PRESS RELEASE 3.10.2025

This year's Bratislava Biennial of Illustration (BIB) attracted 291 illustrators from 42 countries, who submitted 2,191 illustrations and 383 books. An international jury composed of 10 experts in the field of book culture ceremoniously awarded the Martina Šimkovičová Prize for the best illustrators of children's books at the Slovak National Gallery on October 3, 2025, in the presence of the Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic. Martina Šimkovičová, awarded prizes to the best illustrators of children's books, including 1 Grand Prix, 5 Golden Apples, 5 plaques, and honorable mentions to publishers. The winners of the BIB Children's Jury Prize and 5 nominees for the Poljablka Prize – honorary ambassadors of BIB who have contributed to the development of the Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations, especially abroad but also at home – were also awarded. The IBBY Ľudmila Podjavorinská Prize was also awarded. The awards ceremony is just the beginning of a rich program of accompanying events. The organizer, BIBIANA, wants to inspire its visitors to BIB 2025 and bring joy to all lovers of illustration from October 3, 2025, to January 11, 2026.

Even after sixty years of existence, the Bratislava Biennial of Illustration 2025 retains its international and cultural dimension with an emphasis on the development of illustration as an artistic and communicative form. "It is symbolic that the 30th anniversary edition returns to the Slovak National Gallery, where the biennial began professionally and organizationally in the International Cabinet of Illustration of the SNG in 1967. The BIB exhibition was installed in the exhibition spaces of the House of Arts," says Zuzana Jarošová, General Commissioner of BIB and Chair of the BIB International Committee. BIBIANA Director Petra Flach emphasizes: "The event has long served as a place for intercultural dialogue and the exchange of experiences between generations of illustrators. At the same time, it contributes to the promotion of illustrated books as a cultural and educational medium that appeals to both children and adult readers," she adds. For decades, the Biennial has been seeking out and presenting original illustrations from around the world, exhibiting them and awarding them prizes in Bratislava. Thanks to this, it has contributed to raising the artistic level of children's and youth books in more than a hundred countries on all continents. It connects cultures and personalities from different parts of the world who share a common goal—to bring the best to children.

Since its inception, BIB has been under the auspices of leading international organizations. Organized by BIBIANA – International House of Art for Children – with the support of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), this year's Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations 2025 is under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic Martina Šimkovičová and the Slovak Commission for UNESCO. "The organization of the 2025 edition is based on the approved statute and cooperation with foreign institutions, which nominate their illustrators through national sections or cultural partnerships," says Director Flach.

Award ceremony, October 3, 2025

The event includes an awards ceremony, with a panel of experts judging the visual originality, artistic quality, and contribution to the development of illustrated books. This year, the international jury, consisting of 10 members, awarded the following prizes:

Josep Antoni Tàssies Penella (Spain) – elected chair, Amanda Ariawan (Indonesia), Ellis Vance (USA), Felipe Cavalcante (Brazil), Hans ten Doornkaat (Switzerland), Paloma Catalina Valdivia Barría (Chile), Peter Pollág (Slovakia), Sahar Tarhandeh (Iran), Shi Yan (China), Steffen Larsen (Denmark)

The following awards were presented at the Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations:

The winner of the BIB 2025 Grand Prix was

NOUSHIN SADEGHIAN IRAN, for illustrations in the book Da’alova dcéra (Da’al’s Daughter).

The winners of the BIB Golden Apple Award 2025 are

ARMANDO FONSECA GARCÍA MEXICO, for illustrations in the book: The Animal in the Stone

DALE BLANKENAAR SOUTH AFRICA, for illustrations in the book: Miracles

FANNY DREYER SWITZERLAND, for illustrations in the book: Collections

KUN-WOONG PARK REPUBLIC OF KOREA: Sewol, for illustrations in the book: 1994-2014

PEILONG LIANG CHINA, for illustrations in the book: Water and Ink, Secrets of Colors

The BIB 2025 plaque was awarded to

ANNA CUNHA BRAZIL, for illustrations in the book: Maybe You Can Do It

ISABEL MARGARITA HOJAS LORET CHILE, for illustrations in the book: In the Circle

NANDO VON ARB SWITZERLAND, for illustrations in the book: Learning to Be Afraid

PETER UCHNÁR SLOVAKIA for illustrations in the book: Gulliver's Travels

XINYU DONG CHINA, for illustrations in the book: The Little Lion's Dance

Honorable mention to the publisher BIB 2025 was awarded to

For exceptional quality of publication

JENSEN DALGAARD Denmark, Signe Parkins: Per

As motivation for publishers in countries with less tradition in publishing books for children and young people

