Initiated an international illustration contest 12.04.2026 12:44 Ukrinform A group of independent curators, Pictoric, has announced the first Pictoric Illustration Contest (PIC) – an international competition created to support illustration as a contemporary professional practice.
As Ukrinform reports, Chytomo informed about this.
“The contest unites illustrators from different countries and at various career stages, creating a space for creative exchange, experimentation, and professional visibility. Developed with the support of international and institutional partners, PIC adheres to high professional standards while remaining open and accessible,” the organizers state.
The contest partners include Book Arsenal, Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, and the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture.
Illustrators aged 18 and over are invited to participate.
The contest has three categories:
Student Nomination – open to students of art, design, and illustration educational institutions worldwide.
Participants can submit one book project or a series of up to three illustrations, created in any technique, genre, or style. However, only illustrations are accepted; covers and works with text will not be considered. All entries must be original works created between 2024 and 2026. The organizers note that this category aims to support young illustrators and provide them with an opportunity for international recognition.
The “Children’s Book Illustration” nomination is open to young and professional illustrators aged 18 and over. In this category, participants can submit one project comprising a maximum of three illustrations created between 2024 and 2026.
Works can be either published or unpublished, but similar to the student category, only illustrations without text and without covers will be accepted for the competition. This nomination focuses on visual storytelling for a young audience. Evaluation criteria include originality, conceptual integrity, technical mastery, work with color and composition, as well as the ability to convey a story, mood, or character, and to engage the imagination and emotions of the child audience.
This year’s special theme is related to the focus theme of the XIV Book Arsenal – “Carry Your Freedom.”
Participants are encouraged to reflect on freedom as an inner human experience – choice, responsibility, and strength that remain with a person even under restrictive circumstances. Illustrations can address themes of dignity, resilience, inner independence, the fragility of freedom, and the effort required to preserve it. Political illustrations and works with direct political statements will not be considered in this category.
Selection for this category will be carried out by the Pictoric curatorial group for an exhibition at Book Arsenal 2026. Curators will evaluate originality, conceptual integrity, the expressiveness of composition and color, as well as the work’s ability to tell a story through imagery and evoke an emotional response.
The international jury for the contest includes: artist and printmaker Katrin Stang; art director and publisher Flora Petoevska; founders of the art studio “Agrafka,” Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv; illustrator Anna Sarvira; and Polish illustrator Gosia Herba.
Works will be accepted until May 2.
The Pictoric Illustrator Club is a community of illustrators, graphic designers, and artists. Its purpose is to implement joint interesting projects and promote high-quality contemporary illustration in Ukraine and abroad, at international festivals and exhibitions, as well as to conduct educational activities.
As Ukrinform reported, the House of Europe program has published the first shortlist for the new House of Europe Award, with six books included in the shortlist for the “Best Translated Publication” nomination.
Photo from the website: pictoric.com.ua
Books Contest Artist Female Artist
Источник: www.ukrinform.ua