Introduction
China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair (CCBF), New Dream International Little Illustrator Competition is a unique global children's creative and aesthetic education platform organised by the Shanghai Foreign Cultural Exchange Association and Shanghai Xinhua Distribution Group with the support of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Press and Publication. This annual event aims to connect young children worldwide through their mutual love of "reading + drawing".
Founded in 2019, the "New Dream Little Illustrators Competition" is open to all children under 16. The "New Dream Little Illustrators" brings together Master illustrators from China and overseas experts in aesthetic education to enable children to discover their artistic talent. In addition to nurturing their imagination and creativity and promoting cultural exchanges, the competition allows children to showcase their talents and fulfil their dream of being artists. Since its inception, the event has received enthusiastic participation from schools, aesthetic organisations, youth organisations and families worldwide. The event is supported by official bodies and attracted attention from the media.
"The New Dream Little Illustrator advocates for children the joy of reading "To open up the world and use art to realise dreams through books". By collaborating with renowned domestic and international publishers and children's book experts, each year, we will recommend a series of books with a common theme through the "New Dream Global Children's Reading Promotion Programme" to parents and children. It is hoped that the programme will allow children to draw inspiration from these books and enrich their knowledge while encouraging children to use their artistic skills to interpret their world.
2022 Competition Theme: BLUE UP FOR TOMORROW
French artist Yves Klein once said, " Blue suggests the sea and sky, and they, after all, are in actual, visible nature what is most abstract" she also said: "The earthy is a beautiful blue colour." Our planet is also known as the Blue Planet because more than 70 per cent is blue, a very beautiful blue planet when viewed from outer space. Over time, climate change and the continuing decline of biodiversity threaten our planet's and humans' health. A deteriorating environment is overshadowing the blue planet.
The consequence of a deteriorating planet is increasing natural disasters such as floods, wildfires, and extreme weather; the result is we humans are to suffer. These are the consequences of what we do to the planet that affects us and our future. UNICEF's recently released report entitled " Children's Climate Risk Index (CCRI)" provides the first comprehensive analysis of climate and environmental risks from children's perspective. The report shows that one billion of the world's most vulnerable children are at extremely high climate risk today. If we don't act, all children will be at risk in the future. The irrefutable evidence shows that the climate crisis is a crisis for children. We must act now to protect our blue planet and our protection. For the protection of children and the future of humanity!
2022 is a crucial year for the planet. People are beginning to recover from a global pandemic as well as several natural disasters. Humanity needs to build a carbon-neutral future. 2022 will see world leaders make important political decisions on nature, climate, and sustainable development. These decisions will affect the health of the planet and its future for decades to come.
In 2022, New Dreams International Little Illustrators' theme is "BLUE UP FOR TOMORROW" to raise awareness of the environment, but from a child's perspective and raise attention on the climate and the future of our children. Through art, reading, and hands-on activities, we are promoting cultural exchange between China and overseas, spreading positive energy and making the future blue again!
Dear young painters, what does the "Blue Future" look like to you?
Highlight of the Competition
- Reading + Painting + Public Welfare, perpetuating beauty and hope
The CCBF "New Dreams" International Little Illustrator Competition advocates the concept of "reading + drawing" and joins hands with Chinese and foreign professionals and social welfare organisations to promote the CCBF "New-Dream" global children's reading promotion programme. It is a cultural and art exchange programme for Chinese and foreign children whereby children from all over the world are encouraged to "open up the world with books and realise their dreams with art”.
- Bringing together international illustrators to help children's visual communication
The competition organising committee invites outstanding illustrators everywhere that can show international perspective and professional vision to be the judge in this competition. Through their eyes, we hope to find future master illustrators. We also invite young contestants who have previously won the competition to become the main visual illustrators of the forthcoming competition. The aim is to give young participants from home and abroad more opportunities to showcase their art and realise their dreams.
- Building an international exchange platform to spread the positive energy of China's environmental protection to the world
The organising committee of the competition invited N.O.C, a pioneer of environmental protection in China's oceans, to be the charity partner of the 2022 competition. By combining the efforts of various parties in the community to make a voice with children's drawings and call on the world to protect the blue planet.
Panel of Judges
Xiong Liang (China)
Chinese children's literature author, picture book illustrator and painter.
Xiong Liang's work delicately weaves elements of traditional Chinese culture and Eastern philosophy into his narratives. The lines and ink colors he uses in images and sceneries are contemporary, evoking a feeling of simplicity and innocence, as well highlighting his sense of humor and poetic style. His works span a number of fields, including children's books, illustrated novels for adults, plays, novels, and contemporary ink paintings. His creative and diverse approach to stories resonates with children and adult readers of different cultural backgrounds from around the world.His works include Chinese Edition, The Little Stone Lion, The Beijing Opera Cats series, Wandering with the Wind, The Solar Terms, Little MuKe, and Nian and the Boy. In 2014, Xiong Liang was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award and in 2018, he became the first Chinese artist chosen in the shortlist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
In 2020, on behalf of China, Xiong Liang was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest children's literature and juvenile literature award. This year, he was also nominated as an illustrator for a third time to participate in the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Awards.
