A new international illustration award and exhibition is set to take flight next year thanks to Fremantle children’s bookstore Paper Bird. 

For its 10th anniversary, the store has teamed up with an international publishing house for the Paper Bird Illustration Exhibition and Thames & Hudson Illustration Award.

Paper Bird director Jennifer Jackson says there’s a “growing appetite for illustrated texts”, helping to develop stronger visual literacy which is critical for engaging young readers and hatching brighter minds.

“There’s a growing interest and industry in the art of illustration, and we’re really lucky in WA and particularly in Fremantle, where we have a really great group of illustrators and courses in illustration,” Ms Jackson said.

• A survivor in a digital world, Paper Bird is a mecca for young bookworms.

The award is open to both established and emerging illustrators from across the globe.

“We wanted to bring a sense of what’s happening around the world, not just in our little microcosm,” Ms Jackson said.

“Being able to bring some of the artwork here to Fremantle to inspire our illustrators and young emerging illustrators, we thought would be really cool.”

Thanks to the involvement of international illustrator Felita Sala on the award’s judging panel, the event has already attracted international interest, particularly in Italy.

Bologna

Ms Sala is also involved in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the largest in the world.

“There’s really nothing for illustrators in terms of exhibition opportunities and book fairs in the southern hemisphere,” Ms Jackson said, adding there could be potential to take the exhibition or something similar over east.

“There’s a really good opportunity, considering how many fantastic illustrators we have in Australia, let alone in Fremantle.

“There’s such an opportunity to develop more exhibitions and book fairs and focus on the talent that we have here.

“Children’s literature generally needs more attention.

• Paper Bird director Jennifer Jackson

“It’s one arm of improving Australian literacy, it’s where you start… visual literacy through illustration is a big factor of literacy and it really is a way in to getting kids literate and adults literate,” Ms Jackson said.

Following a digital exhibition, 50 artists will then be invited to display physical pieces in the Moore and Moore gallery with the winner taking home $5000 and a consultation opportunity with publisher Thames & Hudson. 

“It’s wonderful to see a new platform to showcase the talents of illustrators,” Thames & Hudson Australia children’s publisher and award judge Clair Hume said.

“For many of us, childhood picture books were the first art galleries we ever knew.”  

Submissions are now open for the award, which will be held in May 2026.

by GUS CULLEN