Playing Arts Playing Cards
Last updated: 24 October 2026
Playing Arts playing cards are full decks in which every card is drawn by a different artist, so the four of hearts and the king of spades look nothing alike. Each edition brings together 55 artists from around the world. Most decks cost £14.95 from the Playing Arts shop, Edition Zero is £19.95, and UK delivery is free on orders over £35.
What Playing Arts is
Playing Arts is a collective art project run by Digital Abstracts, a Barcelona design platform. It started in 2012 by asking 54 artists to design one card each. The first Kickstarter, in 2013, was funded in under an hour. Creative Bloq covered that first deck, with cards by artists including David Mack, Conrad Roset and Chuck Anderson.
Since then there have been eight editions, so there is plenty to choose from. Playing Arts says more than 1,000 artists from 90 countries have now taken part, and each new deck still gives every artist a single card as a blank canvas.
The editions
- Edition One (2013): the first deck of 55 artists, £14.95.
- Edition Two (2014) and Edition Three (2016): new line-ups of 55 artists each, £14.95 each.
- Edition Zero (2019): the first deck with animated cards through the Playing Arts AR app, £19.95.
- Future Chapter I (2020) and Chapter II (2021): artists imagining the world 100 years from now, £14.95 each.
- Special Edition (2016): chosen by Kickstarter backers from 537 entries, now sold out.
Key facts
- Price: £14.95 for most single decks, £19.95 for Edition Zero
- Bundles: Editions One, Two and Three together for £34.95, and both Future chapters for £24.95
- Artists: 55 per edition, one card each
- Printing: made by the United States Playing Card Company on Bicycle card stock with an air-cushion finish
- Delivery: free to the UK on orders over £35
- Returns: Playing Arts offers a money-back guarantee
Who Playing Arts decks suit
- Illustrators and designers: each deck is a pocket gallery of 55 different styles.
- Card players: the decks are made to play with, on the same stock as Bicycle cards.
- Collectors: there are eight editions to collect, and the bundles make it cheaper to complete a set.
- Anyone hard to buy for: at £14.95, a deck fits a small budget and fits in a stocking.
For more presents for creative people, our gifts for artists collection gathers presents for artists and creatives.
The limits
Delivery is only free over £35. One deck at £14.95 will not reach that, so a bundle is the cheaper way to buy two or more.
The AR animations are only on Edition Zero, and they need the Playing Arts app on a phone. Without the app they are ordinary printed cards.
Some decks also sell out. For example, the Special Edition was marked sold out on the shop.
Where to buy Playing Arts playing cards in the UK
Playing Arts sells every edition and bundle from the Playing Arts shop, with prices in pounds for UK buyers. The project's history is on its About page.
FAQs
How much are Playing Arts cards?
£14.95 for most decks and £19.95 for Edition Zero. The three-deck Complete Edition Bundle is £34.95.
Who prints Playing Arts decks?
The United States Playing Card Company, on Bicycle card stock with an air-cushion finish.
How many artists are in a Playing Arts deck?
55. Each artist designs one card in their own style.
Can you play with Playing Arts cards?
Yes. They are full decks with standard suits and values, printed for play.
Is UK delivery free?
On orders over £35. A single deck pays for delivery.
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Prices and stock change. I checked the prices on the Playing Arts shop on 24 October 2026.
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