17th International George van Raemdonck Cartoonale Boechout, Belgium 2026

The non-profit organisation International Humour in Art (IHA),

in cooperation with the Municipal Council of Boechout, the Boechout Cultural Council, and Davidsfonds Boechout-Vremde,

is pleased to announce the:

THEME 2026 — “HAND”

An ode to craftsmanship, skill, and authentic handmade work.

For this edition, we deliberately return to the origins of cartoon drawing.

FULLY ANALOGUE

For the 17th edition, only original, hand-drawn works will be accepted.

Digital creations, digitally coloured drawings, prints, or photographs of drawings are not permitted.

Each participant must include a signed declaration on honour stating that:

The work has been created entirely by hand;

The concept was developed without the use of artificial intelligence (AI);

The participant is the sole author of the work.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

31 May 2026

(Postmark serves as proof)

PRIZES

The following prizes have been confirmed (subject to change):

€2,000 — George van Raemdonck Prize – Municipality of Boechout

€1,000 — Boechout Cultural Council (subject to confirmation)

€500 — Zeppo

€300 — IHA

€200 — KTHaes (best participant aged 70+)

€150 — Davidsfonds Boechout-Vremde (best Flemish entry) (subject to confirmation)

Additional prizes may be added and will be announced via www.iha.be.

SUBMISSION & SHIPPING

Address for all submissions

IHA vzw

Vremdesesteenweg 92

B-2530 Boechout

Belgium

Number of works

A maximum of 10 original works per participant.

Format & material

Small format, such as postcard size (A6 / 10 × 15 cm or US / 21 × 10 cm)

On high-quality, sturdy paper

Not folded, no passe-partout, no mounting

No captions in or beneath the drawing

Information on the back of each work

First name and surname

Full postal address

Email address

Telephone number

Date of birth

Title of the work (optional)

Documents to be enclosed

Signed declaration on honour (mandatory)

A contact form with personal details (free format allowed)

TECHNIQUE

Any freehand drawing technique: pencil, pen, ink, charcoal, paint, mixed media, etc.

Black-and-white or colour works are permitted

No digital techniques, no digital colouring, no prints

All submitted works must be original and hand-drawn; this is an essential condition.

SELECTION AND JURY

The jury will select from all submitted works a number of drawings for:

the exhibition

the catalogue

the awards

The jury’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

EXHIBITION

The exhibition and award ceremony will take place in autumn 2026 at:

Theatre Boechout Vooruit

Sint-Bavoplein 17

2530 Boechout

Exact dates will be announced in due time via www.boechout.be and www.iha.be.

Selected works may subsequently be included in travelling exhibitions in Belgium and abroad.

CATALOGUE

All selected artists will receive a digital catalogue (PDF).

Artists who are selected and attend the opening will receive a free printed catalogue.

RETURN OF WORKS

Non-selected works will only be returned upon explicit request by the participant.

Award-winning works become the property of IHA vzw.

The organisation cannot be held liable for loss or damage during return shipping.

RESULTS

The results will be published on www.iha.be.

Prize winners will be notified personally by email or telephone.

Jury decisions are binding and not open to discussion.

COPYRIGHT

By participating, artists grant IHA and the organisers permission to reproduce their work for:

promotion of the artist

promotion of the competition

publication in catalogues, posters, press, websites, and social media

All other copyright remains the exclusive property of the artist.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Participation implies full acceptance of these regulations.

CONTACT

IHA vzw

📧 info@iha.be

📞 +32 474 48 88 25

🌐 www.iha.be