Pictoric Illustration Contest
Pictoric Illustration Contest
Submission deadline
May 02, 2026
about contest
Connecting illustrators worldwide through opportunity, dialogue, and contemporary illustration.
Pictoric Illustration Contest (PIC)
Through a digital submission platform, PIC invites illustrators to submit work in three nominations: Student, Children’s Book, and Special Theme. The contest welcomes both emerging illustrators and professionals. An international jury ensures a transparent selection process and diverse perspectives, providing participants with meaningful exposure and recognition.
PIC is conceived as a long-term initiative that goes beyond a single competition. By fostering international collaboration and dialogue, it aims to build sustainable professional networks, support career development, and strengthen illustration as a global creative field.
The project is being realized in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Ukraine.
Exhibition in Prague
2024
Exhibition in Kyiv
2025
Exhibition in Frankfurt
2022
Exhibition in Berlin
2023
Exhibition in Warsaw
2022
Exhibition in Bologna
2023
Exhibition in Rome
2024
Exhibition in New York
2023
Exhibition in Bologna
2025
Exhibition in Frankfurt
2022
our partners
Book Arsenal
Goethe institut in Ukraine
NAFAA
nominations
Children’s Book Illustration Nomination
About
The Children’s Book Illustration Nomination celebrates the art of storytelling for young audiences, recognizing illustrators who bring stories to life with imaginative and engaging visuals. The category is open to all artists aged 18 or older. Participants may submit one project only, consisting of up to three illustrations. Only illustrations can be submitted - covers and illustrations with text are not accepted. Projects may be published or unpublished, and all works must have been created in 2024–2026. Participation is free of charge.
Evaluation criteria
Open to all artists aged 18 or older. Submissions must be original works created by the applicant in 2024–2026, demonstrating a unique creative approach and a clear concept suitable for children’s literature. Illustrations should show a high level of technical skill, mastery of technique, color, and composition. Works should communicate a story, mood, or character clearly, engaging the imagination and emotions of a young audience. Professional submission and guidelines: a maximum of three illustrations per project. Files must be submitted in JPEG, PNG, or PDF format, size: 300 dpi, up to 30 MB per image.
Special Topic Nomination
About
"Bear Your Freedom" — this is the focus theme of the XIV Book Arsenal. It invites reflection on freedom as an inner human experience — as choice, responsibility, and strength that stay with us even when circumstances limit our opportunities.Within this special theme, participants are invited to interpret different dimensions of freedom through illustration: personal, social, or symbolic. Works may address topics such as dignity, resilience, inner independence, as well as the fragility of freedom and the effort required to preserve it.This nomination calls on artists to visually explore what it means to bear one’s freedom today — as a value, as an experience, and as a human responsibility toward oneself and the world. Within this nomination, the focus is on the personal and universal dimensions of freedom; therefore, political illustrations and works containing direct political statements are not considered.
Evaluation criteria
Illustrators aged 18 and over are eligible to participate. One illustration 700 × 1000 mm (vertical orientation) may be submitted to the competition. Files must be in JPEG/PNG/PDF format, 150 dpi, up to 30 MB, and created specifically for the competition. The submitted work must not contain a slogan or any text—only the image itself. Participation is free of charge.
The selection of works will be carried out by the Pictoric curatorial team for the exhibition at the International Book Arsenal Festival 2026. Pictoric is looking for works that not only demonstrate technical mastery but also tell a story through imagery, evoke an emotional response, and encourage viewers to reflect on the theme of freedom as an inner force and a matter of choice.
The curators will evaluate originality and conceptual coherence, the ability to convey mood, character, or an idea, as well as the expressiveness of composition and color, which help make the image compelling and impactful for the audience.Student Nomination
About
The Student Nomination is designed to support and recognize emerging talent in the field of illustration. It is open to students of art, design, and illustration institutions from around the world.
Book illustrations created in any technique, genre, or style are accepted. Participants may submit one book project, and within a single project no more than three illustrations may be submitted. Only illustrations can be submitted - covers and illustrations with text are not accepted.Evaluation criteria
Participation in the Student Category is free of charge. Submissions must be original works created by the applicant in 2024–2026. Submissions are accepted exclusively in digital format: JPEG, PNG, or PDF files, size: 300dpi, up to 30 MB per illustration.The Student Category offers emerging illustrators the opportunity to gain international recognition and become part of a global professional community of illustrators.
