Five Iranian illustrators reach finals of Shanghai Golden Pinwheel
Five Iranian artists were named among the 69 finalists of the 2025 Golden Pinwheel Young Illustrators Competition in Shanghai, according to the Iran Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults.
The annual contest, staged alongside the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), has grown into one of the world’s leading showcases for young talent, IRNA reported.
This year’s edition drew 2,828 submissions from 78 countries, with jurors selecting 50 works in the publishing category and 19 in the commercial category.
The Iranian finalists are Parvin Heydarizadeh, Mojdeh Kianzadeh, Bahareh Sa’adatmandi, Maryam Mahmoudi-Moghadam and Najla Mahdavi-Ashraf.
Mahdavi-Ashraf’s illustrations for ‘A Sun in the Turkmen Desert,’ published by the children’s cultural institute, were among the works chosen in the book section.
Organizers said the competition, launched in 2015, aims to “build bridges” between illustrators and publishers worldwide. It not only highlights emerging artists but also runs exhibitions, yearbooks and promotional campaigns.
The jury of eight includes experts from China, South Korea, Italy, Belgium, the United States and Germany. Winners will be announced at the book fair, with top prizes going to one Chinese and one international illustrator, along with a special award and a public choice prize.
The selected works will be featured in a dedicated catalog and displayed from Nov. 14 to 16, 2025, at the Golden Pinwheel showcase during the Shanghai fair.