Western Balkans media freedom cartoon competition: exhibition & winners

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In January we launched a cartoon competition, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, in the six countries that make up the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro North Macedonia and Serbia.

Out of a total of 186 submissions from 95 artists, a jury of journalism and comic professionals selected 44 works for a cartoon exhibition on media freedom. You can see all the submissions (and more info on the jury members) on our project page.The jury was also tasked with picking a winner and a runner-up. They decided to award first prize to Dušan Petričić from Serbia, with a caricature of Serbian president Vučić. The jury was impressed by the style and execution of the cartoon and the fact that the artist needed no words to convey a clear message. The cartoon also has universal appeal; if you do not know who Vučić is, you will most likely still understand the visual message.

 

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The winning cartoon by Dušan Petričić

 

Second place was awarded to Armend Ajredini from North Macedonia. Armend is an editorial illustrator for Gazeta, a publication in Kosovo. The jury complimented his clear style. They were also happy to see journalists presented not as victims, but as professionals that can alter the status qua with the work that they do.

 

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The cartoon that won second place, by Armend Ajredini

 

Although not part of the official awards, the jury also decided to give a special mention to Anastasija Visekruna, a 16-year old artist Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the message in the image might not be as straightforward as in the winning cartoons, the visual intrigued the judges and sparked debate about the meaning of the drawing. The goal of a cartoonist is to create an interesting image that will make people think; in that, Anastasija certainly succeeded.

 

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A special mention was awarded to this cartoon by Anastasija Visekruna

 

The exhibition is on display in the six countries of the Western Balkans in April and May. Here below are some impressions of the exhibitions.

 

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Podgorica - Montenegro

 

Montenegro 1
Podgorica - Montenegro

 

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Skopje - North Macedonia

 

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Belgrade - Serbia

 

WhatsApp Image 2024-04-25 at 14.51.19
Belgrade - Serbia

Media freedom cartoon competition

Western Balkans cartoon competition & exhibition

Profile

Cartoon Movement and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands invite cartoonists, illustrators and artists from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) to send in their work for a regional cartoon competition and exhibition with the theme Media freedom.

Media freedom is a vital component of a functioning democracy. Reliable reporting and investigative journalism inform citizens about what is going on in society and inside government, forming the basis of a healthy public debate. Cartoonists, who use their pencils to hold power accountable and to expose injustice, power abuse and corruption, cannot do their work without this freedom.

We are looking for cartoons that visualize the importance of media freedom and the value of independent journalism.

Rules of Participation

1. This competition is open to all cartoonists, illustrators and artists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Cartoonists can submit work that is unpublished, or work that has been published before.

2. The cartoons should reflect the theme media freedom and the value of press freedom for the public debate.

3. Cartoons that contain hate speech or discrimination will not be accepted.

4. Cartoons can be in black and white or in color, and can be created using any technique.

5. Cartoons must be sent in via email to [email protected].

6. Cartoon size must not exceed A3 at 300dpi, in PNG or JPG format.

7. Each cartoonist can send in a maximum of three works.

8. Participants must include the following in their submission:

Full name & address

Email & telephone number

Short bio (max. 250 words)

9. The deadline of the competition is Friday March 1 2024, 23:59 GMT.

Prizes

1. A professional jury will convene in March 2024 to select cartoons for the exhibition and to determine the winners.

2. The first prize winner will receive €1000 and a certificate.

3. The second prize winner will receive €500 and a certificate.

4. Cartoonists selected for the exhibition will receive a certificate.

5. Selected works will be included in exhibitions hosted by Embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia in April and May 2024. Selected cartoons will also be published on the website of Cartoon Movement.

6. Winners and artists of selected works will be informed by April 10, 2024.

Copyright

1. The participant must certify and warrant that the submitted cartoon(s) does not violate the rights of a third party or any copyright. The competition organization is not responsible for intellectual property violations that might have resulted through the submissions of cartoons.

2. Copyright of the submitted cartoons will remain with the artist.

3. Cartoonists grant Cartoon Movement and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands a non-commercial and non-exclusive license to use the submitted work(s) in exhibitions and other publications, print and digital.


