Organised in conjunction with the International Information Content Industry Association (ICIA), the Frankfurter Buchmesse has announced the second Global Illustration Award (GIA). Designed to attract entries from around the world, the competition will be operated exclusively by IlluSalon, a global illustration resource platform based in Asia. Entries are open for illustrators from all around the world until 14 July 2017.
Awards will be given out in five categories—book illustration, original unpublished children’s picture book project, advertising and editorial illustration, scientific illustration, and theme illustration. This year’s theme is based on ‘French – diversity and creativity,’ highlighting central aspects of the 2017 Guest of Honour presentation at the book fair. The Grand Award winner will receive EUR 6,000, the Gold Award winners will each receive EUR 2,000, and the Excellent Award winners EUR 1,000 each.
Last year’s award garnered over 10,000 entries from more than 50 countries in two months. “We are thrilled about the success of the first year of the Global Illustration Award,” says Juergen Boos, director of the Frankfurter Buchmesse. “The overwhelming number of entries last year reflects the need for such an award honoring and putting in the spotlight the work of international illustrators. We are looking forward to this year’s submissions.”
“A beginning like that was well above expectations; it was for us, nothing short of a miracle,” says IlluSalon founder Mingliang Hou. “Through establishing this award and working with the Frankfurter Buchmesse, we hope to provide a platform for illustrators to display their talent and to communicate with one another. We also hope that rich and colorful illustrations can help drive growth in the content industry.”
Amongst this year’s judges are Bettina Schulz, editor in chief, novum; Aljoscha Blau, illustrator and book artist; professor Reinhard Schulz-Schaeffer, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences; Christopher Hudson, publisher, The Museum of Modern Art New York; professor Martin Salisbury, director, The Centre for Children’s Book Studies, Cambridge School of Art; Zhang Mingzhou, vice president of IBBY China section, China Children’s Press & Publication Group (CCPPG).
Entries for the competition can be submitted until 14 July 2017 through the website: www.illusalon.com/Home/Award
