The Book Illustration Competition 2017 Announces Longlist

London, 1 February 2017: Today, The Folio Society and House of Illustration are thrilled to announce the longlist for the annual Book Illustration Competition (#BIC2017).

Now in its seventh year, The Book Illustration Competition is a partnership between The Folio Society and House of Illustration. To date, the competition has distributed nearly £45,000 worth of prizes and has received thousands of entries.

From hundreds of excellent entries, 23 have been selected for the longlist for 2017. The winner will receive a prestigious £5,000 commission from The Folio Society to illustrate their new edition of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, and the five other entrants who complete the shortlist will each receive £500. As part of the Book Illustration Competition’s committment to nurturing new talent, the judging panel ensures that students form part of the shortlist.

The difficult task of selecting the longlist fell to Sheri Gee, Art Director at The Folio Society, and Colin McKenzie, Director of House of Illustration.

Sheri Gee noted the skill of this year’s entrants in fitting with Folio’s other Austen titles: ‘The entrants did a fantastic job of working with our existing series style, producing binding designs that would work seamlessly in our Jane Austen series. It’s no mean feat to adapt to a 2-colour, graphic style for a binding, particularly when the illustration style is more fluid or painterly. Well done, all.’

‘The process of judging the longlist was, as ever, a fascinating one,’ said Colin McKenzie. ‘We particularly enjoyed the wide range of different approaches taken and have a very strong longlist.’

Entries were received from 26 countries including the USA, Malaysia, Latvia and India, and 30% of them were from students. All 23 of the longlisted entries will be on display at House of Illustration, Kings Cross, London, alongside an exhibition of ten artists’ work already published by The Folio Society from 11 February to 12 March 2017.

This year also sees the introduction of a stand alone Visitors’ Choice award, voted for both at the exhibition and online (www.houseofillustration.org.uk/BIC-visitors-choice-award). The Visitors’ Choice can be selected from any of the longlisted entries.The winning artist and one member of the public who voted for them will select £100 worth of books from The Folio Society and a one-year membership to House of Illustration.

The winner and shortlist will be selected from the longlist by eminent historian and authority on all things Austen, Lucy Worsley; Sheri Gee, Art Director and Tom Walker, Editorial Director both from The Folio Society; Colin McKenzie, Director and Olivia Ahmad, Curator both from House of Illustration and Alan Marks, winner of the 2016 Book Illustration Competition. The awards will be announced and presented by Lucy Worsley at an exclusive ceremony at House of illustration on 23 February 2017.