European Cartoon Award 2023 - shortlist

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The European Cartoon Award has announced a shortlist of 16 cartoons that are in there running to be crowned the best cartoon to be published in European media in the past year with the accompanying prize money of 10,000 euro! Scroll down to see the 16 cartoons.

The works of the 16 finalists were selected from over 400 entries coming from more than 25 countries, European and beyond, by a Jury composed of award-winning cartoonists, journalists, and experts. The shortlist includes several contributors to Cartoon Movement and we are especially proud the list includes two cartoons that were published on Cartoon Movement.

Niels Bo Bojesen, Danish cartoonist and Chair of the Panel of Judges:

During the lengthy process of selection, it has been rewarding to witness the variety and mastery of the many submissions, ranging from sheer poetry to stark and striking statements - and anything in between. As always it is difficult - and sometimes painful - to have to choose from an even field, but recognising the shared capacity of the members of the Jury, I am confident we have been able to help shine a light on the high level of current European editorial cartooning.

The 16 nominees are Angel Boligán (Mexico), António Antunes (Portugal), Ben Jennings (United Kingdom), Cláudio Antônio Gomes (Brazil), Cristina Sampaio (Portugal), Emad Hajjaj (Jordan), Harry Burton (Ireland), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Marilena Nardi (Italy), Mihai Gabriel Boboc (Romania), Patrick Chappatte (Switzerland), Plop & KanKr (France), Raimundo Rucke Souza (Brazil), Sinisa Pismestrovic (Austria), Tjeerd Royaards (The Netherlands), Víctor Solís (Mexico).

The prize winners will be announced on September 14, during Cartoons Day in The Hague, The Netherlands.

ECA2023_Patrick Chappatte (Der Spiegel)

Patrick Chappatte (Der Spiegel)

ECA2023_Mihai Gabriel Boboc (FirstNews.ro)

Mihai Gabriel Boboc (FirstNews.ro)ECA2023_Mihai Gabriel Boboc (FirstNews.ro)

Marilena Nardi (Domani)

 


ECA2023_Mihai Gabriel Boboc (FirstNews.ro)

Plop & KanKr (Le Monde)

 

ECA2023_António Antunes (Expresso)

António Antunes (Expresso)


ECA2023_António Antunes (Expresso)

Angel Boligán (Sciences Humaines)


ECA2023_António Antunes (Expresso)

Ben Jennings (The Economist)

 

ECA2023_Cláudio Antônio Gomes (MUNDIARIO)

Cláudio Antônio Gomes (MUNDIARIO)

 

ECA2023_Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)

Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)


ECA2023_Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)

Marco De Angelis (Buduàr)


ECA2023_Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)

Cristina Sampaio (Público)


ECA2023_Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)

Harry Burton (Irish Examiner)

 

ECA2023_Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)

Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)ECA2023_Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)

Raimundo Rucke Souza (Cartoon Movement)


ECA2023_Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)

Tjeerd Royaards (Trouw)



ECA2023_Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)

Sinisa Pismestrovic (Kleine Zeitung)

 


Thiago Lucas launches 'Itinerant Cartoon'

We are supporting a new project by Brazilian cartoonist and CM member Thiago Lucas. The aim of the Itinerant Cartoon is to show the importance of political cartoons through a series of exhibitions in public and private schools, colleges and universities.

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The exhibition includes several cartoons that have a QR code, which shows the viewer an animated version of the cartoon:

Charge Itinerante_Promessa dos políticos_Por Thiago Lucas

Charge Itinerante_Desigualdade Social_Por Thiago Lucas

Charge Itinerante_Mulher_Por Thiago Lucas


Exhibition: Framing the War

On July 14, our exhibition Framing the War was opened in the Sound and Vision media museum in The Hague by the director of Sound and Vision and the mayor of  The Hague. Framing the War shows 100 days of war in Ukraine with about 125 photos of the Dutch press agency ANP and 75 international cartoons from Cartoon Movement.

In the photos posted below, we'll try to give you an impression of the exhibition, but we highly recommend that, if you're in the area, you go see the exhibition for yourself. It will be on display until September 4. More information here.

 

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Photos by Cartoon Movement and by Rob Hogeslag.