Apila International Illustrated Children’s Book Award with a EUR 4,000 Prize 2027
Applicant criteria
- 18 - 60
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity description
Spanish publishing house Apila Ediciones has opened submissions for the Apila Primera Impresión Award 2027, an international competition for illustrators and creative artists seeking to publish their first professional illustrated children’s book.
The award was established to give illustrators who have never previously published a children’s book with an ISBN the opportunity to enter the professional publishing industry. Applicants must submit a complete illustrated children’s book project written in either Spanish or English and limited to a maximum of 40 pages.
The winner will receive a professional publishing contract with Apila Ediciones, a cash prize of EUR 4,000, and international publication and distribution of the book. This makes the award an excellent opportunity for Arab and international illustrators seeking to develop their careers in children’s book illustration.
Benefits
- A cash prize of EUR 4,000.
- A professional publishing contract with Apila Ediciones.
- Publication of the winning illustrated book.
- Distribution of the book in the markets where the publishing house operates.
- Management of the book’s international rights in accordance with the publishing contract.
- The opportunity to enter the children’s publishing industry professionally.
- Exposure of the work to publishers and specialists in children’s literature and illustration.
- Participation is completely free, with no registration fees.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be an illustrator or visual artist of any nationality.
- Not have published an illustrated children’s book with an ISBN through a publishing house or publishing services company before June 30, 2026.
- Self-published works do not disqualify applicants, provided they were not released through a traditional publishing house.
- Submit the project in English or Spanish.
- Ensure that the book does not exceed 40 pages.
- Submit an original work or an adaptation of a text that is in the public domain.
- Hold all rights related to the text and illustrations, free from any third-party claims.
- Not use illustrations generated or created with the assistance of generative artificial intelligence.
- Applicants may submit more than one project.
Project Requirements
Applicants must prepare a complete illustrated children’s book project, which may include:
- The full text of the book.
- The illustrations or visual concepts required in the application form.
- A preliminary page layout or storyboard.
- Information about the author and illustrator.
- A declaration confirming ownership of the intellectual property rights to the work.
- The complete project submitted in either English or Spanish.
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