LONDON.- The V&A announces the shortlisted artists for the V&A Illustration Awards 2018, a celebration of the best of book, editorial and student illustrations published over the last year. From a dystopian interpretation of the Vatican to a moving depiction of cyber-bulling, this year’s entries are broad in scope and ambitious in imagination.

The winning published entries will be judged by Frank Skinner, writer and comedian, Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, and Sally Hales, Editor of Artists & Illustrators Magazine. The 2018 Student Illustrator of the Year Award judging panel comprises A. Richard Allen, V&A Illustration Awards 2017 winner and Martin Colyer, writer, art director and musician. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the V&A on 15 May 2018, the same day the display will open.

The winners of each of the four categories – best illustrated book, book cover design, editorial illustration and student illustrator – will each receive £3,000 and a trophy. The overall winner will receive an additional £5,000 and will be honoured with the Moira Gemmill Illustrator of the Year Prize, named in memory of the late Moira Gemmill, the V&A’s former Director of Design.

Julius Bryant, Keeper of Word & Image, said: “The Museum aims to encourage and reward the best quality book, journalistic and student illustration in the UK from the previous year. This initiative is core to the ambitions and aspirations of the V&A. As well as offering prize money to winners we also display their work in a gallery and occasionally commission or acquire artwork to realise our commitment to this creative industry.”

Previous winners of the Illustration Awards include Sir Quentin Blake, Ralph Steadman, Posy Simmonds, Sara Fanelli, and Yasmeen Ismail. The competition has been running since 1972.