Call for Entries is now closed
The World Illustration Awards, presented by the AOI in partnership with the Directory of Illustration since 2015, champions, showcases and celebrates great illustration from around the globe.
Being part of WIA offers fantastic benefits and opportunities from the Call for Entries stage right through to the Winner Announcements and beyond. This includes self-promotional tools, networking events, and features on WIA platforms. Sign up to our newsletter below to always be the first to find out latest news.
What are the KeY Dates?
Call For Entries Opens
Early Bird ends
Extended Deadline
Longlist
What could I win?
WIA rewards excellence, offering cash prizes to our overall winners, plus a range of valuable benefits to our category winners, shortlist, and longlist.
Award Winners will be announced in September 2026.
Awards:
- 1 Overall Professional Winner (Cash Prize of £2000)
- 1 Overall New Talent Winner (Cash Prize of £1000)
- 4 Cross Category Winners (Various Prizes)
- 20 Category Winners (one New Talent and one Professional per category)
- 20 Highly Commended Projects (one New Talent and one Professional per category)
- 200 Shortlisted Projects
- 500 Longlisted Projects
What Discounts Do you offer?
- Early bird discount of 10% until 9 January 2026.
- AOI Members get up to 30% off. This is automatically applied in cart.
- Tutors, Agents and Commissioners entering 10+ projects get a further 10% off.
What are the key dates?
- 9 January 2026 – early bird offer ends
- 17 February 2026 – Call for Entries deadline
- 24 February – Extended deadline
- March – May 2026 – judging
- May 2026 – longlist announced
- July 2026 – shortlist announced and online showcase launched
- September 2026 – winners announced
- November 2026 – touring exhibition available for hire
- December 2026 – new Call for Entries launches
Selected WIA2025 Winning Projects
Check out all winning projects on our Projects page and our curated Winner Showcase in our news section for inspiration on what to enter this year.
WIA news
About THE
AWARDS
The World Illustration Awards is a global celebration of illustration.
The Association of Illustrators has run a juried illustration competition since 1976. The latest incarnation, the World Illustration Awards in partnership with the Directory of Illustration, has been going strong and growing since 2015.
WIA focuses on supporting and celebrating creativity internationally, by connecting illustrators with their peers and the global illustration industry.
The Awards are split into two groups: New Talent and Professional. All work, commissioned or self-initiated, is accepted across the ten categories as long as it has been created within the past year before the Call for Entries closes.
If you have any questions get in touch with the awards team
[email protected]
PRESENTED BY
The Association of Illustrators
The Association of Illustrators is the professional body for illustration in the UK. Established in 1973, the AOI champions illustrators and the illustration industry with education, promotion and campaigning to achieve a thriving industry for us all. Memberships are available for illustrators, agents and colleges with discounts available for students and represented artists.
Directory of Illustration
Workbook’s Directory of Illustration, the world’s leading illustration resource, is distributed free of charge to thousands of art commissioners who regularly hire freelance artists and animators. Advertising agencies, corporations and publishing companies depend on the searchable directoryofillustration.com website and annual printed Directory to find top talent for their campaigns and projects. In print, online and on social, we help artists successfully grow and sustain their professional careers.
