The V&A Illustration Awards celebrate the best illustration published over the last year in the UK. Original artwork from the best-illustrated book, book cover, editorial illustration and student illustrator of the year will be recognised.

The aim is to encourage and celebrate high standards of creativity in the industry. The awards are free to enter and offer some of the most substantial financial prizes for illustration in the UK.

There are four categories:

• Book Cover Design
• Book Illustration
• Editorial Illustration (newspapers and magazines)
• Student Illustration

Up to three images may be submitted. This may be a sequence as for an illustrated book or may be alternative trials or preparatory work for a single piece such as a commercial illustration. Entries should have a clearly defined illustrative brief, which must be described on the competition entry system. The brief is open. Students may submit work set as coursework by their tutors or they may define their own imagined brief.

All images uploaded must be in the JPEG format, maximum file size of 1MB and not larger than 900 pixels in width.

There is no entry fee.

Eligibility

Open to illustrators living in the UK or publishing within the UK market. Work published in 2017 are eligible for this year’s awards.

Entries into the Student Award are encouraged from anyone who has attended an illustration course in the UK at any time during 2016 or 2017.

Prize

The winner in each of the first three categories receives 3,000 GBP (approx. 3,960 USD) and a trophy. The judges also select an overall winner who receives an additional 5,000 GBP (approx. 6,600 USD). Winners may also be commissioned to produce publicity artwork for the Museum.

The winner of the Student Award receives 3,000 GBP and a trophy, while a runner up receives 2,000 GBP (approx. 2,640 USD).

Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony in May 2018.