The Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Competition is the latest edition of the long-running international competition organised by Communication Arts, which has recognised the work of illustrators for 68 years. The competition is judged by an international jury of designers, art directors and illustrators.
The competition invites illustration across Advertising, Books, Editorial, For Sale, Institutional, Motion/Animation, Self-Promotion, Unpublished and Student Work. Entries can include commissioned, published, personal and experimental illustration, as well as animation in which illustration is the primary element.
The Communication Arts Illustration Competition gives illustrators an opportunity to have their work assessed by an experienced international jury and presented alongside outstanding contemporary illustration from around the world. Each illustration is considered as an individual entry, while eligible campaigns and series may also be submitted within the specified category limits.
Entry fee: Advertising, Books, Editorial, For Sale, Institutional, Self-Promotion and Unpublished: $40 per single illustration or $80 per series of up to five; Motion/Animation: $90 per single entry or $180 per series of up to three; Student Work: $20 per single JPG or $40 per JPG series of up to five, and $45 per single video or $90 per video series of up to three; entries after January 8 incur an additional $10 late fee per entry.
Eligibility
Open to illustrators worldwide with work first published or produced from January 2026 through January 2027; AI text-to-image generated submissions are not accepted, and Student Work must have been created for a school assignment and be original or use third-party content only with specific usage rights.
Prize
There is no cash prize. Each winning entrant receives a personalised Award of Excellence milled from solid aluminium, with printed award certificates for creative contributors; selected work is published in the Communication Arts 2027 Illustration Annual in print and digital editions and on commarts.com, with the Annual also including contact information for the illustrators represented.