Association Update – February 2026

2026 seems to have started strong, with reports coming in from around the country that everyone is under the pump with too much work on their hands. Hopefully this is an indicator of the direction the economy is going to take this year!

The NZSDA is growing rapidly, and we have been delighted to see an influx in former members returning to the association over the last 6 months. Since 2024 we have put a huge amount of effort into increasing the value of our membership, and it is awesome to see the results. Last year we had the biggest increase in members the association has ever seen, with 27 new businesses applying for membership. It is important to note that the quality of our membership remains top notch, and the application process is as rigorous as ever. We have also seen an increase in applications for Master Sign Maker and are excited to award some new Masters with their official plaque at this year’s awards ceremony.  

Registration is now open for the 2026 Sign & Print Expo – Future and Focus. We are really excited about this event and have a lot of new initiatives being introduced this year. These will all be announced over the next few weeks. Make sure you get online and register to attend; as it’s free entry, you might as well register the whole team to come along! There is something of value for everyone this year.

Entries for the awards are now open, and it is great to see the first few entries come through. A good, award winning entry takes time and effort, so make sure you use your time wisely over the next couple of months as you plan your written descriptions and capture great photos of your work.

We will also be releasing a webinar hosted by the awards judging panel, where they will assess a mock entry and share live commentary on what they look for when judging the final awards. This session will be incredibly valuable and offers real insight into how the judges think and what makes an entry stand out. This will be released later this month, so keep an eye out for that!

The 2026 Pay Rates Survey is now open, soon to be followed by the 2026 Pricing Guide Survey. We are asking everyone to please make the time and commit to completing these. They are really valuable resources for the whole industry, and the more companies that make the effort to complete the surveys, the better quality the final resource will be.

You’ve asked for them, so we have made the decision to run regional meetings for one more year. The future of these meetings is fully dependant on the turnout and the effort put in by the membership. Last year we had a lot of no-shows and really poor attendance in some regions, and we cannot continue to put the money and effort into these events if they are not well attended. Our 2026 meeting schedule will be released soon, once we have secured hosts and sponsors.

That is all from me this month!

Ngā mihi,

Mikayla Hopkins
NZSDA

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
– Robert Collier