There’s a big news for this third edition:
The Audience Award!


Whether you are at the exhibition right now or here online to explore the 30 selected artworks of BOit – Beyond Bologna International Illustration Contest, you can vote here:

The big news is here! We have a date for the exhibition of the third edition of BOit!

We are thrilled to invite you to the opening of the exhibition for the third edition of BOit! International Illustration Contest! In this day will be announced and awarded the 3 winning illustrations!

The exibithion opening will take place on Monday, September 11th, at 6:00 PM, at the Piazza Coperta of the Sala Borsa Library in Bologna (Italy). The exhibition will be held in the Scuderie Hall and will be open during the public library’s opening hours, from September 11th to September 30th, 2023.

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Selection of illustrations from the past contest editions

The idea

BOit! is an international illustration contest open to creative people from every background.

The project wants to promote creative work, facilitate networking and exchange between artists, including non-professional artists and people belonging to protected categories. In each edition, artists are asked to propose their vision of the city of Bologna addressing the chosen topic along with a “shape”.

In each edition, artists are asked to propose their vision of the city of Bologna addressing the chosen topic along with a “shape”

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Chiara Boschiero for the idea of the competition, to Renata Giannelli for the conception and realization of the competition logo, to Simona Boldini for the idea of the name BO it! and thanks to Neva Frau, president of That’s a Mole! Association for the inspiration.

BOit! Bologna city

2023 Edition

The international call is open to everyone, the only limit is beeing older than 18. It’s possible to participate individually or collectively. The jury will select 30 artworks, including three winners (one of the prizes will be reserved for an artist in the protected categories).

The “shape” of the third edition of the contest represents the outline of the city of Bologna (“cresta” or “circla”) which recalls the cell of a beehive.

The theme of this edition focuses on climate change and carbon neutrality. Along with 100 other cities, Bologna is selected to become a carbon neutral city by 2030. Thanks to the powerful and original contributions of image creators entering the contest, the project wants to promote the city’s image beyond it’s limits.

 

 

BOit! the shape

Prizes

1) First Prize Sconfinando Bologna | € 800 and a solo exhibition at the Millennium Gallery in Bologna at Palazzo Gnudi on a date to be determined (by May 2024).

2) Second Prize Un segno d’impatto with the sponsorship of zeroCO2 | € 500,00

3) Third Prize | A voucher to the value of 200€ for the purchase of fine arts instruments and materials

4) Audience award | the first prize in BO it! history to be granted by the citizens of Bologna themselves.

The winning illustrations will be published in the Annual 2024 of Image Authors Association (AI), partner of BOit! International Contest

The selected works, along with the three winning works, may receive special mentions and will be exhibited to the public in a collective exhibition. The selected artworks will also be published in a catalog and will circulate around Italy through a traveling exhibition in bookstores throughout 2023-24. Each selected illustrator will be honored with the adoption of a tree by zeroCO2

boit! prizes

1. Open Call!

May 15, 2023

The illustration contest is international and it is possible to participate individually or collectively. Artworks, unpublished and original, can be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (CEST) on Monday, May 15, 2023 through the dedicated form in the ENTER THE CONTEST of this site.

2. Outcomes

End of June 2023

The 30 finalist works will be selected at the sole discretion of the jury composed of illustration and visual communication experts and representatives of sponsoring institutions by June 2023. Selected works will be communicated by contacting the finalists, and the results will be published through the competition’s institutional channels.

3. Exhibitions

Summer 2023 … 2024

The official exhibition of the finalist artworks will be presented in the city of Bologna, along with a catalog and will be organized a series of activities about the results of the contest, including traveling exhibitions in bookstores throughout the biennium 2023-2024, until the next edition of the prize!