Michael Ouzikov (Canada)
Artist, architect, designer, writer, author.
He graduated from the Yekaterinburg Art and Architectural University in 1990, with a Master's Degree in Art and Architecture. On top of this he completed one more year doing post-graduate work at Liverpool University School of Artists and Architects, in Liverpool, England, in 1990-91.
Michael has worked as a professional artist since 1985. He has taken part in more than 50 exhibitions in Russia, Europe, USA, China and Canada. Michael Ouzikov's paintings are found in many private collections in Russia, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Japan, Argentina, China and Portugal. Michael Ouzikov has works on permanent display at the Museum of Art (RAMA), Naples, Florida, USA, National Museum of Art in Ekaterinburg, National Museum of Art in Irbit, History Museum of War "Shuravi" in Ekaterinburg, and Museum of Art and Architecture in Ekaterinburg as well as in Sincere Museum of Shanghai, China.
Charly Cheung (HongKong, China)
An award-winning Illustrator.
She was born in Canada and based in HongKong, China now and she started doodling on scraps at 3 years old and her bedroom walls were always filled with finished jigsaw puzzles, the largest being over 2000 pieces! She graduated from University of the Arts - Central St Martins College of Art & Design and started her career in London, where ventured from Graphics, Visualisation, Branding, Character, Animation, Illustration and Fashion. She has won or been short-listed for several prestigious International illustration awards including Golden Dragon Awards, AOI World illustration Award, American Illustration Award and so on.
Competition Rules
Entry requirements
Competition is open to any individual child less than 16 years of age, irrespective of nationality. The competition is also open to entry by organisations. Entry is free of charge.
- Toddlers: Born after 1st June 2016
- Children: Born after 1st June 2011
- Teens: Born after 1st June 2006
Submission Requirements
- Original illustrations by children that fit the theme of the competition. We prefer to receive flat/2D works. There is no restriction on the type of medium or material. Children are encouraged to express themselves, using their own imagination to interpret the competition theme.
- Entries should be based on a story, with text and audio story description text from the youngster, with the drawing as an artistic representation of the story text—original artwork size: Not greater than 260mm*368mm (Canadian Tabloid) size paper.
- Works-of-art previously submitted to the Orange Dream Little Illustrator competition will not be accepted.
PS: Please keep your original artwork in a safe place and do not frame it; Original artwork must be provided for the finalists and winners and will not be returned; otherwise, it will be considered as forfeiting the award and the touring exhibition.
Submission Procedure
You can get the link: http://www.littleillustrators.booleco.com/en , to enter "The 2022 CCBF New Dream International Little Illustrator Competition". You can then follow the instruction and submit your entry online.
Submission Deadline
From now to 30th September, 2022 (GMT +8, 24:00)
Competition Timing：
Open for submission From now to 30th Sept 2022.
Outstanding Finalist announcement Oct 2022.
Winners' announcement Nov 2022.
Awarding e-certificate Nov-Dec 2022.
Online Exhibition and Itinerant Exhibition Dec 2022 to Jun 2023.
Prizegiving and Exhibition of Outstanding entries work at CCBF Nov 2023.
List of Prizes
- Outstanding Entry Award
- Winning Finalists Award
- Most Popular Award
- Five special awards (Best Creativity Award, Most Beautiful Art Award, Most Promising Artist Award, New Dream Star Award, Special Jury Nomination Award)
Contact Us
E-mail: littleillustrators@126.com
Wechat account: little_illustrators
Instagram: ccbflittleillustrators
2021 Winners
Li Jinjin | 2021 Judges Special Nomination Award, Artistic Beauty Award2021 Judges Special Nomination Award, Artistic Beauty Award | 13 years old
Liu Chulian | 2021 Judges Special Nomination Award, New Dreams Star Award | 4 years old
Wang Ruijia | 2021 Best in Creativity Award, Most Popular Work Award | 7 years old
Wu Junyi | 2021 Judges Special Nomination Award, Best in Creativity Award | 7 years old
Chen Nuanzhi | 2021 Artistic Beauty Award | 4 years old
Li Zhuoran | 2021 New Dreams Star Award | 14 years old
Liu Xiaowan | 2021 Most Promising Artist Prize | 4 years old
Tang Zile | 2021 Most Promising Artist Prize | 9 years old
Tao Xinyi | 2021 New Dreams Star Award | 9 years old
Wu Xinyun | 2021 Best in Creativity Award | 11 years old
Buksha Anastasia | 2021 Artistic Beauty Award | 13 years old
Zhukova Arina | 2021 Most Promising Artist Prize | 9 years old
