Our pick of the biggest and best Illustration Competitions for 2024 with dates, deadlines, prizes and entry fees…
Hi and welcome to our new home for illustration competitions. Our UK Art Competitions page includes several contests with illustration categories but from now on any dedicated illustration competitions from around the world go here.
Competitions are listed in chronological order by submission deadline date.
See also Children’s Art Competitions and Photography Competitions.
Macmillan Prize for Illustration
Established in 1985 and open to non-professional UK based illustrators to stimulate new creative work and kickstart their professional careers.
| Close: | 26 April 2024 enter now! |
| News: | Prize winners and highly commended entrants will be notified on or before 27th May 2024. |
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| What: | All entrants must submit: 1. Pencil roughs or sketches for a children’s picture book – cover to cover – including text or a clear indication of the storyline. 2. Finished artwork for at least four double-page spreads, or at least three spreads and a front cover. There is no overall theme for the competition. |
| Who: | UK based illustrators with less than one year of paid or unpaid work experience working as an illustrator at a book publisher. |
| Fees: | No entry fee |
| Site: | Enter here |
JIA Illustration Award
Annual global competition from the the Japan Illustrators’ Association (JIA) with a 500,000 yen 1st prize and group exhibition in China.
| Close: | 30th June 2024 enter now! |
| News: | Prize winners will be informed by email. |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | 798 Art Bridge Gallery Chaoyang, China (dates TBA) |
| What: | You can apply for works of any genre, including hand-painted works, digital works, and three-dimensional works. They must be original works which have not been used for jobs. Works that use AI even in part are not permitted. |
| Who: | Anyone, professional or amateur, can apply. |
| Past: | 2023 Winners |
| Fees: | 1 work: 5,000 yen (approx: £26) |
| Site: | Enter here |
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Currently Closed
The following illustration competitions are closed for entries. They’re moved up to the open list when their call for entries goes out.
World Biennial of Student Poster
Open to all undergraduate and graduate students of art colleges where the discipline of poster art is a part of the curriculum.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Dates TBA |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | Online exhibition |
| What: | Subject: “Ecological Country. Montenegro was the first country in the world proclaimed as an ecological country in 1991, in Žabljak in the Durmitor National Park – exactly where the Wild Beauty Art Festival is taking place, showcasing high quality art programs in place of (still) astonishing natural beauty. Although a noble idea for a small country and its citizens, the reality, 31 years after, is quite different. What does an “ecological country” mean for you and how to fight for such a great idea against corrupted political structures? How can a country be greener and more careful about its natural environment and how to force those in power to fulfil the green agenda? Digital file should be 3900 pixels on the longer side and not exceed 12 MB. |
| Who: | UK & International undergraduate and graduate students of art colleges where the discipline of poster art is a part of the curriculum. |
| Fees: | Free to enter (max 3 entries) |
| Site: | Enter here |
Locarno Film Festival Artwork
Open call for creative people worldwide to design the artwork for one of the most internationally recognized festivals.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Shortlist: The winning project will be announced by March 2023. Last closed: 5th December 2022 |
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| What: | Looking for graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, artists, art enthusiasts, or just fans of the Festival, regardless of age or background, to interpret the spirit of one of the most internationally recognized festivals. The design must evoke the identity of the Locarno Film Festival and the nature of the event as a meeting place for different visions and imaginaries. The selection criteria are based on the consistency of the artwork with the Locarno Film Festival’s identity, on its originality, and versatility. The jury will favor ideas that can be developed in various formats and on digital platforms (i.a. website, social media, app) and traditional platforms (i.a. posters, merchandising, covers of official publications, brochures). |
| Who: | UK & International artists |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
BO it!
