Award info
Each year, a rotating panel of judges will provide an assignment and will judge the submissions. The theme and specific assignment will change year to year, but the general goal will be to show sequence and narrative. The prize is an all-expense-paid trip to the SCBWI New York Winter Conference. The winning illustrations will be displayed during the New York Portfolio Showcase (in conjunction with the conference). We will also have an online gallery displaying the submissions to the award for any member who submitted to the award and wants to participate.
Submissions for 2023 will reopen October 1 through October 31, 2023. Prompt will be announced soon.
The 2022 prompt was "Tiny Wonders". Congratulations to our 2022 winner, Annie Herzig! Learn more about Annie Herzig’s work at https://annieherzig.com or
@annieherzig on Instagram.
Submission Guidelines
The submission will consist of a sequence of either three or four images, without text.
Your art style and visual story must be appropriate for one of these two specific audiences/book genres (Choose one):
Full color, intended for a picture book for 4 to 7-year-olds
Black and white, intended for a middle grade book for 8 to 11-year-olds
Submit one PDF of your images. (Maximum file size 20 MB) You may also submit one image (PNG or JPG) to be included in the Narrative Art Award Gallery.
Failure to follow these guidelines will result in exclusion from the online gallery.
For questions, email sarahdiamond@scbwi.org.
Criteria
The judges will look for images that reflect a range and progression of mood and emotion, and that tell your story with clarity and nuance. The narrative qualities of the submission will be considered, as will the effectiveness of the design and composition of the images. Whether you choose to submit three images or four images will not factor into the judging.
Prize
The prize is an all-expense-paid trip to the SCBWI New York Winter Conference. The winning illustrations will be displayed during the New York Portfolio Showcase (in conjunction with the conference).
Optional Online Gallery
Q. Is the competition open to everyone – published and pre-published? A. Yes! This is open to anyone who is a current SCBWI member, whether you are published or pre-published.
Q. Does the story need to be my original idea? A. The images you draw can either be based on a story or incident of your own invention, or from the public domain.
Q. Do the three or four images have to tell a complete story? A. No, your three or four images can portray a smaller moment within a bigger story.
For other questions about the SCBWI Narrative Art Award, please email sarahdiamond@scbwi.org.
