Two Ukrainian illustrators win World Illustration Awards 2026
Clinton Campbell, co-founder and director of Muti studio, also shared his impressions of the competition. He judged the Site Specific category at the World Illustration Awards 2026.
The Ukrainian artists won awards in two professional categories.
Marharyta Winkler won the Professional Animation category with her animated short film "Dreamtracks."
"It is both my love letter to train travel across Ukraine, born from a deep longing for home, and an attempt to capture the dreamlike state of suspension between destinations," the artist said of her work.
The animated short film was completed in spring 2025 as the culmination of the illustrator's journey toward her master's thesis at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Alina Kovtun won the Professional Book Covers category. She received the award for an alternative cover for Mona Awad's novel "Bunny."
"The book's unsettling atmosphere, dark humor, and blurred line between reality and imagination inspired me to explore a surreal and symbolic visual language," she said of her work on the design.
Winkler and Kovtun also spoke about their victories and shared their impressions on social media.
Background
Marharyta Winkler is a Ukrainian artist who currently lives in Vancouver, Canada. She creates illustrations, book covers, and hand-drawn animation. In 2023, she received a Fulbright grant to pursue a master's degree in the US, and in 2025, she graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Master of Fine Arts degree in illustration.
Alina Kovtun is an illustrator and designer from Kyiv, Ukraine. What began as a personal hobby grew into a professional creative practice. She has created works for books, magazines, and independent brands. Her illustrations explore emotions, characters, and playful visual storytelling.
The World Illustration Awards are considered one of the most prestigious international prizes in illustration. The British Association of Illustrators founded the awards in cooperation with the Directory of Illustration. The award has existed since 1976 and recognizes illustrative works from around the world. Both established professional illustrators and beginners can submit their works to the competition.
All works by this year's winners are available on the awards website via the link. The organizers also published the jury lineup for the World Illustration Awards 2026 there.
Earlier reports said works by 12 Ukrainian authors and artists of Ukrainian origin made it onto the longlist for the World Illustration Awards 2026.
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10 of September 2026