International illustration competition where artists are asked to propose their vision of the city of Bologna along with a “shape”.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | 30 finalist will be notified by end of June 2023 by email or phone. Last closed: 15th May 2023. |
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| Show: | Exhibition of 30 finalists will take place in the centre of Bologna, Italy |
| What: | “The shape” is the outline of the city of Bologna: the ancient walls, called “cresta” or “circla”. The shape was chosen because it recalls the polygonal shape of a beehive cell. Not everyone knows that Bologna has a long tradition of research on the study of bees. It is precisely because of the recognized importance of bees in the functioning and balance of the ecosystem that we came to decide the theme of the third edition, aimed at adopting a sustainable view: Bologna becomes an opportunity to think about, discuss and illustrate an extremely relevant, multifaceted, and stimulating issue such as ecological transition. “Beyond Bologna” becomes the motto of this edition. We invite the artist to interpret this theme in one of its infinite possibilities: from imagining an ideal city in a utopian world, to a strictly documentary view that gives visibility to all the criticalities. Starting from a given shape, one advances with a fluid imagination and a careful, sensitive and universal gaze to illustrate the space of the “beyond”. BOit! invites us to cross imaginary roads and immerse ourselves in the shape with the love for the planet and its preservation. |
| Who: | UK & International artists (18+) |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
Cheltenham Illustration Awards
Annual Awards administered by the University of Gloucestershire, UK under the auspices of Pittville Press with a printed annual and a public exhibition.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Annuals printed: 31st Oct 2023. Last closed: 30th June 2023. |
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| Show: | Exhibition venues and dates TBA |
| What: | The theme for 2023’s Exhibition and Annual: ‘Interconnectivity’. The focus of the Awards is narrative. Visual storytelling, whether sequential or single image, gives scope to the imagination and opens up possibilities beyond the present moment; what happened before? What happens next?. The 60 most highly commended entries will be showcased at several galleries and events across the UK in 2023, including the London Book Fair, as well as published in the 2023 Cheltenham Illustration Awards Annual. |
| Who: | There are two sections of the Awards: ‘Student’ and ‘Emerging and Established’. The Student category is open to all students over 18 years of age worldwide. The Emerging and Established category is open to any practising illustrators who wish to gain exposure of their work and to those who are more established and are already a part of the illustration world. |
| Fees: | £10 for 1 submission per artist or collective. Each entry can contain up to 5 images as part a of a series. |
| Site: | Enter here |
Art on Climate International Illustration Competition
Invites illustrators from across the world to create artworks that address the theme of climate change and inspire the public to make meaningful changes.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Notification by 30th September 2023. Last closed: 31st July 2023. |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | Online exhibition |
| What: | Participants are invited to submit original works on the theme of “climate change”. Participants should use one or more of the statements as a starting point for their work: 1. Change your lifestyle to make a real difference, 2. Preserve our world for the next generation, 3. Tell others what you are doing to magnify your impact, 4. Be optimistic about climate action, 5. Take meaningful climate action to create social, economic and ecological benefits for everyone |
| Who: | UK & International artists (aged 18 and over) |
| Fees: | Free to enter (max 3 works) |
| Site: | Enter here |
V&A Illustration Awards
The 51st anniversary of the UK’s most prestigious annual illustration competition from the Victoria & Albert Museum.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Shortlisted entrants will be contacted directly via email. Last closed: 5th January 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | V&A South Kensington galleries, London (September 2024) |
| What: | Illustration for print and electronic formats. Categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Non-Fiction, Advertising and Commercial, Illustration for Children, Emerging Illustrator |
| Who: | Illustrators resident in the UK or publishing within the UK book and journalism markets (18 or over) |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
International Poster Triennial in Toyama
The Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design in Tokyo invites submissions for its triennial exhibition of poster designs from around the world.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | May 2024 – longlist announced. Last closed: 16th January 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, Toyama, Japan (Oct-Dec 2024 ) |
| What: | Three categories: 1) Printed posters on any theme. 2) Printed posters on the theme of THINK. The poster must include the word “Think” followed by a single word of the applicant’s choosing. 3) U30+ Student Category – digital poster on the theme of THINK. This category is open to applicants aged 30 or under, as well as students of any age. |
