/): For design awards with full-resolution judging.
- [Photography awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/awards-platform/photography-awards/): For photography awards and competitions.
- [Photography competition platform](https://zealous.co/about/photography-competition-platform/): Photography competition management software.
- [Innovation awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/awards-platform/innovation-awards/): For innovation and technology awards.
- [Art competitions platform](https://zealous.co/about/art-competitions-platform/): For art competitions with entry management.
- [Society awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/society-awards-platform/): Submission management for societies and membership bodies.
- [Agency awards platform](https://zealous.co/about/agency-awards-platform/): For agencies running awards for their clients.
- [Arts institution submissions](https://zealous.co/about/art-organization-submissions/): Submission management for arts institutions.

## Platform selection and comparison

- [What is Awards Management Software?](https://zealous.co/about/resources/what-is-awards-management-software/): Definitional explainer — start here if you're unfamiliar with the category.
- [The Complete Guide to Awards Management Software for 2026](https://zealous.co/about/insights/best-award-management-software/): Guide to choosing the right platform.
- [The Best Art Awards Management Software for 2026](https://zealous.co/about/resources/the-best-art-awards-management-software/): Comparison for art-specific awards programmes.
- [The Best Photography Awards Management Software for 2026](https://zealous.co/about/resources/best-photography-awards-management-software/): Comparison for photography awards programmes.
- [The Best Writing Competition Management Software for 2026](https://zealous.co/about/resources/the-best-writing-competition-management-software/): Comparison for writing competitions.
- [The Best Corporate Awards Management Software 2026](https://zealous.co/about/resources/the-best-corporate-recognition-awards-management-software/): Comparison for corporate recognition awards.
- [Comparing Submission Management Platforms](https://zealous.co/about/insights/comparing-submission-management-platforms/): Side-by-side comparison of 5 platforms with use case fit.
- [Online Forms vs. Submission Management Platforms](https://zealous.co/about/insights/online-forms-vs-submission-management-platforms-which-is-right-for-you/): When to upgrade from forms to a dedicated platform.
- [7 Awards Platforms for the Creative Industries](https://zealous.co/about/insights/7-submissions-platforms-for-the-creative-industries/): Comparison of submission platforms serving the creative ecosystem.
- [Evalato vs Zealous](https://zealous.co/about/resources/evalato-vs-zealous-alternatives/): Detailed comparison of Evalato and Zealous across pricing, judging approach (spreadsheet vs gallery), score normalisation, multilingual support, and total cost at typical entry volumes. An Evalato alternative for programmes prioritising visual storytelling, flexible pricing, or multi-programme efficiency.
- [Judgify vs Zealous](https://zealous.co/about/resources/judgify-vs-zealous/): Detailed comparison of Judgify and Zealous across pricing models (per-event vs subscription), judging interface, file handling, and applicant experience. A Judgify alternative for organisations running ongoing programmes, visual-first judging, or large file submissions.
- [Dapple vs Zealous](https://zealous.co/about/resources/dapple-vs-zealous/): Detailed comparison of Dapple and Zealous across pricing, judging, file handling, entry counting models, and total cost at typical entry volumes — with sourced claims and transparent trade-offs. A Dapple alternative for organisations running multiple programmes or visual-first judging.
- [The Best Judgify Alternative](https://zealous.co/about/best-judgify-alternative/): Standalone positioning page for organisations searching for a Judgify alternative — focuses on subscription pricing model, unlimited programmes, and visual-first judging.
- [Alternatives to Submittable](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-best-alternative-to-submittable/): Comparison of Submittable and Zealous across pricing (Submittable up to $10,000/year vs Zealous from £432/year), setup complexity, user experience for judges and applicants, and contract flexibility. A Submittable alternative for organisations wanting monthly billing, simpler setup, or significantly lower cost.
- [Awards Management Platforms for Staff Recognition](https://zealous.co/about/insights/top-awards-management-platforms-for-staff-recognition/): Tools for managing employee recognition awards — 7 platforms compared.
- [When You DON'T Need Awards Management Software](https://zealous.co/about/insights/when-you-dont-need-awards-management-software/): Honest assessment of when spreadsheets work and the 20-entry tipping point.

