Opening for entries soon!   Opening for entries soon! Opening for entries soon!   Opening for entries soon!   Opening for entries soon!  

Plymouth
Illustration 
Awards 

The Plymouth Illustration Awards recognise and platform outstanding illustration from within the UK, run by BA (Hons) Illustration at Arts University Plymouth.

The 2027 award opens for entries from November 2026.
 The deadline for submissions is midnight, 1st March 2027.

News

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Awards

There are three awards soon open for entries, supported our generous sponsors:



College Illustration AwardFor current UK college students over 16 who haven’t done a degree. Prize sponsored by GF Smith: GF Smith paper sketchbooks and supplies.
Student Illustration Award For current UK BA students over 18 who are still undergraduates. Prize sponsored by Cass Art:  £100 to spend at Cass Art.
Graduate Illustration Award For those who graduated a UK BA course in the last 3 years. Prize sponsored by the AOI: Year AOI Membership + Folio

2027 Awards Timeline

  • November 2026: Awards open for entries
  • Midnight 1st March 2027: Deadline for entries
  • March / April 2027: Judging for shortlist
  • April 2027: Shortlist announced & featured online
  • April / May 2027: Judging for winners
  • June 2027: Winners Announced

2026 Shortlist Galleries

New Talent 
Shortlist GalleryStudent 
Shortlist GalleryGraduate 
Shortlist Gallery

2026 Award Winners

Emerging Talent Award 

For anyone over 16 and not yet studying a degree.

Winner:

Jing Zhou
blushwilder
Jing’s submission had a strong presence and lasting effect on each of the judges. 

The work has a wonderfully contemporary feel whilst suggesting nostalgia through the colour choices and subject matter. 

The judges loved the subtle storytelling present in Jing’s work with questions being asked about the narratives on first and seconds visits to the piece.

Student Award 
For anyone over 18 and currently studying a degree.

Winner:

Myrtle Lily
myrtle_lily_
illustration
Myrtle’s multi-page submission is ambitious, curious and confident. The work is accompanied by a written narrative but it was the soft painting techniques and warming lighting effects that got the judges speaking. 

A lovely mixture of landscape, people and place. This work feels deeply personal and explorative. The judges loved it!

Graduate Award 

For anyone who completed a degree in the last 3 years.

Winner:

Yulia Shchelkunova
yuliashchelkunova
Yulia’s work is a confident mark in the space of commercial illustration. 

Characters are bold and confident and the interesting perspectives present across the submission make for an interesting an at times humorous narrative. 

Contact

illustration@aup.ac.uk  
@aup_illustration  
BA (Hons) Illustration at AUP
Arts University Plymouth



About

The Plymouth Illustration Awards are run by BA (Hons) Illustration at Arts University Plymouth, organised by joint Course Leaders Ben Wright and Sam Rowe. The awards were established in 2025 and run annually – with entries welcomed from across the UK.