Grand Prix Awarded to Astrid Verplancke for 'Account of the Shipwreck' at the NAMI CONCOURS 2026

- A total of 1,932 works from 90 countries were submitted.

- The winners were selected through two rounds of judging by an international jury of five picture book experts. 

- The 18 awarded works will be presented through exhibitions and interactive programs during the 2026 Nami Island International Children's Book Festival (NAMBOOK 2026) in May.

The final winners of the NAMI CONCOURS 2026 (Nami Island International Picture Book Illustration Concours) have been officially announced on the competition’s website. Held biennially since 2013, the Nami Concours marks its seventh edition this year. During the two-month submission period that began last August, a total of 1,932 entries from 90 countries were submitted.

The judging process was conducted rigorously over two rounds by an international jury of five experts in the field of picture books. Following online and offline blind voting and evaluation procedures, a total of 18 winning works were selected at the final deliberation meeting held in Seoul, South Korea.

The Grand Prix was awarded to Astrid Verplancke (Belgium) for her work, Account of the Shipwreck. The jury praised the work for constructing an expressive narrative that captures delicate emotions through techniques rooted in painterly tradition, presenting a fresh and distinctive visual language. The Golden Island Awards were presented to Hadi Baghdadi (Iran) for El último safari (The Last Safari) and Armando Fonseca (Mexico) for The Animal in the Stone.

Among South Korean artists, Sohee Hong (Revenge Is Mine) and Doeun Choi (The Layered City) were honored with Purple Island Awards, highlighting the growing prominence of South Korea’s illustration scene. 

The prizes include USD 10,000 for the Grand Prix (one winner), USD 5,000 each for the Golden Island Awards (two winners), and USD 2,000 each for the Green Island Awards (five winners). Purple Island Award recipients (ten winners) will receive certificates and commemorative plaques. The winning works will be widely promoted through various platforms, including domestic and international exhibitions, catalogues, videos, and printed materials.

The award-winning works will be presented to global artists and picture book professionals at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy this April. In addition, during the NAMBOOK 2026 (Nami Island International Children's Book Festival) in May, a range of programs including exhibitions of the winning works and Meet the Author sessions will be presented. 

The Award Ceremony, scheduled for May 14, will take place during the festival period. International jurors and award-winning artists will visit Nami Island in person to celebrate the award winners’ achievements together.

Hosted by Nami Island, one of Korea’s leading cultural arts platforms and international tourist destinations, further details about the NAMI CONCOURS 2026 can be found on the website (www.namiconcours.com) or via the Secretariat (+82-2-318-6290). 

Further information on the NAMBOOK 2026 Festival is available at both the Nami Island official website (www.namisum.com) and the NAMBOOK 2026 Festival official website (www.nambookfestival.com). 

Published on Dec. 23, 2025 by JoongAng Daily

(중앙일보 국문 기사 하단 링크 참조)

(https://www.joongang.co.kr/article/25392178)