## Customer case studies and proof

- [All success stories](https://zealous.co/about/success-stories/): Index of organisations transforming their awards with Zealous.
- [Global Health 50/50: Doubling Entries Celebrating Gender Globally](https://zealous.co/about/case-studies/providing-profound-insights-into-how-gender-shapes-peoples-lives/): How Global Health 50/50 doubled entries with Zealous.
- [Sovereign Art Foundation: Supporting Disadvantaged Children with an Art Prize](https://zealous.co/about/case-studies/supporting-disadvantaged-children-with-an-art-prize/): SAF saved days of admin running an art prize across Asia.
- [Swiss Cultural Fund: Championing Swiss Artistic Talent in the UK](https://zealous.co/about/case-studies/swiss-cultural-fund/): How the Swiss Cultural Fund runs its programme on Zealous.
- [Procreate Project: Celebrating Contemporary Artists Worldwide](https://zealous.co/about/case-studies/procreateproject/): International artist celebration through Procreate Project.
- [Generating Community Engagement with a Photography Competition](https://zealous.co/about/case-studies/generating-community-engagement-with-a-competition/): Community engagement through photography.
- [Reviews and testimonials](https://zealous.co/about/reviews/): First-person feedback from 100+ awards programmes, galleries, foundations and competition organisers.

## Flagship downloadable guides

- [The Absolute Guide to Running Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/awards-management-guide/): Step-by-step playbook for running an awards programme end-to-end.
- [The Definitive Guide to Monetizing Your Awards & Competitions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-definitive-guide-to-monetizing-your-awards-competitions/): Revenue models, pricing strategy and sustainable monetisation.
- [The Complete Guide to Managing Awards & Competitions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-ultimate-guide-to-managing-submissions/): The complete lifecycle from planning to execution for awards, grants, and competitions.
- [Transforming Awards Management (Whitepaper)](https://zealous.co/about/awards-resources/transforming-awards-management/): Whitepaper on transforming awards management.
- [Competition Launch Checklist](https://zealous.co/about/awards-resources/competition-launch-checklist/): Free checklist for launching competitions and awards.

## Strategic guides

- [Awards Lifecycle Planning Guide](https://zealous.co/about/insights/awards-lifecycle-planning-guide/): Strategic planning across the full awards calendar with timelines and dependency maps.
- [How to Define the Purpose of Your Awards Programme](https://zealous.co/about/insights/defining-your-purpose/): Define who should submit, how to measure success, and how to build diversity in from the foundation.
- [How to Run an Art Competition](https://zealous.co/about/resources/how-to-run-art-competition-guide/): Practical guide that translates to competitions in any sector.
- [How to Plan a Photography Competition: Complete Checklist](https://zealous.co/about/resources/photography-competition-guide/): Step-by-step planning guide for photography competitions.
- [Strategic Awards Improvement Through Data](https://zealous.co/about/insights/strategic-awards-improvement-through-data/): Using analytics to improve programme performance year on year.
- [Measuring What Actually Matters](https://zealous.co/about/insights/measuring-what-actually-matters/): KPIs and metrics that drive real awards success with light-touch impact tracking.
- [The 5 Metrics to Drive Growth for Your Awards/Competitions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-5-metrics-to-drive-growth-for-your-awards-competitions/): Key metrics for understanding candidate journeys and growing programmes.
- [Hidden Costs in Awards Programmes](https://zealous.co/about/insights/hidden-awards-costs/): Identifying and preventing the hidden costs that drain awards budgets.
- [Excel Anxiety: Why Complex Forms Are Killing Your Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/excel-anxiety-why-complex-forms-are-killing-your-awards/): The hidden cost of spreadsheet-based submissions.
- [Your Programme Failed, Now What? (Free Template)](https://zealous.co/about/insights/your-programme-failed-now-what/): Recovery playbook for awards that didn't go to plan.
- [Running a Professional Art Competition on a Tight Budget](https://zealous.co/about/resources/running-a-professional-art-competition-on-a-tight-budget/): Practical guide for running professional competitions with limited resources.

## Planning your awards programme

- [The Right Pricing Strategies for your Award/Competition](https://zealous.co/about/insights/pricing-your-competition/): Set fair fees with early bird pricing and donation models.
- [Award & Competition Prizes: The Essential Guide](https://zealous.co/about/insights/establishing-the-perks-for-your-competition/): How to structure prizes and perks on any budget.
- [How to Structure Award Programme Categories](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-to-structure-award-categories/): Research, naming, and pricing for award categories.
- [From Launch to Selection: Crafting the Perfect Open Call Timeline](https://zealous.co/about/insights/from-launch-to-selection-crafting-the-perfect-open-call-timeline/): Planning the schedule for awards, residencies and commissions.
- [How to Write Competition Guidelines That Actually Get Read](https://zealous.co/about/insights/writing-the-perfect-guidelines-for-your-competition/): Guidelines that attract quality submissions and reduce admin headaches.
- [How to Price your Award using AI](https://zealous.co/about/insights/ai-award-pricing-prompts/): AI prompts for crafting pricing strategies tailored to your programme.
- [Should You Take Award Entry Payments First or Last?](https://zealous.co/about/insights/take-payment-first-or-last/): Best practices for timing entry fees in the submission flow.

