Calling All Illustrators!

The Original Art is an annual exhibit (46th) created to showcase illustrations from the year’s best children’s books published in the U.S. For editors and art directors, it’s an inspiration and a treasure trove of talent to draw upon. For art students, it’s a marvelous opportunity to examine—up close—the work of the best in the field. And for the public, it’s a chance to appreciate the enormous range of artistic styles and visual storytelling that children’s books offer.

Open to artists worldwide, this juried exhibition considers thousands of submissions created within the past year. A panel of renowned illustrators, art directors, and designers selects over 400 outstanding works for display at the Museum of Illustration across two shows, each with its own reception. Gold and Silver Medals are awarded to the top works in each category, and all accepted pieces are reproduced in full color in the Illustrators Annual Book.

Limited to undergraduate students currently enrolled in the U.S. and Canada. The Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship aims to recognize outstanding illustrations, comics, and animations, this year awarding over $60,000 in scholarships. Accepted works will be exhibited at the Museum of Illustration in New York City, featured in an online gallery, and celebrated during an Award Ceremony & Reception. All accepted entries will be lavishly reproduced in full color in a printed catalog. This unique competition has opened the door for many of today’s top professionals, including James Jean, Natalie Andrewson, Kadir Nelson, Dan Dos Santos, and many more.