17th International George van Raemdonck Cartoonale, Boechout 2026
REGULATIONS
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:
17th INTERNATIONAL GEORGE VAN RAEMDONCK CARTOONALE – BOECHOUT, BELGIUM
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
Submitted works must not have been previously awarded.
Participation implies full acceptance of these regulations.
CONTACT IHA vzw
E-mail: info@iha.be
Phone: +32 474 48 88 25
WEB: www.iha.be .
