Aditi Anand’s ‘Marigolds’ Wins Prestigious UK Award, On Display at V&A

Aditi Anand, a 25-year-old graduate from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), has been named the winner of the prestigious Emerging Illustrator category at the V&A Illustration Awards. Her artwork, Marigolds, is set in India and highlights the theme of child labor and lost childhoods. The V&A Illustration Awards, which are held biennially and Aditi’s success further solidifies ARU’s strong reputation in the field of illustration.

Award and Recognition

Aditi Anand won the Emerging Illustrator category at the V&A Illustration Awards for her work Marigolds.

The artwork addresses the theme of child labor and is set in India, reflecting on lost childhoods.
Aditi’s victory comes with a £3,000 prize, and her work will be on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London until September 2025.

Aditi’s Remarks

I am extremely thrilled to have won the V&A Illustration Award for Marigolds and I am deeply honored that the V&A has shown such respect for this theme by providing it with a platform and displaying it in the museum.
I hope it offers readers a window into a world that may be very different from their own.
This achievement would not have been possible without the remarkable Children’s Book Illustration team at Anglia Ruskin, and I am endlessly grateful for the support of my tutors and peers throughout my MA.
Their guidance has been instrumental in shaping my visual language and uncovering my appreciation for stories that address difficult themes and possess strong emotional depth.
I was consistently encouraged to experiment and embrace mistakes, free from judgment.

Aditi’s Journey

Aditi is from Karnal, India, and initially pursued a degree in commerce and business before switching to children’s book illustration.
She found her passion for illustration while working for her college magazine and later completed her MA in Children’s Book Illustration at ARU.
She credited the ARU Children’s Book Illustration team for encouraging her to experiment and develop her visual storytelling skills.

Support from ARU and Tutors

Aditi expressed her gratitude to her tutors and peers at ARU for shaping her artistic approach and helping her address emotionally charged themes in her work.
Shelley Jackson, Associate Professor and Course Leader for the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at ARU, praised Aditi’s dedication, warmth, and talent, predicting a bright future for her in the field.

Other Award-Winning ARU Graduates

In addition to Aditi’s success, ARU graduates Kate Rolfe and Kate Winter also received recognition for their work.
Rolfe won the AOI World Illustration Award for her book Wiggling Words, while Winter received the £5,000 Klaus Flugge Prize for The Fossil Hunter.

About The V&A Illustration Awards

The V&A Illustration Awards is a free, biennial competition celebrating excellence in illustration and contemporary practice, and judged by a panel of prominent illustrators and industry experts.
First established in 1972, the V&A’s competition is defined by a focus on the British illustration industry, celebrating artwork made for the UK market by artists from across the globe as well as artwork made by illustrators living in the UK.
The Awards are generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	Aditi Anand, a 25-year-old graduate from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), has been named the winner of the prestigious Emerging Illustrator category at the V&A Illustration Awards.
Artwork Title	Marigolds
Theme of Artwork	Child labor and lost childhoods, set in India
Prize	£3,000 and the artwork will be displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London until September 2025
About V&A Illustration Awards	– Biennial competition celebrating excellence in illustration – Established in 1972, focusing on British illustration, with international entries – Supported by The Linder Foundation and Moira Gemmill Memorial fund