We are delighted to announce the winners of the Darley Anderson Illustration Mentorship Prize 2026!

After receiving an incredible number of submissions and being truly blown away by the talent, creativity, and storytelling across every entry, we’re thrilled to share that this year, we have selected three winners:

Hannah Opie (@autumnfables)


Christine Sophia Dayrit (@thedailychristine)


Khushnaz Bode (@khushnazbode)

Choosing our winners was no easy task! The standard was exceptionally high, and each of our selected illustrators stood out for their unique voice, strong portfolios, and thoughtful, engaging cover letters.

Our Literary & Illustration agent and prize lead, Lorna Hemingway said:
“What an INCREDIBLE start to the Darley Anderson Illustration Mentorship Prize! Created to champion emerging illustrators from underrepresented backgrounds, this prize feels more important than ever and the response reflected that. In its inaugural year, we received over 100 entries, and the depth of talent, creativity and passion across every submission was truly palpable. Narrowing it down to a shortlist of 25 exceptional illustrators was no easy task and choosing a single winner proved impossible.

In the end, we simply couldn’t ignore the brilliance of three outstanding artists. Christine, Hannah, and Khushnaz each bring something entirely unique to their work, with styles that are distinctive, compelling and full of promise. We are so excited to support them on the next stage of their creative journeys and cannot wait to see what they do next.”

We’d also like to extend a huge congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted – your work made this an inspiring and unforgettable prize.

Thank you again to everyone who entered and shared their work with us.