Organizer Information:

This award is organized by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), the Instituto Español Oceanográfico (IEO-CSIC), and the Associació Catalana de Comunicació Científica (ACCC). It aims to promote scientific culture and encourage the development of scientific illustration.

Title & Description:

Applications opened in February 2026 for the 13th edition of the ILLUSTRACIENCIA Award.

Participants are invited to submit illustrations related to science and nature across three main categories:

  1. Scientific: Focused on communicative effectiveness and rigorous graphic data representation (taxonomy, processes, diagrams).
  2. Naturalist: Detailed and faithful representations of nature, prioritizing morphological fidelity and technical quality.
  3. Marine Sciences ("Luisa de la Vega"): A special category representing marine environments, biodiversity, ecological processes, and ocean conservation.

From all entries, a jury will select 40 works for a traveling exhibition, from which the final winners will be chosen.

Category:

Scientific & Nature Illustration.

(Technique is free, but the work must clearly fit one of the three scientific/naturalist categories).

Eligibility:

  • Who: Individual artists or teams of artists aged 18 and over.
  • Scope: International / Worldwide.
  • Exclusions: Winners of the previous edition, organizing committee members, jury members, and Illustraciencia Academy teaching staff are not eligible.
  • Artwork Requirements: Works must have been created between January 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden. Note: You must explicitly declare if Artificial Intelligence was used in the creation.

Program Benefits & Awards:

  • Cash Prizes: One winning work in each of the three categories will receive €1,000 EUR.
  • Exhibition & Exposure: The top 40 selected works will form a traveling exhibition and participate in an online popular vote for a "Public Mention."
  • Accreditation: All 40 selected artists, the Public Mention, and Jury Mentions will receive a digital certificate of accreditation.

Application Fee:

Free.

Application Requirements:

Participants may submit a single work via the online web form.

  • Image Specs: A4 size (210 x 297mm), 150 DPI in RGB format. File name must be the title of the work (e.g., Loligo-vulgaris.jpg). No watermarks, titles, or text on the image itself.
  • Text Specs: The submission requires a descriptive text answering three specific sections (50–100 words each) explaining the species, scientific interest, and relevant characteristics. Texts must be in Spanish, English, or another official Spanish language (with a Spanish translation provided if not originally in Spanish).

How to Apply?

Submit your work and descriptive text through the official ILLUSTRACIENCIA web form during the open application window.

Key Dates:

  • Submissions Open: February 25, 2026.
  • Application Deadline: March 31, 2026 (11:59 PM mainland Spain time).
  • 40 Selected Works Announced: April 28, 2026.
  • Online Voting: April 28 – May 5, 2026.
  • Winners Announced: May 26 – 29, 2026.
  • Exhibition Opens: June 26, 2026.

Location:

Online (Global) / Spain (Exhibition).