Post Wave Publishing’s inaugural illustration prize for children’s books will open for entries on 1st October 2025 with the theme Time for Tea.

The prize is open to emerging and aspiring illustrators, aged 18 or over, who are not yet commercially published or commissioned in children’s books. Entries will be accepted from illustrators based anywhere in the world. The winning work, announced in March 2026, will be displayed on the Post Wave Publishing stand at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April 2026.

The prize is supported by Anxi County Historical and Cultural Research Association, Fujian Province, China. The region is known for its rich folk culture, particularly its tea culture.

The winner will receive a £3,000 (approximately $4,000) cash prize and a fully funded creative trip to the Anxi region of China.

The panel of judges will include international staff from Post Wave’s Berlin, London, New York and Shanghai offices, industry experts, prize-winning illustrators and a representative from Anxi County.

Xingyuan Wu, Owner and Founder of Post Wave, says: “We are excited to launch this prize globally to support and nurture emerging illustrators as they take their first steps into the children’s book world.”

Emma Hopkin, Managing Director of Post Wave Publishing UK, says: “This prize will help us in our mission to publish titles that visually delight children. We are excited to see the submissions and hope this will become a widely recognised annual award for emerging illustrators.”

For full details and the entry form visit: https://postwavepublishing.com/about/post-wave- prize-for-illustration/

For further information, please contact: [email protected]

Check out our feature Industry Insights - Post Wave Children's Books to read about the launch of Post Wave Children's Books in the UK.