Call for Submissions: 2027 Silva Award
The search for new talent continues!
2027 Silva Award will focus on unpublished picture books for children aged 3-6.
The Silva Award is an international competition created to support original, thoughtful, and imaginative picture books for children. Our goal is simple: to discover new voices, nurture creative talent, and contribute to the future of children’s literature.
The Jury
Let’s meet the jury (in alphabetical order):
Barroux
Rob Hodgson
Zeynep Özatalay
Key Dates
Deadline: June 14, 2027
Winner announced: September 2027
What’s the Prize?
There will be one winner, who will receive:
- €2,000
- A publishing contract with Tudem Publishing Group
- A representation contract with Silva Literary Agency
What We’re Looking For
- Text-based picture books (fiction or non-fiction)
- Silent books (where the story is told entirely through illustrations)
- Projects created by individuals or teams
- All submissions must be unpublished, in English, and suitable for children aged 3 to 6.
What We’re NOT Looking For
- Previously awarded works
- Previously published works
- Works under contract with a publishing house
- Works currently represented by a literary agency
- Pop-up books
- AI-generated texts or illustrations
- Incomplete artwork, sketches, or unfinished projects
How to Submit Your Work
Don’t worry it is very easy to apply.
- All entries must be submitted electronically to the following email address:
competition@tudem.com - The email must be sent with these attachments:
- The PDF of the work
- Identity Form and Letter of Commitment, which must be signed and completed.
- Short biography of the artist(s)
* The PDF must be a single file not larger than 10 MB.
* The PDF file must contain the full text of the book.
* The PDF file name must include the participant’s nickname and the title of the work, as shown in the following example: ABCDE-TitleoftheWork.pdf
* The nickname must consist of exactly five (5) characters and must not contain or resemble the participant’s first name, last name, initials, pseudonym, or any other information that could reveal the participant’s identity. The nickname should not form a meaningful word or name.
*The participant’s real name or any other identifying information must not appear anywhere in the PDF file, including on the cover, interior pages, credits, copyright information, file name, or any other part of the submitted work.
*Submissions that do not comply with the nickname and anonymity requirements will be automatically disqualified.
Please read our Terms & Conditions carefully before submitting. They include all information about eligibility, format, and how to prepare and submit your entry.
→ Click here to download the Identity Form and Letter of Commitment.
About Us
The Silva Award is new — but we’re not new to discovering talent. For over 20 years, Tudem Publishing Group has organized the Tudem Literature Awards, one of the most respected literary competitions in Turkey. It has helped introduce many of the country’s leading children’s and YA authors to readers. With Silva, we’re opening the door wider — to connect with creators from around the world and support stories that resonate across borders.
We’re Excited to Read Your Work
We believe picture books can open doors, plant seeds, and sometimes change the course of a day — or a life. If you’re carrying a story like that, we’d be happy to read it.
Make us laugh. Make us pause. Make us want to read it again. Whatever your story holds – we’re ready.