| Who: | Worldwide (over 18) |
| Past: | Previous Winners |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
Global Healthcare Illustration Awards
AOI Award inviting entries from emerging and established illustrators from around the world in all and any topics related to healthcare.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | 50 illustrators will be shortlisted for the exhibition. Last closed: 15th August 2022 |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | Eradigm Consulting, London (Nov 2022) |
| What: | Entries on any topics related to healthcare including: food and nutrition, drug addiction, infection diseases, mental health, disability, exercise and sport, digital health, pharmaceutical innovation, disease prevention, sexual and reproductive health, water and sanitation, healthcare delivery. All matters that relate to the promotion and preservation of life across our global communities. |
| Who: | UK & International artists (over 18) |
| Fees: | No entry fee |
| Site: | Enter here |
Apila’s First Printing Award
International award to promote the production of children’s picture books, illustrated by illustrators with no previous published works.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | The decision and the award will be made in February 2024. Last closed: 9th February 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| What: | Projects can be in any format and may not exceed 40 pages (20 double pages) with legal pages and endpapers included, covers aside. The presentations have to be written in Spanish or English and could be either original tales or adaptations from tales with free copyright. |
| Who: | UK & International unpublished illustrators |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
World Illustration Awards
The World Illustration Awards has ten categories from Exploration to Editorial, Site Specific to Science & Technology, Book Covers to Children’s Publishing.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | May 2024 – longlist announced. Deadline extended from 13th Feb. Last closed: 22nd February 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| What: | Any medium. |
| Who: | Current student, recent graduate or professional illustrator based anywhere in the world (over 18) |
| Past: | Previous Winners |
| Fees: | £29 for one entry before 3rd Jan, £32 after (up to 5 images for £49 early bird then £53) |
| Site: | Enter here |
Museum of Typography Poster Contest
The Museum of Typography Yiannis and Eleni Garedakis announces the 8th International Poster Contest, titled “Racism – Xenophobia”.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Awards ceremony will take place on 25th May 2024. Last closed: 1st March 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| Show: | Museum Of Typography, Souda, Greece (May 2024) |
| What: | In the land of Zeus Xenios, on the island of the protector of strangers already since the ancient times, this year’s international poster contest is scheduled to take place, bearing the title “Racism – Xenophobia”, emphasising once again a burning issue for the whole world. The poster should be accompanied by a short explanatory text explaining its content and purpose. It is forbidden to use AI. The dimensions should be 50 × 70 cm PDF, CMYK, image at 200 ppi and should not exceed 25 MB. The poster must bear the museum logo, either in Greek or English. |
| Who: | UK & International |
| Fees: | Free to enter |
| Site: | Enter here |
Picture Hooks Competition
Invites aspiring children’s illustrators to submit a pair of original narrative illustrations. The theme for the February/March competition is Fearful/Brave.
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | The successful submissions (winner and awarded runners up) will receive an email by 11.59 pm UK time on Monday 25 March 2024. Last closed: 10th March 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| What: | “This year Picture Hooks competitions will invite aspiring children’s illustrators to submit a pair of original narrative illustrations. The theme for our February/March competition is Fearful/Brave. We invite you to create two illustrations with the same original character or characters. Each illustration must show the character in a different emotional context: for this competition, one illustration should be themed ‘fearful’ and the other ‘brave’. Who is your character, what is making them afraid, and what would it look like for them to overcome that fear with bravery? We can’t wait to meet your character/s and see how they evolve between these two emotional states. Characters must be wholly original.” |
| Who: | UK & International artists (18 and over) |
| Fees: | No entry fee |
| Site: | Enter here |
Folio Book Illustration Award
Opportunity for illustrators to provide one piece of artwork in response to Neil Gaiman’s short story ‘The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains’
| Close: | TBA currently closed |
| News: | Longlist announced June 2024. Last closed: 3rd April 2024. |
| Prize: |
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| What: | The Folio Book Illustration Award offers the opportunity for aspiring and established illustrators to provide one piece of artwork in response to Neil Gaiman’s short story The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains. |
| Who: | UK & International artists (over 18) |
| Fees: | No entry fee |
| Site: | Enter here |
The End!
And so concludes this Illustration Competitions list. I’ll keep adding more contests as I discover them. Good luck if you decide to enter and let me know if you win! Back to top
