The Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition is an international art contest organised by the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF). The competition, officially supported by the Shanghai Press and Publication Administration, was established in 2015 to provide a venue for emerging illustrators to showcase their talent and to promote exchange and cooperation between illustrators and publishers, both domestically and globally. It has given fresh life to China’s children’s book industry. Thanks to the support of various international illustrator associations, in 2017 the competition received 778 entries from 37 countries and regions, which translated into 3,655 creative and high-quality illustrations.
In order to give recognition to the most talented candidates, this year’s Golden Pinwheel will offer three different awards: the Golden Pinwheel Award rewarding the most outstanding work from China and abroad, the Publisher’s Choice Award designated by the Golden Pinwheel publishing partner and the People’s Choice Award given to an artist selected by CCBF exhibitors and visitors. The winner of one of the aforementioned awards will be selected to design CCBF’s visual identity in the following year (2019).
A selection of the best 50 artists will be established by five international judges. Their artworks will be featured in the 2018 Golden Pinwheel Illustration Yearbook and will be shown at CCBF where publishing professionals and children’s book enthusiasts will be able to enjoy them during all the duration of the book fair. The exhibition will take place in the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre on 9-11 November 2018.
Regulations
To compete, illustrators must be between 16 and 39 years of age (born between 1 January 1979 and 31 December 2002). Regardless of nationality, professional illustrators, art school students, and other amateur illustration enthusiasts can enter the competition free of charge.
Judge
The Judge for the 2018 Golden Pinwheel International Young Illustrators Competition comprises five acclaimed publishing professionals, from both home and abroad and with different professional backgrounds. They will review all entries from unique perspectives and will accordingly select winners for each of the major categories.
2017 Review of Artworks
Thanks to the support of various international illustrator associations, in 2017 the competition received 778 entries from 37 countries and regions, which translated into 3,655 creative and high-quality illustrations.
2017 Gloden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition Laureates
Golden Pinwheel Grand Award (China): Zhang Fan, China
Golden Pinwheel Grand Award (International): Joan Negrescolor, Spain
Publisher’s Choice Award: Dale Blankenaar, South Africa
People’s Choice Award: Adolfo Serra, Spain
