Introduction and Program Objectives
The 2nd “Go! Illustrators” – Hong Kong Picture Book Illustrators at International Book Fairs Promotion and Publishing Scheme (Support Scheme) aims to assist Hong Kong picture book illustrators in participating in international book fairs and related events, and to provide industry insights through a series of trainings for local illustrators and students from related stream. The program also focuses on nurturing eight local picture book illustrators, helping them enhance their creative skills, expand their market, and broaden their international perspectives. The specific support includes:
- Creation Subsidy and Professional Free Mentorship:
Selected picture book illustrators will be funded to create new works for the Silent Book Contest. They will also receive professional guidance and advice from mentors on pitching and publishing licensing skills before attending the book fairs. - Free Professional Training / Masterclass:
Experts from both local and overseas will conduct training sessions to improve the selected illustrators’ creative and marketing skills. The scheme will also assist in the creation of portfolios for the selected illustrators, increasing their chances of attracting potential collaborators. - Participation in Internation Book Fairs: In collaboration with the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, the Hong Kong Printers Association, and funded by the CCIDA, the “Soaring Creativity – Hong Kong Pavilion” project will support selected illustrators in participating in renowned book fairs such as the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2025 (BCBF) and the Beijing International Book Fair 2025 (BIBF). This will provide opportunities to meet publishers, editors, and illustrators from around the world and hold workshops and sharing sessions in the Hong Kong Pavilion at these two major book fairs. Mentors will accompany the selected illustrators to the fairs, helping them present their works to other exhibitors and editors, enhancing their chances of collaboration.
- Participation in the 2025 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF):
Together with the selected illustrators from the 1st “Go! Illustrators”, they will attend CCBF, showcasing both this year’s and last year’s selected illustrators’ picture book and illustration works, along with a sharing session at the fair. - Recommendation for International Competitions:
Selected illustrators will be recommended to participate in mainland and international picture book/illustration competitions, including: the Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2025, the Bologna Ragazzi Award, the Silent Book Contest, the BIBF International Illustration Awards, and the Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition.
Selection of Illustrators to Participate in the Program
The support program accepted applications from local picture book illustrators nominated by relevant projects under CCIDA, supporting organizations and institutions from July to August 2024. The applicants were then interviewed by the vetting committee members. Eight picture book illustrators were finally selected to participate in this program, which will be provided with training and support in expanding their overseas markets and broadening their international horizons.
Eligibility：- Hong Kong permanent residents
- Have their first published picture books (either as an illustrator or writer-illustrator) released within the past 12 years, OR have a strong picture book portfolio and have good potential and skill for picture book publishing if they have not yet published any picture book by the time of application and are nominated
- Required to attend all activities organized by this support scheme, including but not limited to the launch ceremony, training, mentoring, sharing sessions, as well as the following Mainland and overseas book fairs and picture book/illustration competitions:
- 2025 Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF)
- 2025 Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF)
- 2025 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF)
- 2025 Turin International Book Fair (*Only applicable to the finalist/ winner of 2025 Silent Book Contest)
- The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- The Bologna Ragazzi Award
- BIBF International Illustration Award
- Silent Book Contest
- Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition
- Demonstrate a strong potential for collaboration with Mainland and/or international publishers, and
- Good Chinese and English skills
Benefit for the Participants
Selected Illustrators
- Free professional mentoring:
- Silent Book Contest Creation: a total of 3 rounds of group mentoring will be scheduled to provide advice to selected illustrators.
- Pre-Fair Pitching & Publishing Licensing Skills: mentors will have one-on-one/group session with selected artists before attending the book fairs. The mentors will assist the selected illustrators on refining their portfolios to be presented at the book fairs, identify and prioritize the publishers, editors or writers to be met at the book fairs, and sharpen the selected artists’ pitching skills, with a view to enhancing their chances of collaboration with the international publishers, editors and writers attending the book fairs.
- Free professional training / masterclass:
- Local and oversea experts will be invited to deliver 6 training sessions to improve local picture book illustrators’ and comics artists’ creation techniques, including but not limited to storytelling, design and printing, and to facilitate them to embrace trending or future technology such as artificial intelligence and familiarize with business aspects of the industry, such as illustration and comics licensing, and trade show marketing skills.
- Attending 2025 Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) and China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) with the below support:
- Flight tickets and hotel accommodation will be provided.
- An industry professional will act as a mentor and help to arrange meetings with international publishers and editors at the book fairs.
- Promotional support will be provided. (e.g. portfolio printing, ad placement on fair booklet)
- Illustrators will be invited to hold a workshop or sharing session in the “Soaring Creativity – Hong Kong Pavilion” at the book fairs.
- Selected picture book illustrators will receive funding and competition-related support to participate in 5 mainland and international competitions, including:
- The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Silent Book Contest
- BolognaRagazzi Awards
- BIBF International Illustration Award
- Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition
- Other subsidy and coordination support will be provided:
- Creation subsidy (for Silent Book Contest; up to HKD $35,000 per illustrator)
- Travelling subsidy for Silent Book Contest Award (if they are being selected as finalist)
- Free professional training / masterclass:
Local and oversea experts will be invited to deliver 6 training sessions to improve local picture book illustrators’ and comics artists’ creation techniques, including but not limited to storytelling, design and printing, as well as to help them keep up with new trends and technologies, such as AI. Industry knowledge will be also provided with topics such as licensing and trade show marketing techniques - Mainland and Overseas Picture Book / Illustration Competition Details:
Encourage local picture book illustrators and students from related stream to participate in important picture book/illustration competitions in the mainland and overseas, and provide relevant information
Program Timeline
For the schedule of public trainings/ masterclass and competitions, please refer to “Activities and Gallery”.
| Date | Item |
|---|---|
| Jul – Aug 2024 | Accept applications from local picture book illustrators nominated by relevant projects under CCIDA, supporting organizations and institutions |
| Late Aug 2024 | Vetting and interviews will be conducted to select 8 picture book illustrators to participate in this program |
| Early Sep 2024 | Notify the 8 selected picture book illustrators |
| 17 Oct 2024 | Submission for Competition: The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair |
| Oct – Dec 2024 | Silent book creation mentoring (3 sessions) |
| 17 Dec 2024 | Submission for Competition: The Bologana Ragazzi Award |
| 17 Dec 2024 | Kick off ceremony cum sharing session (*Public Event) |
| Jan – Jun 2025 (TBC) | Mentoring & Training Sessions (*The training sessions are public events) |
| 30 Jan 2025 | Submission for Competition: Silent Book Contest |
| 31 Mar – 3 Apr 2025 | Attending 2025 Bologna Children’s Book Fair |
| Apr 2025 (The deadline is to be announced by the competition organizer) | Submission for Competition: BIBF International Illustration Award |
| Jun 2025 (The deadline is to be announced by the competition organizer) | Submission for Competition: Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition |
| 18 – 22 Jun 2025 | Attending 2025 Beijing International Book Fair |
| 2 Nov 2025 (The fair period is to be announced by the fair organizer) | Attending 2025 China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair |
| Dec 2025 (TBC) | Finale Event cum Masterclass (*Public Event) |