A unique international showcase of new trends in children’s book illustration, the Illustrators Exhibition offers artists from around the world a great visibility opportunity not only during the Bologna trade show but also during a two-year international tour to cultural venues in several different countries.
Unlike the sector-specialist public at Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the visitors to the itinerant exhibition will be primarily children, accompanied by their families or on a school visit.
Traditionally hosted by venues in Japan, South Korea and China, the Exhibition subsequently moves on each year to other countries as new projects develop.
Thanks to its partnership of over 40 years with JBBY Japan, the Illustrators Exhibition is a much-awaited, much-loved event in Japan, hosted by art museums in cities partners of the tour. Since 2016, China has become the second important leg of the international tour, hosting the Exhibition in art museums and art galleries throughout the country. As of 2019, South Korea became a new, permanent stop-over of the Illustrators Exhibition’s world tour!
The 2024 Illustrators Exhibition’s World Tour
After its Bologna debut 8 - 11 April 2024 and online presentation in the Galleries section of the BCBF website, the Illustrators Exhibition will start out on its traditional tour of Japan, followed by South Korea and China.
The first venues on the calendar are:
- Itabashi Art Museum (Tokyo) 2 July – 12 August 2024
- Otani Memorial Art Museum, Nishinomiya City (Hyogo) 17 August - 4 October 2024
The next dates in Korea and China of the two-year international tour will be published subsequently.
During its tour, the 2024 Illustrators Exhibition will also feature the solo exhibition of Andrea Antinori, winner of the 2023 Bologna Children’s Book Fair - Fundación SM International Illustration Award.