Anela Mucic to be Head Judge at the Heartland Nail Expo 2026

We are excited to share some special news with you: Anela Mucic has been officially confirmed as Head Judge and INJA Judge Supervisor for the Heartland Nail Expo 2026, taking place on August 8th and 9th, 2026, at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA).

What is the Heartland Nail Expo?

The Heartland Nail Expo is one of the more well-known trade fairs in the US nail industry and takes place annually in Tulsa. In addition to an exhibition area with retailers and live demos, the fair is particularly known for its international competition section: the INJA Nail Art Competition (International Nail Judge Association), where nail artists from all over the world compete in various categories.

The competition is deliberately designed to be accessible: participants can compete live on-site, send in their work by mail ("Mail-In"), or submit it completely virtually on a practice hand. This allows nail artists from all over the world to participate, even without traveling to Tulsa themselves – which further explains the international reach and significance of the competition.

What does a Head Judge do in such a competition?

The Head Judge bears overall responsibility for the jury of a competition. This includes uniformly interpreting the evaluation criteria for all judges, making the final decision in case of disagreements within the jury, and ensuring that all participants – whether on-site, by mail-in, or virtually – are judged by the same, fair standards.

This position is typically only awarded to particularly experienced nail artists who have themselves competed and won at the highest level and also have experience as a jury member in international competitions.

Not her first appointment: Anela's experience as a competition judge

The Heartland Nail Expo is by no means Anela's first international jury appointment. She has been a certified INJA judge since 2015 and was later also appointed INJA Judge Supervisor. In 2026 alone, she has already served as an international competition judge twice: at the International Nail Cup in Rome (February 7-9, 2026, listed as "Giudice di Gara" in the official jury) and a few weeks later at an international competition in Alicante, Spain (February 28 - March 1, 2026), also as an INJA Certified Judge.

Even outside of jury activities, Anela has made a name for herself as an active competitor: With over 90 international medals and the title Global Champion in Nail Design 2023, won in Argentina, she is one of the most experienced and successful nail artists in the international competition environment. Her appointment for the Heartland Nail Expo 2026 thus fits into an already established, repeatedly confirmed success story as an internationally sought-after competition judge.

Further international recognition

The organizers announced the international jury with visible enthusiasm and highlighted Anela as Head Judge – referring to her numerous competition titles, her world championship title in nail design, as well as her own brand and her commitment to the INJA and the international nail community.

This appointment joins Anela's existing role as INJA Judge Supervisor and her title as World Champion Nail Design 2023. Over the years, she has increasingly moved from active competition to jury and evaluation work – a path that many successful competitors take after winning their own titles to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.

Anela's perspective

"As Head Judge, I am responsible for ensuring that every participant – regardless of whether they compete live on-site or send in their work by mail – is judged by the same fair standards. This is particularly important to me because I know firsthand how much passion goes into every submitted design. After Rome and Alicante, I am very much looking forward to the Heartland Nail Expo 2026 and to promoting aspiring and professional talents together with a great international jury." – Anela Mucic

For us at Studio Amelie, this is more than just good news: It is confirmation that the standards by which we develop our products and structure our training courses follow the same criteria that are applied internationally in competitions.

What this means for you

Whether in our training courses, in product development, or in our application guides on the blog – the knowledge that goes into the Heartland Nail Expo as a jury standard is the same that is applied daily at Studio Amelie. If you are considering participating in international competitions yourself, Anela offers two ways to prepare with precisely the knowledge she applies as a judge: the Championship Preparation as a group training, or the Private Training Championship Coaching for individual 1:1 coaching. Days 4+5 ("Competition French") of our Sergey Lavrukhin Masterclass in Baden-Baden also specifically prepare for competition level, exactly as required at events like the Heartland Nail Expo.

We congratulate Anela on this wonderful recognition and wish her and the entire team of the Heartland Nail Expo 2026 a successful event!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Heartland Nail Expo?
An annual US trade fair for the nail industry in Tulsa, Oklahoma, known for its international competition section, the INJA Nail Art Competition.

What does a Head Judge do at a nail competition?
The Head Judge is responsible for the consistent interpretation of evaluation criteria, makes final decisions in case of disagreements within the jury, and ensures a fair, consistent evaluation of all participants.

Is the Heartland Nail Expo Anela's first jury activity?
No. Anela has been a certified INJA judge since 2015. In 2026 alone, she has already served as a jury member at the International Nail Cup in Rome (February) and at an international competition in Alicante, Spain (late February/early March).

How many competition titles has Anela Mucic won herself?
Over 90 international medals, including the title Global Champion in Nail Design 2023, won in Argentina.

When does the Heartland Nail Expo 2026 take place?
On August 8th and 9th, 2026, at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Can I participate in the INJA Nail Art Competition without traveling to Tulsa?
Yes. In addition to live on-site participation, there are also mail-in and completely virtual categories on practice hands.

Where can I prepare for competition level?
Directly with Anela: either in the Championship Preparation as a group training, in individual Private Training Championship Coaching, or via Days 4+5 ("Competition French") of the Sergey Lavrukhin Masterclass in Baden-Baden.

You can read more about Anela's career in our article From Law Studies to World Champion in Nail Design.