16th Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations

The Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) calls for participants to the Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, a biennial contest organised since 1978. This Concours is designed to discover up-and-coming, adult illustrators, graphic designers and artists in Asia (except Japan), the Pacific, Africa, Arab States, Latin America and the Caribbean, to provide an occasion at which they can present their works widely and to offer incentives for their creative activities.

The International Jury is comprised of well-known editors and illustrators of children' s books from different countries, and the jury members meet in Tokyo and select one Grand Prize winner, two Second Prize winners, ten Runner-up winners and twenty Encouragement Prize winners. The prize-winning works are exhibited the following year in Tokyo and at the Biennale of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) in Slovakia, ensuring their exposure to a wide audience and generating opportunities for publication. All prize-winners are awarded with a medal designed by Mr. Sugita Yutaka. In addition, cash prizes are given to recipients in the Grand Prize (US$ 3,000), Second Prize (US$1,000) and Runner-up (US$300) categories. The award-winning works are presented at this website, as well as in the catalogue in book format.

The Concours is operated under the Noma International Book Development Fund, which was established in commemoration of the receipt of the first International Book Award in 1974 by the late Mr. Noma Shoichi, the then president of Kodansha publishing company and Vice-President of the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU).

In 1983, the Noma Concours began official exchanges with the BIB, an international exhibition that focuses mainly on works from Western artists, and since then the winning works from the Noma Concours have been shown in Europe. The Tokyo and Bratislava exhibitions provide an unparalleled opportunity and source of incentive for Concours prize-winners.

General Conditions for Entry

Who can enter?

Nationals of UNESCO Member States in Asia (except Japan), the Pacific, Latin America & the Caribbean, Africa and the Arab States.

What to submit for an entry?

1.	Either one or the other of the following: a. Illustrations for unpublished books b. Illustrations for published books, as long as they have not been published in countries in Europe, North America, Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
2.	Entries must be original illustrations prepared for picture books
3.	One entry should comprise five or more separate illustrations for one story
4.	Entrants should be above 15 years old.

When will the next Concours be?
The 16th Noma Concours has now start soliciting entries. The closing date is 30 September 2008.

For detailed information about the next Concours, please visit the web site: http://www.accu.or.jp/noma/english/about/e_index.html

source : http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca/announcements/International%20desk/intl-nomaconcours2008.php