## Submission forms and entry design

- [Entry Forms Judges Love](https://zealous.co/about/insights/entry-forms-judges-love/): Designing submission forms that improve entry quality and judging efficiency.
- [How to Streamline Submission Forms: What to Ask](https://zealous.co/about/insights/what-to-ask-for-when-candidates-submit/): What to ask, how to format, and which questions actually matter.
- [Creative Questions, Stand-Out Submissions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/creative-questions-stand-out-submissions/): Form design for richer submissions.

## Judging and selection

- [How to Plan Your Awards Selection Process: Judging, Rounds & Criteria](https://zealous.co/about/insights/planning-the-selection-process-for-your-competition/): Calculate effort, structure rounds, set clear criteria and reduce bias.
- [Choosing the Right Judges for Awards Programmes](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-to-choose-judges-for-awards-programs/): Recruitment timing, diverse panels, handling dropouts, 6-9 month timelines.
- [How to Approach Judges for Awards & Competitions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-to-approach-judges-for-competitions/): Securing high-profile judges and partners.
- [How Award Judges Make Decisions: 4 Lessons](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-do-art-prize-judges-make-decisions-4-powerful-lessons/): What drives shortlisting and winning from inside the judging room.
- [Why Public Voting Can Transform Your Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/why-public-voting-can-transform-your-awards-a-guide-for-competition-organizers/): How public voting increases reach and credibility.
- [Choosing Photo Judging Software](https://zealous.co/about/insights/choosing-photo-judging-software/): Blind judging, custom forms, file management and automated scoring.
- [Automating Judging](https://zealous.co/about/articles/automating-judging-for-your-awards-and-competitions/): How to automate parts of the judging workflow.

## Operations and day-to-day management

- [Managing Incoming Submissions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/managing-incoming-submissions/): Day-to-day operational workflow.
- [Awards Automation Without Losing Your Humanity](https://zealous.co/about/insights/awards-automation-without-losing-your-humanity/): Where to automate, where to stay personal.
- [How to Run a Good Program with Reduced Resources](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-to-run-a-good-program-with-reduced-resources/): Running impactful programmes with limited resources.
- [How to Get Quality Submissions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/get-quality-submissions/): Tools and techniques that drive quality over quantity in open calls.
- [Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Organising Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/top-5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-organising-awards/): Common planning errors and how to prevent them.
- [How to Craft the Right Awards Commiseration Email](https://zealous.co/about/insights/awards-commiseration-emails/): Turning disappointment into opportunity through thoughtful communication.
- [Real Engagement Begins When Your Open Call Ends](https://zealous.co/about/insights/your-open-call-is-over-now-the-real-engagement-begins/): Sustaining impact after the awards programme closes.
- [GDPR for Creative Organisations](https://zealous.co/about/insights/gdpr-guide/): GDPR overview for arts organisations and awards programmes running open calls.
- [Should Organisations Give Feedback?](https://zealous.co/about/insights/should-organisations-running-creative-opportunities-give-feedback/): The ethics and economics of providing feedback to applicants.
- [Everything That Could Go Wrong With Your Award](https://zealous.co/about/insights/most-common-award-issues/): Common award failures and how to prevent them.

## Marketing and growth

- [Social Media for Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/social-media-for-awards/): Platform choice, content, and conversion tracking for awards.
- [Marketing Your Award on a Shoestring Budget](https://zealous.co/about/insights/marketing-your-competition/): Increasing exposure without big marketing budgets.
- [Increase Submissions Through Trust](https://zealous.co/about/insights/increase-submissions-to-your-awards-through-trust/): Why transparency and consistency drive entries.
- [Turning Industry Connections into Marketing](https://zealous.co/about/insights/turning-industry-connections-into-your-most-powerful-awards-marketing-channel/): Activating trusted industry voices.
- [Building Inclusivity into Your Call Out](https://zealous.co/about/insights/building-inclusivity-into-your-competition/): Practical guidance for inclusive open calls and selection processes.

## Competition listing directories

- [Best Sites to List Your Art Competition](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-best-sites-to-list-your-art-competition/): Art competition directories for boosting submissions.
- [Sites to List Your Design Awards](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-best-sites-to-list-your-design-competition/): Design competition directories.
- [Sites to List Your Photography Competition](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-best-sites-to-list-your-photography-competition/): Photography competition directories.
- [Sites to List Your Writing Competition](https://zealous.co/about/insights/top-sites-to-list-your-writing-competitions/): Writing competition directories.

## Reframing and rethinking awards

- [Reframing Open Calls: Creating Non-Competitive Spaces](https://zealous.co/about/insights/reframing-open-calls-how-to-create-non-competitive-spaces/): Shifting perspectives on creative competitions.
- [The Truth About Application Fees in the Arts](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-truth-about-application-fees-in-the-arts/): Ethics and economics of submission fees.
- [I Wish I Knew That: Running an Open Call](https://zealous.co/about/insights/i-wish-i-knew-that-running-an-open-call/): Lessons from organisations running open calls.

