The China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) is glad to announce the 66 Finalists selected in the 2024 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition. Those 66 shortlisted artworks are composed with 50 of Book Publishing Category and 16 of Commercial Category.
Already at its 9th edition, Golden Pinwheel aims to give recognition to young talented artists active in the field of children’s book illustration. Since 2023, the organising committee launched a new category—Commercial, in addition to the original submission category—Book Publishing, so as to encourage illustrators to demonstrate their commercial value through diversified forms of artistic expression, and to promote communication and cooperation with illustrators and brands, advertisers.
Throughout the summer, the Jury composed of 8 international experts—Yukiko Hiromatsu (Japan), Jon Klassen (USA), Morgane Vasta (France), Xiao Aozi (China),Yao Hong (China) as Book Publishing juries, Hadi Barkat (Switzerland), Giacomo Benelli (Italy), Tango (China) as Commercial juries —reviewed 2,584 entries using a shared online system and finalised their selection via digital conference.
From China to Italy, Russia to Iran, the finalists represent 19 countries and territories from six continents. This shows the sheering vitality of the global illustration arena. Also, we can’t but be filled with astonishment by the very young age of the shortlisted artists, the youngest finalist being just 22. Undoubtedly, the future of illustration is assured!
2024 Finalists (in alphabetical order):
The 66 finalists’ artworks will be exhibited at the Golden Pinwheel Exhibition held at the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair from 15 to 17 November. In addition, their works will be featured in the 2024 Golden Pinwheel Yearbook to be published in November and distributed among all the Fair’s exhibitors and partners.
As early as 08 November, the finalists’ works will also be visible in a digital form in the Golden Pinwheel Online Gallery located on the competition’s official website. From that day to the closing of CCBF on 17 November, the illustrations will be submitted to a popular vote open to all Online Gallery viewers and CCBF visitors. The artist to receive the highest number of votes will win the Golden Pinwheel People’s Choice Award (Book Publishing).
On the eve of the Fair, the Golden Pinwheel Jury will meet again to choose the winners of Golden Pinwheel Book Publishing category (one Grand Award to a Chinese artist, one Grand Award to an international illustrator), and Commercial category (one Grand Award), as well as three Special Mentions to both Book Publishing and Commercial among the abovementioned finalists.
The winners of the abovementioned awards will be announced at the Fair, except the People’s Choice Award laureate, whose identity will be released on 18 November.
Last but not least, one of the winners mentioned above will be appointed to design the 2025 CCBF visual identity, which will enrich all the Fair’s communication for a whole year. In the Commercial Category, shortlisted illustrators will also have the opportunity to engage in artistic and commercial cross-border collaborations with the children’s clothing brand M.latin.
