Art Sheds Light on the Unseen: Results of the 5th International Cartoon Competition, Izmir 2026

The official results of the 5th International Cartoon Competition, organized by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, have been announced. This year’s theme, “Invisible Disability,” challenged artists to visualize the struggles that are often hidden from plain sight, sparking a global conversation through the power of satire and illustration.

🌍 A Global Response to a Silent Struggle

The competition drew significant international attention, bringing together diverse perspectives on conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic pain, and mental health challenges.

• Total Artworks: 464
• Total Artists: 171
• Scope: International participation from Turkey and across the globe.

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🏆 The Winners

The jury has selected the following artists for their exceptional ability to translate complex human experiences into poignant visual narratives:

Award	Artist	Country
🥇 1st Prize	Valentin Georgiev	🇧🇬 Bulgaria
🥈 2nd Prize	Önder Önerbay	🇹🇷 Turkey
🥉 3rd Prize	Akın Candemir	🇹🇷 Turkey

🥇 1st Prize: Valentin Georgiev – 🇧🇬 Bulgaria

🥈 2nd Prize: Önder Önerbay – 🇹🇷 Turkey

🥉 3rd Prize: Akın Candemir – 🇹🇷 Turkey

🏅 Honorable Mentions & Special Awards

In recognition of their creative excellence and impactful messaging, the following artists were also honored:

Honorable Mentions:

• Zeynep Deniz Şimşek – 🇹🇷 Turkey
• Mete Ağaoğlu – 🇹🇷 Turkey
• Angel Ramiro Zapata Mora – 🇲🇽 Mexico

Jury Special Awards:

• Hümeyra Erol – 🇹🇷 Turkey
• Erkan Aydın – 🇹🇷 Turkey

🇹🇷 Zeynep Deniz Şimşek – Turkey

🇹🇷 Mete Ağaoğlu – Turkey

🇲🇽 Angel Ramiro Zapata Mora – Mexico

👩‍⚖️ The Jury Committee

The selection process was conducted by a multidisciplinary panel of experts, ensuring both artistic merit and social sensitivity:

• Renowned Cartoonists: Eray Özbek, Cemalettin Güzeloğlu, Ömer Çam, and Kutay Bilgihan Atabay.
• Social Experts: Serap Dikmen (President of the KEDİ Autism Association) and Buse Yücel Kaba (Sociologist).
• Rapporteur: Tolga Uçar.

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🎨 Why This Matters

The “Invisible Disability” theme highlights the fact that many disabilities do not require a wheelchair or a cane to be valid. Through these 464 artworks, the competition successfully raised awareness about the social and physical barriers faced by individuals with non-visible conditions, proving once again that art is a universal language of empathy.

“By making the invisible visible, these artists are helping to build a more inclusive world where understanding precedes judgment.”