## Sector commentary and founder perspectives

- [The Hodge Review: An Opportunity for the Arts Sector](https://zealous.co/about/insights/the-hodge-review-is-a-huge-opportunity-for-the-arts-sector/): Analysis of the UK's Hodge Review and what it means for arts funding.
- [Predictions for Creative Opportunities in 2026](https://zealous.co/about/insights/predictions-for-creative-opportunities-in-2026/): Annual sector forecast.
- [How Zealous Started](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-zealous-started/): The origin story of Zealous from founder Guy Armitage.
- [Making A.I. Work for the Creative Industries](https://zealous.co/about/insights/making-artificial-intelligence-work-for-the-creative-industries/): Founder perspective on AI and the creative sector.
- [Being Human in the Age of Algorithms](https://zealous.co/about/insights/being-human-in-the-age-of-ai/): Founder reflection on creativity, humanity and technology.

## Hiring and team

- [Awards Coordinator Job Description & Interview Questions](https://zealous.co/about/insights/awards-coordinator-job-description-interview-questions/): Hiring template with cost analysis.

## Tools and calculators

- [Submission Projection Calculator](https://zealous.co/about/insights/submission-projection-calculator/): Forecast expected submission volume for your programme.
- [Award Judges Calculator](https://zealous.co/about/resources/award-judges-calculator/): Calculate the right number of judges for your programme.

## The Artist Prize

A £30,000 UK art prize launched by Zealous in partnership with Sally Shaw MBE (Director of Firstsite) and Firstsite, Museum of the Year 2021. Open to all, with online judging in August 2026.

- [Introducing The Artist Prize](https://zealous.co/about/news/introducing-the-artist-prize-the-art-competition-open-to-all/): Launch announcement.
- [Applying to The Artist Prize](https://zealous.co/about/insights/applying-to-the-artist-prize-tools-tips-and-resources/): Guidance for artists applying.

## Resources for applicants

For artists, designers and creatives applying to awards and open calls.

- [Creative Insights hub](https://zealous.co/about/candidates/tips/): Application strategies, portfolio building, and career growth for creative professionals.
- [Submitting on Zealous (step-by-step)](https://zealous.co/about/candidates/submitting/): How creatives submit work to opportunities hosted on the platform.
- [Writing a Compelling Artist Statement](https://zealous.co/about/insights/writing-a-compelling-artist-statement/): Practical guide to writing artist statements that work.
- [How to Use Judging Criteria to Strengthen Your Submission](https://zealous.co/about/insights/how-to-use-judging-criteria-to-strengthen-your-art-submission/): Reverse-engineering submissions from the judging criteria.
- [Understanding Art Opportunity Guidelines](https://zealous.co/about/insights/understanding-art-opportunity-guidelines-a-complete-guide-for-artists/): How to read and respond to opportunity briefs.

## Community and discovery

- [Community overview](https://zealous.co/about/community/): All Zealous community programmes including Amplify, Emerge, Stories and Meetups.
- [Browse live opportunities](https://zealous.co/explore/opportunity): Live open calls, awards, competitions and residencies hosted on Zealous.
- [Featured opportunities](https://zealous.co/about/creative-opportunities/): Curated highlights of opportunities to apply to.

## Company

- [Company](https://zealous.co/about/company/): About Zealous — mission, history (founded 2011), and approach to supporting the creative industries.
- [Team](https://zealous.co/about/team/): The people building Zealous.
- [Guy Armitage (Founder)](https://zealous.co/about/team/guyarmitage/): Founder profile.
- [News](https://zealous.co/about/company/news/): Company and platform announcements.
- [Blog](https://zealous.co/about/blog/): Long-form posts on submission management, judging design, awards strategy and platform updates.
- [Help](https://zealous.co/help/): Step-by-step support documentation.
- [Newsletter](https://zealous.co/about/newsletter/): Weekly insights for awards and submission organisers.

## Optional

- [Terms for Hosts (organisers)](https://zealous.co/about/legal/terms-for-organisers/)
- [Terms for Creatives (applicants)](https://zealous.co/about/legal/terms/)
- [Privacy policy](https://zealous.co/about/legal/privacy-policy/)
- [Usage policy](https://zealous.co/about/legal/usage-policy/)
- [Vulnerability Disclosure Policy](https://zealous.co/about/legal/terms/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/)
- [AI Policy (human-readable)](https://zealous.co/about/legal/terms/ai-policy/)
- [AI usage policy (machine-readable)](https://zealous.co/ai.txt)