At last, the theme and schedule preview of the fifth (and final*) virtual edition of Julia M. Usher’s Cookie Art Competition™ is here! This year’s competition, which opens for registration and entries on February 20, promises to be Julia’s best ever! Since 2026 will be the competition’s retirement year, there’s nothing Julia would rather see than a competition that is a blow-out celebration of the cookie world’s incredible talent! For the first time in competition history, Julia has aligned herself with an exclusive media partner, the illustrious D’licious Magazine, to give sponsors more exposure across a wider range of platforms, and to take competition participation across the world to the next level. Together, Julia and Kelly Jane, D’licious Magazine‘s founder and editor, have added a new “Headline Sponsor” level, sponsor benefits that extend into D’licious Magazine‘s online platforms and monthly print publication, and perks galore for entrants and winners.
If you’re interested in entering, please check out the theme and schedule preview post on Cookie Connection, the competition’s home base, for more details (behind the teal button under “PRICE”). Competition rules will post on February 20 when the competition opens for registration, so it’s best not to get too ahead of yourself with entry planning until all of those details are revealed. If you’re a prospective sponsor, the 2026 Sponsor Offering contains a comprehensive listing of sponsor levels and benefits. The new Headline Sponsor level is limited to three sponsors, and some of the Gold Sponsor benefits are limited to the first two Gold Sponsors. That said, Julia encourages you to stretch your sponsor dollars and maximize your exposure by submitting early!
* IMPORTANT: In January 2026, Julia announced that she plans to retire from cookie art at the end of 2026, and that she very much considers the 2026 competition her last hurrah, a parting gift to the cookie community, if you will. She would be most honored if you would consider accompanying her on this final leg of her cookie journey as either an entrant or a sponsor.
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Live sweetly, Julia