Introduction and Program Objective
Organised by the Innovative Entrepreneur Association (IEA) and sponsored by Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as the Sponsor – Go! Illustrators – Hong Kong Picture Book Illustrators at International Book Fairs Promotion Scheme (The Scheme) \ aims to assist Hong Kong’s emerging picture book illustrators to participate in international book fairs and related activities, and provide industry information to local picture book illustrators and students from related stream through a series of trainings. The program focuses on nurturing eight new local picture book illustrators to help them improve their creative skills, expand their markets and broaden their international horizons. Specific support includes:
- Provide professional creative guidance and training workshops
- Encourage and sponsor them to participate in important picture book/illustration competitions in the Mainland and overseas
- Arrange for them to attend the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy and the Beijing International Book Fair, and discuss cooperation with publishers and industry peers from all over the world
Selection of Illustrators to Participate in the Program
The support program accepted applications from local picture book illustrators nominated by relevant projects under CreateSmart Initiative (CSI), supporting organizations and institutions from July to August 2023. The applicants were then being 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 broaden their international horizons.
Eligibility:- Hong Kong permanent residents
- Only accept nominations from relevant projects under CreateSmart Initiative (CSI), supporting organizations and institutions
- The first picture book must be published within 12 years
- 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:
Book Fair
- Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF)
- Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF)
- The Turin International Book Fair (*Only applicable to the winner of Silent Book Contest)
- China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) (*Only applicable to the winner of Golden Pinwheel International Young Illustrators Competition)
- The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Silent Book Contest
- BIBF Ananas International Illustration Exhibition
- Silent Book Contest
- Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition
- 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 help the selected artists tailor-make marketing kits for and refine 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 to improve local picture book illustrators’ and comics artists’ illustration and comic 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 Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) & Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) 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 in the book fairs.
- Promotion support will be provided. (e.g. portfolio printing, ad placement on fair booklet)
- Illustrators will be invited to hold a paid workshop in the Hong Kong Pavilions in the book fairs.
- Selected illustrators will be required to join 4 illustration competitions including:
- The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Silent Book Contest
- BIBF Ananas International Illustration Exhibition
- Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition
- Subsidy and coordination support will be provided:
- Application Fee subsidy (Silent Book Contest)
- Creation subsidy (for Silent Book Contest; up to $35,000 per illustrator)
- Travelling subsidy for Silent Book Contest and Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition (if they are being selected as finalist)
- Coordination support for application submission (e.g. submit the application in bulk to the organizers)
- Free professional training / masterclass:
- illustrators, 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 illustration and comic licensing and trade show marketing techniques
- Mainland and Overseas Picture Book / Illustration Competition Details:
- Encourage local picture book illustrators and students from related departments 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” for details.
| Date | Item |
| July – Sep 2023 | Accept applications from local picture book illustrators nominated by relevant projects under CreateSmart Initiative (CSI), supporting organizations and institutions, to select illustrators to participate in this program, which will be provided with training and support in expanding their overseas markets and broaden their international horizons. |
| 27 Sep 2023 | Project Briefing Session |
| Oct 2023 | Submission for Competition: The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair |
| Oct – Jun 2023 | Mentoring & Training Sessions |
| Dec 2023 | Kick off ceremony cum masterclass |
| Feb 2024 | Submission for Competition: Silent Book Contest |
| 8 – 11 Apr 2024 | Attending Bologna Children’s Book Fair |
| Apr 2024 | Submission for Competition: BIBF Ananas International Illustration Exhibition |
| Jun 2024 | Submission for Competition: Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition |
| 19 – 23 Jun 2024 | Attending Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) |
| Aug / Sept 2024 | Post-book fairs Experience Sharing Session cum Masterclass |