The V&A Illustration Awards were established in 1972 and have since become the UK’s most prestigious annual illustration competition. Free to enter, the Awards celebrate excellence in student illustration and three categories of contemporary practice: book cover design, book illustration and illustrated journalism.

The Awards are generously supported by the The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.

Published illustration categories

• Book Cover Design
• Book Illustration
• Editorial Illustration (newspapers and magazines)

Student Category

• One submission per student only

Open to illustrators living in the UK or publishing within the UK market. Work published in 2021 are eligible for this year’s awards.

Entries into the Student Award are encouraged from anyone who has attended an illustration course in the UK at any time during 2020 or 2021.