Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Production Design for Variety Special is awarded to one television special each year. Prior to the category's creation in 2016, specials and regular series competed together as Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Programming. The two had also been divided in 1977 and 1978.
In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.
Winners and nominations
1970s
Outstanding Art Direction for a Comedy-Variety or Music Special1980s
2010s
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Event or Award Special| Year | Program | Nominees | Network |
| 2016 | - | - | - |
| 2016 | ' | David Korins, Joe Celli, Jason Howard | Fox |
| 2016 | He Named Me Malala | Alexander Fuller, Lori West | Nat Geo |
| 2016 | Lemonade | Hannah Beachler, Chris Britt, Kim Murphy | HBO |
| 2016 | The Oscars | Derek McLane, Gloria Lamb, Matt Steinbrenner | ABC |
| 2016 | The Wiz Live! | Derek McLane, Erica Hemminger, Mike Pilipski | NBC |
| 2017 | - | - | - |
| 2017 | Hairspray Live! | Derek McLane, Joe Celli, Jason Howard | NBC |
| 2017 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Presents Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner | John Yeck | TBS |
| 2017 | The 74th Annual Golden Globes | Brian Stonestreet, John Zuiker | NBC |
| 2017 | The Oscars | Derek McLane, Alana Billingsley | ABC |
| 2017 | Super Bowl LI Halftime Show Starring Lady Gaga | Bruce Rodgers, LeRoy Bennett, Shelley Rodgers, Lindsey Breslauer | Fox |
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special
| Year | Program | Nominees | Network |
| 2018 | - | - | - |
| 2018 | Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert | Jason Ardizzone-West, Melissa Shakun | NBC |
| 2018 | The Carol Burnett Show: 50th Anniversary Special | Joe Stewart, Joseph Mark Sarno | CBS |
| 2018 | The 75th Annual Golden Globes | Brian Stonestreet, John Zuiker | NBC |
| 2018 | The 60th Annual Grammy Awards | Brian Stonestreet, Kristen Merlino, Gloria Lamb | CBS |
| 2018 | The Oscars | Derek McLane, Alana Billingsley, Kristen Merlino | ABC |
| 2019 | - | - | - |
| 2019 | ' | Jason Sherwood, Adam Rowe, John Sparano | Fox |
| 2019 | The 61st Annual Grammy Awards | Brian Stonestreet, Kristen Merlino, Gloria Lamb | CBS |
| 2019 | Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé | Ric Lipson, Rachel Duncan, Andrew Makadsi | Netflix |
| 2019 | Bernard Vyzga, Richard Rohrer, Ron Olsen | ABC | |
| 2019 | The Oscars | David Korins, Alana Billingsley | ABC |