As the 2025 Golden Pinwheel call for entries drew to an end on 9 June, the CCBF-run illustration competition launched in 2015 once again confirmed it has won the confidence and attention of young illustrators all around the planet. During over two months submission period, we received widespread attention and participation from illustrators and children's book creators around the world.
This year's competition received a total of 2,828 submissions from 78 countries and regions on six continents, with 2,828 submissions, including 2,189 in the Book Publishing Category and 639 in the Commercial Category. The total number of works reached 15,209, up 9.7% year-on-year compared to 2024. Among them, 67% of the submissions came from China and 33% from overseas countries and regions, once again confirming the growing scale and influence of the competition.
The top 10 countries and regions in terms of the number of submissions are China Mainland, Russia, Iran, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Hong Kong, China, USA, UK, Korea. Among them, Korea entered the top 10 for the first time. Surprisingly, new illustrators from Estonia, Pakistan, Finland, Kenya, Lebanon, Mauritius, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Syria and Israel were also added to the competition. In addition to individual submissions, 59 other publishers, design studios, industry associations and professional institutions from home and abroad participated in the competition in the name of their institutions. They submitted a total of 147 entries, an increase of 211.6% compared to the same period last year in 2024.
Young creators from around the world have contributed a wide array of submissions, showcasing diverse styles and richly varied themes. From whimsical fantasy worlds brimming with childlike wonder to deeply personal expressions of inner emotion, entries in the Book Publishing category reflect a profound integration between contemporary illustration and children’s literature. Meanwhile, works in the Commercial category have demonstrated notable advancements in creativity, market potential, and visual execution—signaling the expanding possibilities of illustration in brand collaboration and consumer-facing scenarios.
Since 19 June, the competition has been in an intense judging phase for the finalists. The jury of eight renowned industry professionals with different professional backgrounds includes A Geng (China), Namjung Kim (Republic of Korea), Alessandro Sanna (Italy), Leo Timmers (Belgium), Wei Ling (China) in the Book Publishing category, and Steven Guarnaccia (USA), Li Min (China), Birthe Steinbeck (Germany) in the Commercial category. will select finalists in the Book Publishing and Commercial categories from valid submissions through a blind judging process.
Let's wait for the announcement of all finalist illustrators on September 4!
All finalists in both Book Publishing category and Commercial category will be presented at the 2025 Golden Pinwheel International Young Illustrators Competition Exhibition to be held concurrently at the Shanghai Children's Book Fair site this year, which will be held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center from November 14 to 16.
All finalists' works will also be included in the "2025 Golden Pinwheel International Young Illustrator Competition Yearbook" and promoted among domestic and international children's book publishers, agents, editors, as well as major branding, art and advertising related professionals and commercial organisations, to bring more creative opportunities for outstanding young illustrators.
Winners will be announced during the Shanghai Children's Book Fair. In addition to the competition exhibition, the organising committee will also present a series of professional activities designed for illustrators during the Shanghai Children's Book Fair:
- An Illustrators Survival Corner that includes forums, creative workshops and one-on-one portfolio reviews;
- The Young Illustrators Avenue for illustrators, artists and content creators, which combines business collaboration, learning exchange, industry socialization and product showcase. This year's recruitment will be launched soon, so stay tuned to the official information of the Shanghai Children's Book Fair!
The success of the 2025 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition call for entries would not have been possible without the support of our numerous partners. A big thank you from all of us, and we look forward to having you back on board next year!
