1. Published categories
i. There are four published categories:
- Adult Fiction
- Adult Non-Fiction
- Advertising and Commercial
- Illustration for Children
ii. Each of the categories can include the following types of illustration:
Adult Fiction
- Book and magazine illustration, including book covers of fiction, including poetry
- Artists' books
- Comics and graphic novels
- Illustration applied to television, film and theatre, e.g. storyboards
- Illustration for animations for fictional contexts
Adult Non-Fiction
- Editorial illustration (in print or online), including reportage, case studies, features and reviews
- Cartoons for newspapers and magazines (in print or online)
- Artists' books and sequential illustrations for non-fiction contexts, including television and film
- Illustration for animations for non-fiction contexts
Illustration for Children (for audiences under 16)
- Book and magazine illustration (in print or online), including covers, picture books, pop-up books, fiction or non-fiction
- Cartoons for newspapers and magazines (in print or online)
- Sequential illustration, including comics and graphic novels
- Illustration applied to television, film and theatre, e.g. storyboards
- Illustration for animations
Advertising and Commercial
- Original illustration (not adapted from other purposes) for packaging and products
- Illustration for advertisements, including animated
iii. You must be aged 18 or above on 31 August 2023. The published category awards are open to work published between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023 by illustrators resident in the UK or international illustrators working for UK clients. We accept print and digital media, including self-published work and artists' books available for purchase in the UK.
iv. Entries must be an original work published in the years 2022 and 2023 to be eligible for the 2024 awards and you must ensure your entry does not infringe the rights of any other party. Reprints and reissues are not eligible.
v. Multiple entries are permitted. Work from the same project should form part of a single entry and cannot be entered to more than one category.
vi. Rights remain with the holders, but entrants grant the Victoria and Albert Museum a non-exclusive licence to reproduce artwork for use in the V&A Illustration Awards display, web presence and printed media publicity. Any party submitting an entry (illustrator, agent or publisher) is responsible for contacting the copyright holder to ensure their consent to these terms.
2. Emerging Illustrator category
i. The Emerging Illustrator category is open to emerging and aspiring illustrators resident in the UK who are not yet commercially published or commissioned or students, not yet commercially published, on courses at UK colleges during the years 2022 or 2023. You must be aged 18 or above on 31 August 2023.
ii. Illustrators who have had work published previously are not eligible to enter the Emerging Illustrator category.
iii. Entries to the Emerging Illustrator category must not have been published or be commissioned for publication before the launch date of 12.00 GMT on 2 October 2023.
iv. Multiple entries are permitted. Work from the same project should form part of a single entry.
v. Entries should have a clearly defined illustrative brief. Entrants may set their own brief or submit previously finished unpublished projects with a defined brief. A description of the brief must be included in the online form. Students may submit work set as coursework by their tutors or they may define their own imagined brief.
vi. Rights remain with the holders, but entrants grant the Victoria and Albert Museum a non-exclusive licence to reproduce artwork for use in the V&A Illustration Awards display, web presence and printed media publicity. Any party submitting an entry (illustrator or tutor) is responsible for contacting the copyright holder to ensure their consent to these terms.
3. All categories
i. Entry is online only. Email and postal submissions cannot be considered.
ii. Entries will be moderated to ensure compliance with eligibility criteria.
iii. Traditional and digital media are accepted, but not AI (artificial intelligence).
iv. Individuals can enter on their own behalf. Agents, publishers and tutors may enter on illustrators’ behalf but are responsible for contacting the illustrator to ensure their consent to all Terms & Conditions, including copyright.
v. Entries may be included in a public online gallery.
vi. Shortlisted entrants will be contacted directly via email.
vii. Shortlisted entries will be displayed on the Awards website and included in a V&A press release.
viii. The winner of the Moira Gemmill Illustrator of the Year Prize receives an additional £5,000 and agrees that their winning work enters the V&A's permanent collection.
ix. The judges' decision is final.
x. Any personal data that is included as part of an entry will be used in accordance with the V&A's Privacy Notice.
Find out more about the V&A Illustration Awards
The V&A Illustration Awards are generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.