Silent Book Contest International Competition 2027 for Illustrators with a EUR 2,500 Prize

The Italian publishing house Carthusia Edizioni has opened applications for the 14th edition of the Silent Book Contest 2027 – Gianni De Conno Award, an international competition dedicated to silent picture books that tell a complete story entirely through illustrations, without using words.

The competition invites artists, illustrators, and visual storytellers from around the world to submit an original and unpublished picture-book project featuring a coherent narrative and a consistent artistic style. The theme is open, and there are no restrictions on the intended age group of readers.

Project Specifications

The project must meet the following requirements:

1. It must be a silent picture book that tells a complete story through images.
2. Illustrations may be in colour or black and white.
3. Traditional or digital illustration techniques may be used.
4. The project must be complete and not merely a preliminary storyboard or a collection of unfinished illustrations.
5. The project must be submitted as a high-quality PDF file.
6. The PDF file must not exceed 10 MB.
7. The book must include 14 internal double-page spreads.
8. One additional double-page spread must be included for the title page and dedication, along with the front and back covers.
9. The complete project must consist of 16 double-page spreads.
10. The dimensions of an open double-page spread must be 57 × 28.5 cm.
11. The dimensions of the closed book must be 28.5 × 28.5 cm.
12. The book must open from right to left, in accordance with the specified template.
13. A pseudonym must be used for the author within the submitted file to preserve anonymity during the judging process.

• Publication of the winning project by the Italian publishing house Carthusia Edizioni.
• An official publishing contract for the creator of the winning project.
• A cash prize of EUR 2,500, paid as an advance against publishing royalties.
• Exhibition of the selected finalist projects at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2027.
• Presentation of the projects at the Turin International Book Fair.
• Promotion of the winning book through the catalogue and publications of Carthusia Edizioni.
• Between 10 and 16 projects are typically selected for the final stage.
• One finalist project will receive an additional Junior Prize, based on evaluations by students from selected primary schools.
• The finalist works may also be displayed at artistic exhibitions, publishing events, and international cultural events.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Be an author, illustrator, or artist.
2. Be at least 18 years old by January 15, 2027.
3. Submit an original picture-book project that has not been published in any country.
4. The story must rely primarily on illustrations and must not include written text.
5. Only a title and subtitle may be used, in accordance with the competition guidelines.
6. Each applicant may submit a maximum of one, two, or three projects.
7. A separate registration fee must be paid for each submitted project.
8. Applicants must own all rights to the illustrations and other works used in the project.

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