Debian Project Opens Artwork Contest For Forky Release

Anyone who can draw, paint or render digital art has until November 26 to submit a design for the project's next major release, according to Ars Technica. The call went out this month ahead of the upcoming version, code-named Forky.

A winning entry will not just sit in a gallery. It becomes the default look of the operating system for millions of installs — the first thing a user sees on the boot screen, the login prompt and the desktop wallpaper.

When Is The Deadline To Submit Artwork?

The submission window closes November 26, 2026, Ars Technica reported. That gives artists roughly seven weeks from the October 9 call for entries to finish and send in a design.

The timing lines up with where the project stands in its development cycle. The upcoming version is described as being in the later stages of that cycle, with artwork selection listed as one of the final steps before a public release date is set.

What Rules Must The Artwork Follow?

The guidelines mirror past contests, per the report. Submitted work has to feel distinctly tied to the project's identity, install cleanly without requiring changes to core software, and hold up visually over the long run rather than feel dated within a year or two.

Organizers also warn against designs that are too busy. Artwork with heavy detail or clutter can wear on users who see it every time they boot a machine or log in, according to the submission notes cited by Ars Technica. Full requirements are posted on the project's wiki.

Where Will The Winning Design Appear?

The chosen theme is not limited to one screen. It shows up across the installer, the boot splash, the login manager and the default desktop wallpaper — the visual package every new user encounters before changing a single setting, Ars Technica noted.

That reach is why the contest draws submissions well beyond the project's core contributor base. A single accepted theme effectively becomes the public face of the release for as long as that version stays in wide use.

How Does The Naming Scheme Work?

Release names come from Toy Story characters, a convention the project has followed for years. The upcoming version takes its name, Forky, from the character introduced in the franchise's fourth film.

The prior release, version 13, was named Trixie after the triceratops toy introduced in Toy Story 3. That connection carried into the artwork contest itself: the winning theme for that release, submitted by artist Elise Couper, was titled "Ceratopsian" — a nod to Trixie's dinosaur design, Ars Technica reported.

What Happened With Previous Releases?

Version 13, Trixie, has already moved past its initial launch. Its latest point release, version 13.7, arrived September 12, 2026, according to the report. Point releases bundle bug fixes and security patches without changing the underlying version number or its artwork theme.

The project marked its 33rd anniversary in August 2026, Ars Technica reported, and continues to describe itself as a "universal operating system" built to run across a wide range of hardware architectures. The current artwork call is the next step in a cycle that has repeated with every major release for more than three decades.

By The Numbers

• November 26, 2026 — deadline to submit artwork for the Forky release
• September 12, 2026 — release date of version 13.7, the latest Trixie point update
• 33 years — age of the project as of its August 2026 anniversary
• October 9, 2026 — date the artwork call was announced, per Ars Technica

Artists interested in entering can find full submission rules on the project's wiki, as referenced in the original Ars Technica report.

Who Can Submit A Design?

The call is open to the public, not just project developers. Ars Technica described the process as part of the project's "community-driven ethos," meaning any artist, regardless of prior involvement with the operating system, can submit a theme for consideration.

That openness is consistent with how past releases picked their look. The winning Trixie theme, "Ceratopsian," came from Elise Couper, a contributor credited by name in the report rather than an anonymous team submission. Organizers have not publicized a shortlist process beyond the posted wiki guidelines, so entries are judged against the same identity, compatibility and longevity standards applied in prior cycles.