Ukrainian Illustrators Yulia Gwilym and Jenya Polosina Win Honors at 2025 World Illustration Awards

Ukrainian illustrators Yulia Gwilym and Jenya Polosina have been honored at the prestigious World Illustration Awards 2025.

According to Chytomo on September 17, citing the UK Association of Illustrators, more than 4,700 works were submitted to the competition this year, with 200 shortlisted by the jury.

Both Ukrainian artists received Highly Commended awards in different categories.

In the Book Covers category, Jenya Polosina was recognized for her illustration for H. G. Wells’ short story collection The Country of the Blind, published by One More Page.

Meanwhile, in the Children’s Book Illustration category, Yulia Gwilym was awarded for her illustrations for the book Kryak! desigmed for The Old Lion Publishing House.

Previously, three more Ukrainian illustrators had been named to the longlist of the World Illustration Awards 2025.

Among the highlighted Ukrainian works is a reinterpretation of the cover for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by Viktoriia Kienko, created as part of an academic assignment at the Lviv National Academy of Arts.

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Also featured is a series of illustrations by Iryna Babanina for Gelsomino in the Country of Liars by Italian author Gianni Rodari, developed as her graduation project at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture.

Another recognized work is The Story of a Rabbit by Maria Tikhanova, a visual narrative depicting a small animal’s perspective on the devastation of war.

Earlier, Ukrainian illustrator Jenya Polosina received a top distinction at the 44th American Illustration Awards for her collage Four Scenarios for Ukraine’s Endgame, originally created for an article in The New York Times.

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