The theme of the 26th edition of the Euro-kartoenale is ‘The Power of Humor – Its Impact on People and Society. Deadline for entries will be the 6th of January 2027.
You find all information on this page.
thema
The Power of Humor – Its Impact on People and Society
Deadline
06 January 2027
The Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem is the biennial international cartoon competition organised by the European Cartoon Center.
The first cartoon competition in Kruishoutem took place as early as 1979, although at that time it was open exclusively to Flemish cartoonists. In 1981, the competition was expanded to welcome cartoonists from across Europe. By 2026, the Euro-kartoenale has grown into one of the most prestigious cartoon competitions in the world.
We warmly invite cartoonists from around the globe to take part in this 26th edition. Whether you are an experienced cartoonist or just starting out, we look forward to discovering your creative vision and artistic talent.
On this page, you will find all the information you need.
We wish all participants in this 26th edition every success and many enjoyable hours of cartooning!
The winners at the opening cermony in 2025 with theme The Hat - Hats off!
We challenge cartoonists to show how humor can affect people and society. We are looking for cartoons that reveal what humor can trigger, change or set in motion.
A funny drawing alone, without a clear connection to this impact, does not meet the theme requirements.
Each participant may submit a maximum of five cartoons. All graphic techniques are permitted.
Submitted works must not have previously received an award in any other competition and must not contain any caption or text.
Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem attaches great importance to human creativity and artistic integrity.
Plagiarism, the reproduction in whole or in part of the work of others, and the use of generative AI to create the cartoon or essential parts of it are not permitted.
By participating, the cartoonist declares in good faith that the submitted work was created by the cartoonist and complies with these conditions.
Where there are reasonable grounds for doubt, the jury may request additional information about how the work was created, as well as sketches, intermediate versions or working files as evidence.
If, after the prizes have been announced, it becomes apparent that this rule has been violated, the jury may, after deliberation, withdraw the prize.
The deadline for sending your work is the 6th of January 2027
Online
You register online and upload your cartoons via our participant platform:
https://register.ecc-kruishoutem.be
Digital works must have a resolution of 300 dpi and must not exceed 3 MB.
By post
You must send your cartoons to the following address:
Euro-kartoenale
René D’Huyvetterstraat 5C
9770 Kruishoutem
Belgium
Works submitted by post must be in A4 format and must state the following details on the reverse: the participant’s full name, email address and postal address.
For submissions from outside the European Union, please take account of customs formalities and indicate that your entry is a gift. The organisation does not pay import duties and is not liable for damaged or lost submissions.
Participation list
On our website, www.ecc-kruishoutem.be, you can consult the list of participants to verify whether your works have been received. This list is updated regularly.
There are 6 principal prizes:
1st prize: €2,100.00 + trophy
2nd prize: €1,700.00 + trophy
3rd prize: €1,500.00 + trophy
Best Entry European Union: €1,000.00
Best Belgian entry: €1,000.00
Prize of the ECC: a solo exhibition at the ECC in 2028
The jury may decide to award additional honourable mentions in addition to these prizes.
All winners will be invited to a three-day stay in Kruishoutem for the award ceremony, including hotel accommodation, meals and sightseeing excursions. Travel expenses (airplane, train,…) are at the winners’ own expense.
A selection of 150 cartoons will be exhibited at the European Cartoon Center Kruishoutem from 28 March till13 June 2027 . The participant lends the works to the organisers for smaller travelling exhibitions until the end of 2028.
A catalogue containing approximately 100 selected works will be published. Participants may request one free copy. They must pay the postage themselves or collect the copy from the European Cartoon Center.
Cartoonists whose cartoon is included in the catalogue will automatically be sent a copy.
The cartoonist retains copyright at all times.
Participants grant Euro-kartoenale the right to publish the submitted works in the catalogue and to use them to promote the exhibition. The cartoonist’s prior permission will be sought for any other use.
