SCBWI-IL Masthead Contests

Masthead Design Brief: The Great Create

We invite Illinois members to create a masthead for our 2027 Spring Retreat event. Your illustration will help set the tone for this occasion!

Objective: Design an illustration that incorporates the theme "The Great Create".

Let your imagination run wild! Reflect on the mood, tone, color palette, and story you want to convey in your design.

The chosen masthead will be used in all promotions for the 2027 Spring Retreat event, including various social media platforms. The illustrator of the winning design will receive credit wherever the masthead appears. The chosen illustrator must be an Illinois resident.

CONTEST RULES:

• You must be a current SCBWI Member to enter.
• You must be a resident of Illinois. Residency is determined by where you pay state taxes.
• There is only one entry per member.
• Art should be in JPEG format, size 1485 x 810 (200 PPI or higher)
• File Naming: LastName_FirstName.jpg (i.e. Previn_Stacey.jpg)
• Upload your files using our Google Form
• Entries must be uploaded by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, December 1st, 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
• Entry must include this text within the image: “SCBWI-Illinois 2027 Spring Retreat: The Great Create”
• The winning Masthead will be used to promote the 2027 Spring Retreat event, including various social media platforms.
• All entries will be placed into an online gallery or Google Form and voted on by fellow SCBWI-Illinois members.
• Voting will take place from December 3-5, 2026.
• The winner will be announced by Monday, December 7th, 2026.
• The winning illustrator will be credited wherever the winning design is used to promote the event.
• You may not have won a Masthead scholarship in the past 12 months.

PRIZE: The winning illustrator will receive their choice of ONE of the following prizes:

• FREE in-person attendance to the 2027 Spring Retreat, which includes three craft workshops, a roundtable session with a faculty member of your choice, post-event submission opportunities, and time to write, draw, socialize, and create. Room and board may be added for an additional fee at registration.
• FREE online attendance at the 2027 Spring Retreat, which includes a written critique with a faculty member of your choice, access to recordings from the in-person event for 30 days, and post-event submission opportunities. An optional virtual roundtable may be added for an additional fee at registration.
• A $75 gift card to Dick Blick's plus access to recordings of the event for 30 days after.

Second place illustrator will receive access to recordings of the event for 30 days after.

Entry must be submitted using the form by 11:59 pm on December 1, 2026.

SUBMIT NOW

QUESTIONS? Email Stacey Previn