News

ARU graduates in the running for major art prizes

Five alumni shortlisted for Klaus Flugge Prize and the Queen’s Knickers Award

Graduates from the Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) feature prominently on the shortlists for two major illustration competitions.

Three ARU alumni have made the shortlist for the inaugural Queen’s Knickers Award.  This prize is for the outstanding children’s book for ages 0-7, and forms part of the Society of Authors’ Awards 2020.

The shortlist for the Queen’s Knickers Award, which has a prize fund of £6,000, includes MA Children’s Book Illustration graduates Beth Waters (Child of St Kilda), Elena Arevalo Melville (Umbrella), and Kate Read (One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller).   

Kate’s book, which tells the story of a fox’s encounter with some very angry hens, has also made the shortlist for the Klaus Flugge Prize, which was founded to highlight the most promising and exciting newcomers in picture book illustration.

Alongside Kate on the five-person shortlist for Klaus Flugge Prize, which comes with a cheque for £5,000, are ARU MA Children’s Book Illustration graduates Puck Koper (Where is Your Sister?) and Eva Eland (When Sadness Comes to Call), who are both from the Netherlands.

The winner of the Klaus Flugge Prize will be revealed on Wednesday, 16 September and chair of the judges Julia Eccleshare, the children’s director of the Hay Festival, said:

“The Klaus Flugge Prize has already highlighted many talented illustrators and in the fifth year of this important award, we’re delighted to have another extremely strong and eye-catching shortlist.”

 

Shelley Jackson, Course Leader for the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at ARU, said:

“It is always incredibly rewarding to see our students and graduates recognised outside the university. Kate, Elena, Beth, Puck and Eva are already forging exciting careers in children’s book illustration and we wish them the very best of luck ahead of the award announcements.”