Original works will be returned upon written request. Original cartoons that have not been requested back and the high-quality prints made for the exhibition will be retained by the European Cartoon Center. The cartoonist may, however, ask the organisers to destroy the print of the cartoon.
Euro-kartoenale and the European Cartoon Center may use the winning and selected cartoons for their own exhibitions.
The international jury of professional cartoon experts will meet live in Kruishoutem on 29 January 2027. The full composition of the jury will be announced on the website after the deadline for entries has passed.
The prize giving ceremony and opening of the exhibition will take place on Saturday 27 March 2027. The exhibition at the European Cartoon Center will run from 28 March till 13 June 2027 .
By submitting cartoons, the cartoonist agrees to these rules.
Groen = geselecteerd voor de tentoonstelling
Oranje = geselecteerd voor de tentoonstelling en de catalogus
Belgium
Fernand Vogels
You have to register online on the website: https://register.ecc-kruishoutem.be by using your e-mail address.
Yes. Of course. You can send your works to:
Euro-kartoenale - René D'Huyvetterstraat 5C - 9770 Kruishoutem - Belgium.
Just don’t forget to mention your name, surname, and address on the back of each work.
Unfortunately, we do not accept submissions via e-mail. Please use the online registration system or send your works by traditional mail.
If you have not received a confirmation after registering, please check your spam/junk folder. If it's not there, contact us at info@ecc-kruishoutem.be for assistance.
You may submit a maximum of five cartoons.
On the registration platform you can still upload new works. But be careful after you confirmed it to us you can not change them any more. At that moment your participation is closed
Each digital work must have a resolution of 300 dpi and a file size of no more than 3 MB. It should be an image file and not a pdf.
Yes. All participants can get a free copy if they pay the delivery costs. Cartoonists selected for the catalogue get automatically sent a completely free copy.
Euro-kartoenale Kruishoutem attaches great importance to human creativity and artistic integrity.
Plagiarism, the reproduction in whole or in part of the work of others, and the use of generative AI to create the cartoon or essential parts of it are therefore not permitted.
By participating, the cartoonist declares in good faith that the submitted work was created by the cartoonist and complies with these conditions.
In early February 2027, all participants will receive an email newsletter announcing the selection results and the prize nominees. The participant list on the website will also be updated. If you do not receive our emails, please check your spam folder and make sure you have not unsubscribed from Euro-kartoenale communications.
Yes. Copyright always remains with the cartoonist.
No. Cartoons must be without captions or any other text.
Yes, provided they have not previously won a prize in another competition and comply with all other rules.
An international jury composed of professional cartoonists and other experts will evaluate all entries. The jury will meet in Kruishoutem on 29 January 2027.
The cartoons are evaluated by an international jury of experienced cartoonists and experts in graphic humour. We attach great importance to cultural and gender diversity in the composition of the jury, bringing together different backgrounds, perspectives and cartoon styles.
After an online pre-selection by the international jury, the 500 highest-scoring cartoons are reviewed during a live jury meeting in Kruishoutem on 29 January 2027. The jury then decides which cartoons will be exhibited, published in the catalogue and awarded .
Yes, but to avoid confusion and duplicate entries, we strongly recommend submitting your cartoons only once, preferably by uploading it directly through our website.
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Sahar Ajami shows how drawing becomes her form of resistance.
27 | 09 | 2026 > 21 | 12 | 2026
Using a simple domino tile as a universal symbol, cartoonist Viacheslav Shilov explores the unexpected connections between people, emotions, nature, art, and everyday life.
The Domino Effect is a story about the beauty of interconnectedness. Each drawing forms a link in a chain of ideas, observations, and reflections, inviting visitors to look at the world through fresh eyes.
Viacheslav Shilov (b. 1970) has exhibited internationally, and his work is held in museum collections including those of Saint Petersburg, Warsaw, and Freising. Since 2023, he has been living and working in Normandy, France.