Sharjah24: The ongoing Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) for many may be all about books, animation and superheroes. But for some of the world’s most promising illustrators for children’s books, this 12-day event being organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) at the Sharjah Expo Centre until May 12 is arguably the biggest stage to be on.

Take Laura Merz of Finland, for example. Her stunning ink and digital art piece The Last Drop is one of the several shortlisted artworks at this year’s Sharjah Exhibition for Children’s Book Illustrations that’s hosting dozens of select works of artists like her this year from around the world. 

What makes the exhibition truly diverse is the genres of artworks on display thanks to creators like Japanese Kaori Nishimura who’s showcasing her mixed media piece called Japanese Animal and Mexican Victor Serrano Orozco who’s in the spotlight for his digital art creation My Grandmother is Magical.

Launched in 2012 through the support and sponsorship of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the exhibition today provides a unique creative interactive space that every year features a growing number of world class illustrations in children’s books by artists like Merz, Nakamura and Orozco. 

The trio this year faces strong competition from regional artists like Mohamad Alhamou of Syria whose surreal digital artwork Hope and Lebanese Maya Majdalani’s coloured pencil creation called My Dear are all in the reckoning for the top prize of USD 8,000.

The total prize pool of the award amounts to USD 21,000 with the runner up taking home USD 6,000 and the third-place winner taking USD 4,000. In addition, there are three encouragement prizes, each valued at USD 1,000.

The exhibition features a diverse collection of illustrations from a wide range of children's books, spanning various genres and styles and countries as diverse as Egypt, Iran, China, Portugal and Poland. From whimsical watercolours to vibrant digital art, the exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind some of their favourite stories, for anyone visiting the 12-day festival. 

Free masterclasses for budding artists

Budding artists visiting the festival also have an opportunity to dabble in painting while attending daily free masterclasses on the sidelines of the exhibition that is open to the public and will run until May 12, allowing visitors plenty of time to explore the beautiful artworks on display.

In addition to the exhibition, the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival also features a wide range of activities and events, including author talks, storytelling sessions, workshops, and more.