How to take part

The registration and file upload function will be made available from 13 JULY TO 17 OCTOBER 2022.

All entries must, without exception, be received by 17 OCTOBER 2022. Registrations received after this date will not be included in the selection process.

• Illustrators, professionals and beginners can enter unpublished artwork, or artwork published in the previous two years.
• Art schools can enter the most interesting innovative projects by students who have attended their Institute.
• Publishers can enter illustrators they work with. 

Illustrators must enter their artwork exclusively online. 

The 5 artworks must be based on the same theme, and must be numbered, as preferred, from 1 to 5 on the digital format file. The number of artworks (5) is mandatory.

The 5 illustrations – 5, no more, no less - may be unpublished artwork or artwork published after 1 January 2021. The work can be in black and white or colour and be produced using any technique.

The digital format must be: jpg or png, maximum size 5 MB, resolution 150 DPI.

Read the Regulations carefully before you fill in your Entry Form.

In order to fill the Entry Form you have to register to the Reserved Area. If you are not already registered, you can do so by going to the BCBF Visitors Reserved Area. If you are already registered, simply login to the Visitors Reserved Area.

You will find 2 Entry Forms: one for individual applicants, the other for schools, publishers, and associations of illustrators.

Fill out the personal data fields, upload your five illustrations (mandatory number), which can be either unpublished work or work published after 1 January 2021, produced either in black and white or colour with any technique.

File format: jpg or png, max size 5 MB, resolution 150 DPI.

The 5 artworks must be based on the same theme, and must be numbered from 1 to 5 on the digital format file in the desired order. The number of artworks (5) is mandatory.

Artists who are subsequently selected will have to send the originals of their artwork for inclusion in the Exhibition. If the artwork has been produced by mixed (analog and digital), or completely digital techniques, good quality prints must be sent.

The maximum size (i.e., the maximum size of the sheet of paper) of the original artwork, or prints in the case of mixed analog and digital technique, must be:

50 x 70 cm (or 70 x 50 cm)

Larger format originals will not be accepted by BolognaFiere.

Read the Regulations carefully before you fill in your Entry Form.

If you are not already registered, you can do so by going to the BCBF Visitors Reserved Area. If you are already registered, simply login to the Visitors Reserved Area.

You will find 2 Entry Forms: one for individual applicants, the other for schools, publishers, and associations of illustrators.

Fill out the corporate data fields and indicate the illustrators you are presenting. These illustrators will receive an invitation to register for the selection procedure of the Illustrators Exhibition. You can monitor online whether the illustrators you have presented have registered.

Illustrators presented by an art school, publisher, or association must register as individual applicants (filling out an illustrator’s Entry Form). You can monitor online whether the illustrators you have presented have registered.  

Once the illustrators have registered and applied individually online, they will receive a confirmation email.

At the close of the Application Period, the list of applicants admitted to the selection process will be published on the BCBF website.

Disclosure of the name of participants admitted to the selection process shall be for information purposes only.

The illustrators admitted to the selection process will automatically receive a code number via email. This code will entitle them to a special-price entry ticket to BCBF 2023.

The list of the winners chosen to be part of the 2023 Illustrators Exhibition will be published on the BCBF website at the end of the final selection by January 2023.

The winners will receive before the Fair a code number by email, allowing them to download a free pass to the 2023 BCBF.

The list of the finalists passing the first selection phase will be published online by January 2023. 

Finalists round will also enjoy promotion by Bologna Children’s Book Fair through initiatives on BCBF’s website and social media channels and through various promotional initiatives.

A jury of 5 international experts will review the entries using a shared online system and finalize the selection in person in Bologna. 

Illustrators Exhibition
Bologna Children's Book Fair 
Tel. 051 282494 
E-mail: illustratori@bolognafiere.it