HUMI PUBLISHER Indonesia, Naidi Adka Zundaro: My Father is a Fisherman

OSU CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION Ghana, Edmund Opare: The Fisherman and His Wife

CIRANDA NA ESCOLA Brazil, Rodrigo Tridapalli Mafra: The Cashew Tree

As usual, non-statutory awards were also presented at BIB 2025. The Children's Jury Award went to CHIAKI OKADA from Japan for her illustrations in the book Two Red Gloves. The BIB Poljablko Award was presented to BASARAT KAZIM (Pakistan), ELIS VANCE (USA), FRED MINN (South Korea), MINGHZHOU ZHANG (China), and ZUZANA JAROŠOVÁ (Slovakia).

The IBBY-Ľudmila Podjavorinská Plaque was awarded to BASARAT KAZIM, President of IBBY, as a token of gratitude for her cooperation, helpfulness, and support in developing a safe cultural environment for children and young people within the framework of SK IBBY and BIB activities. The plaque was also awarded to Professor Marta Žilková for her lifelong contribution to media and radio production for children and for her systematic and constructive reflection on current works and important topics.

The Bratislava Illustration Biennial 2025 will offer visitors an exceptionally diverse program of exhibitions and accompanying events right in the center of the capital city. The Slovak National Gallery will host an international competitive exhibition featuring works by 291 illustrators from 42 countries, as well as the exhibition "BIB Retrospective," mapping the history of BIB since 1967. Another important exhibition is the "Hall of Fame" – an accompanying exhibition of notable domestic and foreign laureates – and the exhibition "LABYRINTH OF ART AND MIRROR OF THE SOUL – VINCENT HLOŽNÍK, ALBÍN BRUNOVSKÝ, DUŠAN KÁLLAY," which pays tribute to the global significance of the Slovak school of graphic design and illustration.

BIBIANA has prepared interactive tours and creative activities for children, while Bratislava Castle, the Slovak National Museum, and several foreign cultural institutes will offer thematic exhibitions of award-winning illustrators from France, Austria, Hungary, Poland, and Bulgaria. The program is complemented by Albín Brunovský's workshop in Svätý Jur, an international symposium on October 4–5, and a ballet performance of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Slovak National Theater, staged by the National Theater in Košice. This year's BIB combines original gems of world illustration with the vibrant life of Bratislava and offers experiences for all age groups.

Slovak National Gallery with a rich accompanying program during BIB 2025

The Director General of the Slovak National Gallery, Mgr. Art. Juraj Králik, states: "It is a great honor that after almost sixty years, the international exhibition Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava has returned to the premises of the Slovak National Gallery, where this world-renowned competition originally began. I consider BIB to be a national treasure, an exceptional and unique event that presents children's illustrations from around the world. At the same time, I am delighted that BIB 2025 is located in dignified exhibition spaces, as befits the world's largest exhibition of children's illustration."

BIB opening weekend marked by "illustration stars"

The opening program during the first weekend of October at BIB 2025 will feature two Slovak illustrator stars. Acclaimed illustrator and painter Peter Uchnár will be painting on the body of a real car on Saturday, October 4, starting at noon. This "happening" will take place in the gallery courtyard. The theme will be fairy-tale and fantasy characters. On the same day, October 4, the first workshop for children will be held with another prominent illustrator, Martin Kellenberger, starting at 2 p.m. in the gallery's children's studio. Another well-known Slovak illustrator and painter who will lead some of the workshops for the public during the following weekends is Milina Zimková.

Accompanying program for the public from October to mid-January

During BIB 2025, the SNG has prepared a special accompanying program for families with children and adults. Workshops for the public are held every weekend at the SNG studio. A rich educational program has been prepared for kindergartens, elementary schools, and high schools, where students can enjoy unique activities that introduce them to the world of illustration and book art. Selected workshops will be led by internationally renowned Slovak illustrators Martin Kellenberger and Milina Zimková. More information about the accompanying program of BIB 2025 can be found at https://sng.sk/sk/sng-bratislava/vzdelavanie.

Presskit BIB 2025:

BIBIANA_Presskit.pdf

BIB 2025 protocols:

BIB_Protocol_2025_ENG_FINAL.pdf

BIB_protokol_2025_SVK_FINAL.pdf

30th anniversary edition of the Bratislava Biennial of Illustrations, a world-class competition returns to Bratislava!

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