ONE of Australia’s largest children’s publishers is offering a $4000 publishing contract to a talented unpublished illustrator.

The winning artist will work with editorial and design teams at Five Mile Press to create a children’s picture book which will be published in 2017.

Managing director, Alexandra Maramenides, says, “While we publish more than 180 children’s titles a year (excluding our additional licensing program) and work with authors and illustrators worldwide, we are very aware that there is still a vast amount of untapped, home-grown talent out there.”

Maramenides commented that the press understood how difficult it was for unpublished illustrators to catch the eye of a publisher and that they endeavour to ensure Australian illustrators were well-represented in their catalogue.

Other local illustrators fostered by The Five Miles Press include Jedda Robaard, Michael Scott-Parkinson, Lisa Kerr, and Natalie Marshall. FMP will be releasing the book by the first winner of the Illustrator Prize, Lucinda Gifford, in 2016.

Entries will be judged by a committee selected from The Five Mile Press editing, design and management teams, including publisher Kay Scarlett.

Entrants must be over 18 years of age and cannot have any current or pending contracts to publish illustrations in book form in Australia or overseas. Entry forms and further information at fivemile.com.au or email illustratorprize@fivemile.com.au

Entries close 5pm, Monday, July 27, details at fivemile.com.au or by emailing illustratorprize@fivemile.com.au