SCBWI Picture Book Illustrator Awards open to Aotearoa NZ creators

After running as a trial in 2021, the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) Picture Book Illustrator Awards have received three-year funding from the Copyright Agency.

SCBWI regional advisor Susanne Gervay told Books+Publishing the inaugural awards, which were ‘aimed at showcasing Australian talent to Australia and internationally’, were ‘a major success with contracts and publishing deals resulting, not only from the winners but the applicants’.

In 2022 the awards will include Aotearoa New Zealand illustrators for the first time and will be judged by Clare Hallifax of Walker Books Australia, Heather Curdie of Penguin Random House Australia and Tash Besliev of Affirm Press. They will be joined by international judge Kristen Nobles, art director at Charlesbridge Publishing, who, according to Gervay, ‘loves to collaborate with debut talent on strong characters, global narratives, stories with humour and heart’.

The winners of the inaugural awards were Gabriel Evans ($8000 established illustrator award), Matt Chun ($5000 developing illustrator award) and Dinalie Dabarera ($2000 emerging illustrator award).

For more information, see the SCBWI website.

Category: Junior Local news