The Illustrators Exhibition

The Illustrators Exhibition is a showcase for the latest trends in illustration and talent spotting new artists held during Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Launched in 1967, the Exhibition displays a wide selection of artists from different countries offering young emerging talents tangible professional opportunities. 

Gaining visibility:

• The work of all the artists is published in the well- known Illustrators Annual: a large catalogue for publishers and professionals from all over the world, enriched with the contributions from members of the jury. The Annual is published in Italian and English by Corraini Edizioni and distributed to international specialist bookshops. It is also published in Japanese by JBBY - Japanese Board on Books for Young People, in the United States by Chronicle Books and in China by Dandelion Picture Book House.
• After the Fair, the Exhibition travels for over two years during a long international tour in museums, art galleries and important libraries in Japan, China and in other different countries every year.
• Meet the Jury! The five Jury members will discuss how they went about choosing the illustrations for the 2021 Illustrators Exhibition. The “Ask the juror!” session will give you a chance to talk directly with the jury members who assessed your artwork during the selection.

Professionals opportunities for emerging artists

• The International Award for Illustration Bologna Children's Book Fair – Fundación SM is dedicated to illustrators under 35 already selected for the Illustrators Exhibition. The winner receives a cheque of US $15,000 and is offered to illustrated a children’s book to be presented to the next edition of the Fair for a solo exhibition.
• Furthermore, one of the emerging illustrators selected for the Illustrators Exhibition is chosen to create the trade show’s Visual Identity of the following year, in collaboration with Chialab Design.
• Again for emerging talents, the Ars in Fabula School of Illustration with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been awarding the scholarship ARS IN FABULA – Grant Award, which is awarded annually to an artist aged under 30 at the Illustrators Exhibition.

The call for entries, closed on the 8 November 2020, attracted over 3,000 illustrators who submitted their artwork from 68 countries. For this edition the international jury selected online the 77 winners.