The Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017 Winners

Macmillan Children’s Books is delighted to announce the winners of the Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017.

Macmillan Children’s Books is delighted to announce the winners of the Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017. In what was an exceptional year for the competition, the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University has scooped a hat-trick win, with first, second and third-prize winners all alumni of their Art and Design courses.

First prize has been awarded to Elina Ellis, who is Ukrainian by nationality and now lives and works in Ely. Her winning entry was called ‘The Truth About Old People’. Waterstones bookseller and judge Leilah Skelton said of Elina’s entry: "What I loved about the winning submission was the energy and fun throughout, the assured use of line, and the brilliant message beneath the humour about challenging stereotypes."

Elina Ellis The Truth About Old People
The Truth About Old People - Elina Ellis

The second and third prizes were awarded respectively to Flavia Zorilla Drago from Mexico City (‘Where Do the Lost Things Go?’) and Fifi Kuo from Taiwan (‘Everyone Can Draw’).

Winners of Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2017
The winners with their tutor, Martin Salisbury and Chair of Judges, Chris Inns

The Macmillan Prize was established over 30 years ago by Macmillan Children’s Books in order to stimulate new work from young illustrators in art schools, and to help them take the first steps in their professional lives. This coveted award has discovered such talent as Emily Gravett, Lucy Cousins, Ross Collins and Gemma Merino, amongst many others.


Chris Inns, Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Books and Chair of Judges, says: “We are proud to host the 2017 Macmillan Prize for Illustration. Every year we are excited to see talented students from around the world focusing on the difficult task of creating a whole book in dummy form. The challenge of bringing together words and pictures with an understanding of narrative, characterisation, pacing and layout is a tough undertaking, and that’s before getting on to the crucial aspect of creating the art. Each year we are delighted by the response, and 2017 has been no exception. We have a diverse range of styles and approaches, displaying plenty of new talent on the horizon bringing original ideas and magnificent art to share with us.”


The 2017 judging panel was made up of renowned illustrator David Roberts; bookseller at Waterstones Doncaster Leilah Skelton; author and journalist for the Financial Times and the Observer, Hannah Beckerman; bestselling illustrator Lydia Monks; Publisher for Two Hoots, Suzanne Carnell and Chair of Judges, Chris Inns, Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Books.


The winning and highly-commended artwork was displayed to the public at the Coningsby Gallery in London from Tuesday 30th May 2017 - Friday 2nd June 2017.