World Illustration Award: My Top Picks
The longlist for the World Illustration Awards 2026 has been announced - congratulations to all of the artists featured!
Each year, the awards offer the perfect opportunity to gather a little bit of insight into what’s going on in the illustration industry right now. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this year’s list feels notably full of work that is clearly human-made. As the illustrators rage against AI, it seems we are leaning towards creating things that are tactile, textured and imperfect - and all the better for it.
This year’s WIA longlist is full of gorgeous artworks, ranging from clever editorial illustration to eye-catching murals. Here are my top 15 picks…
Luca Kamilla Kuti
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Well done to each and every one of the super talented artists featured in this year’s longlist, and good luck with the rest of the competiton!
View the entire World Illustration Awards 2026 longlist here.