Contest Jury
Contestbook illustrationStudent NominationAbout jury
Katrin Stangl is an artist and printmaker based in Cologne, Germany. She uses different techniques to illustrate literature as well as her own texts. For her prints and books, she won several awards. Since 2009 Katrin Stangl is a member of the female artist-collective SPRING. She is teaching drawing at the University of Applied Sciences Aachen and gives workshops and talks in Germany and abroad.
Katrin Stangl
Artist and printmaker
Contestbook illustrationStudent NominationAbout jury
Flóra Peťovská is the co-founder of Csirimojó Kiadó together with Zsolt Farkas. Founded in 2017, the publisher focuses on high-quality, meaningful children’s and young adult books, including works originally published abroad. Their mission is to foster reading, environmental awareness, and respect for diversity among young readers. Flóra Peťovská contributes through her work in illustration, helping bring stories and educational themes to life.
Flóra Peťovská
Art director, publisher
Contestbook illustrationAbout jury
Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv are book authors, designers, and illustrators based in Lviv, Ukraine. They are members of PEN Ukraine and co-founders of the art studio Agrafka, where they create illustrated books for children and adults. Their collaborative practice combines strong conceptual thinking with a distinctive visual language. The Agrafka duo has received numerous international awards for their books and design work, including the Bologna Ragazzi Award, Premio Andersen, the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava, the European Design Awards, and multiple selections for the White Ravens list.
Romana Romanyshyn & Andriy Lesiv
Art studio Agrafka
Contestbook illustrationAbout jury
Anna Sarvira is a Ukrainian illustrator who lives in Cologne. Her most recent publications are The Girl Who Kept Her Eyes Open, a children's book published by the European Commission in 13 languages, Brussels, 2023, and The Playground We Love and Loved, Hopology Publishing, Taipei, 2025. Her illustrations have appeared in the "Drawn to MoMA" series of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, in ZEITmagazin, and in the Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum.
Anna Sarvira
Illustrator
Contestbook illustrationStudent nominationAbout jury
An award-winning Polish illustrator and graphic artist, known for her distinctive style that combines traditional illustration techniques with a modern approach to form and colour. She creates illustrations for both press and books, collaborating with numerous international publishers and magazines, including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Der Tagesspiegel, and The Atlantic. She was honoured with the British Blue Peter Award in 2022 and has participated in three Bologna Illustrators Exhibitions.
Gosia Herba
illustrator
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pictoric Illustration Contest (PIC)?
PIC is an international illustration contest created to support illustration as a contemporary professional practice. It brings together illustrators from different countries and career stages, offering space for artistic exchange, experimentation, and professional visibility.
Who can participate?
PIC is open to illustrators aged 18 and over from around the world. Students, emerging illustrators, and professional artists are invited to participate, depending on the nomination.
What nominations are available?
The contest includes three nominations:
- Student
- Children’s Book Illustration
- Special ThemeStudent Nomination
The Student Nomination is open to students of art, design, and illustration institutions worldwide (aged 18+). Participants may submit project/series of up to three illustrations. Works in any technique, genre, or style are accepted.
Participation is free of charge.Children’s Book Illustration Nomination
This nomination is open to illustrators aged 18 and over, including emerging and professional artists. Participants may submit one project consisting of up to three illustrations. Projects may be published or unpublished, but all works must have been created in 2024–2026. Participation is free of charge.
Special Theme Nomination
The Special Theme Nomination invites illustrators aged 18 and over to interpret a theme announced by the organizers. This category encourages conceptual approaches, experimentation, and personal artistic expression.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Participation in all nominations is free.
Submission requirements
All works must be submitted digitally, via the form on this website:
- Format: JPEG
- Color mode: RGB
- File size: up to 3 MB per imageHow are submissions selected?
All entries are reviewed by an international jury, ensuring a transparent selection process and diverse professional perspectives.
Why participate in PIC?
PIC offers:
- International exposure
- Professional recognition
- Opportunities for networking
- Inclusion in a global illustration community
Submission form
Fill out the form to submit your work for consideration
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