Deadline: October 26, 2026
Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition 2027
BolognaFiere S.p.A.
Bologna, Italy (exhibition venue); open to international submissions
October 26, 2026
- Children's book illustration (a coherent sequence of exactly 5 same-theme illustrations per submission)
Open to illustrators of any nationality born before December 31, 2009. Each entry must consist of exactly 5 illustrations based on the same theme, intended for use in children's books. Works must be unpublished or published after January 1, 2025, must be entirely the entrant's own original creative work, must not have been submitted to previous editions, and must not have been created using AI tools. Students holding a valid BCBF code provided through their art school or course may enter free of charge.
€25 + VAT (if due) per application covering the mandatory set of exactly 5 artworks; free for students holding a valid BCBF code
Selected illustrators will receive:
- A free four-day admission ticket to the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF)
- Two dedicated pages in the Illustrators Annual
- Their selected work included in the Bologna exhibition and its international touring programme (including Japan, South Korea, and China)
- Selected illustrators under 35 are automatically considered for the Bologna Children's Book Fair–Fundación SM International Award for Illustration, whose winner receives €15,000 and a commission to illustrate a children's book for Grupo SM, with a personal exhibition at the subsequent fair
- Selected unpublished illustrators under 30 are automatically considered for the ARS IN FABULA Grant Award, whose winner may attend the ARS IN FABULA First Level Master Degree Course in Illustration for Publishing free of charge
This is the 61st edition of the Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition, organized by BolognaFiere S.p.A., designed to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote contemporary children's book illustration within the international publishing community. Entrants submit a coherent sequence of exactly five illustrations based on the same theme, intended for use in children's books. Works may be created in black and white or colour using traditional, digital, or mixed techniques, giving illustrators considerable creative freedom. An international five-member jury drawn from publishing houses, art schools, museums, and the illustration profession reviews submissions, first selecting approximately 300 finalists before making the final exhibition selections. The exhibition will be displayed during the Bologna Children's Book Fair from April 5 to 8, 2027, and will subsequently tour internationally to Japan, South Korea, China, and other countries, providing a significant professional platform for illustrators worldwide.
