The China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) is glad to announce that a new edition of its Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition is open to entries from 26 March to 08 June 2026.
The Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition is an annual international illustration contest held as part of the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair since 2015. The competition offers emerging illustrators international exposure and professional recognition, and helps them expand the reach and commercial opportunities of their work through exhibitions, the annual yearbook, and promotional initiatives that connect illustrators with publishers, brands, and creative industries. In its last edition, after a two-month submission campaign, the competition received an impressive number of 15,209 artworks created by 2,828 artists from 78 countries and territories.
The 2026 edition once again invites young illustrators, aspiring artists and art students from around the world to create with children’s content in mind — telling stories through illustrations and sharing their unique voices with readers everywhere. In an imperfect world, imagination, kindness and light matter more than ever.
In order to give recognition to the most talented artists in the competition, the 2026 Golden Pinwheel is offering a wide array of awards: Grand Award (China), Grand Award (International), Special Mentions and People's Choice Award.
All finalists and winners will be featured in 2026 CCBF Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition Yearbook, which will also be presented at the Golden Pinwheel Illustration Exhibition held at the book fair from 13 to 15 November at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre (SWEECC).
Beyond that, one of the award-winners will be chosen by the CCBF Organising Committee to design the key visual of the 2027 edition of the book fair. This new image will be an integral part of the fair's visual communication for a whole year, including its use on our website, social media, gifts, and in advertisement campaigns.
2026 CCBF KV by Su Xiaoci, 2025 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition Special Mention Award
Faithful to its core objective, the Golden Pinwheel Competition structures its awards around offering unique and distinctive opportunities to its participants. As an example, the winner of Grand Award (China) will be invited to attend the 2027 edition of the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), and the winner of Grand Award (International) will receive an invitation to the 2027 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF). Both invitations include a flight ticket and full accommodation, covered by the event organiser. The invited artists will have the opportunity to participate as guests in various illustration-related activities taking place at the fair.
2026 Golden Pinwheel Jury Announced
The 2026 Golden Pinwheel Jury is a highly esteemed group of individuals carefully selected for their expertise and cultural backgrounds. Comprised of renowned illustrators, publishers, and editors from around the world, this jury brings a wealth of knowledge and diverse perspectives to the table. In 2026, the Golden Pinwheel Jury is formed by: Author, Illustrator Emily Gravett (UK), Picture Book Author Lee Jee Eun (South Korea), Editorial Manager, Art Director, Éditions Rue de Sèvres Charlotte Moundlic (France), Comic Artist, Illustrator, Associate Professor at the China Academy of Art Ruan Yunting (China), and Executive Vice General Manager of Ronshin Culture, Editor-in-chief of Lelequ Sun Zhaozhi (China).
All members share a deep understanding of illustration, writing, and art direction. The Jury will also be in charge of choosing the winners of the prizes and distinctions designed to give recognition to the most talented artists in the competition.
