41st Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition Details Released

The official participation details for the 41st Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition have been released by the Aydın Doğan Foundation.

Organised annually in Türkiye, the competition is open to both professional and amateur cartoonists from around the world. Artists may choose any theme for their entries, while this year’s edition will also include two special thematic awards focusing on equal opportunities for girls and young women and on climate change.

The organisers have announced that the application portal will become available soon. Until online submissions officially open, artists can review the participation conditions and begin preparing their works in accordance with the competition regulations.

The full regulations are available on the official competition website:

Official details and participation rules:
https://cc.aydindoganvakfi.org.tr/en/pages/41st-aydin-dogan-international-cartoon-competition-details-7-pg

“Empowered Girls, Empowered Futures” Special Award

The “Empowered Girls, Empowered Futures” Special Award will once again be presented as part of the competition.

The award is based on the theme:

“Empowered Girls, Empowered Futures: Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities for All.”

Through this award, the Aydın Doğan Foundation aims to draw attention to the importance of enabling girls and young women to develop the knowledge, skills and self-confidence required to realise their full potential.

The Foundation underlines that equal and active participation in every area of society allows young women to become agents of lasting and positive change, not only for themselves but also for their communities and future generations.

The cartoon judged to best reflect the theme will receive the “Empowered Girls, Empowered Futures” Special Award, together with a cash prize of USD 3,000.

“A Matter of Degrees” Special Award

The competition will also present the “A Matter of Degrees” Special Award, which focuses on climate change, environmental responsibility and the need for a sustainable future.

The Aydın Doğan Foundation is among the founding signatories of Türkiye’s National Philanthropy Pledge for Climate Action, an initiative that approaches the climate crisis not only as an environmental issue but also as a question of social and economic justice.

The special award aims to raise public awareness of climate change, encourage environmental stewardship and highlight the importance of creating a more sustainable future.

The cartoon judged to best address the theme of climate change will receive the “A Matter of Degrees” Special Award, together with a cash prize of USD 3,000.

Awards

The prizes announced for the 41st edition of the competition are as follows:

• Winner: USD 6,000 and the Aydın Doğan Foundation Winner Award
• First Runner-up: USD 2,500 and the Aydın Doğan Foundation First Runner-up Award
• Second Runner-up: USD 1,000 and the Aydın Doğan Foundation Second Runner-up Award
• “Empowered Girls, Empowered Futures” Special Award: USD 3,000
• “A Matter of Degrees” Special Award: USD 3,000

The Aydın Doğan Foundation will also cover the travel and accommodation expenses of the first three award-winning artists so that they can attend the award ceremony.

Participation Rules

Participants are free to select any theme for their cartoons.

All cartoons submitted to the competition must be signed by the artist. Entries must be original works created entirely by the participant, beginning with the initial idea and continuing through to the final drawing.

The regulations state that artwork created or assisted through artificial intelligence tools, applications or algorithms is not eligible. This includes AI-generated imagery, drawing completion, stylisation, background generation and colourisation.

By completing the participation form, artists declare that their submissions comply with this condition. If a work is later found to have been produced or assisted through artificial intelligence, it will be disqualified. Where an award has already been granted, the award will be withdrawn and any prize money received must be returned.

The cartoons must also be submitted in high resolution and must be suitable for printing.

Works previously submitted to the Aydın Doğan International Cartoon Competition will not be reconsidered for this year’s competition.

Jury members are not permitted to participate in the competition during the year in which they serve on the jury.

Originality and Third-Party Rights

Participants must declare that they are the creators of the cartoons submitted to the competition.

Each artist is responsible for ensuring that the work does not violate any copyright, intellectual property or other legal rights belonging to a third party.

Where a third party claims rights over a submitted cartoon and the Aydın Doğan Foundation is required to pay compensation or another financial amount because of the use of the work, the participant may be required to reimburse the Foundation under the conditions set out in the official regulations. Any award granted to the participant may also be revoked.

Artists are therefore advised to submit only works for which they hold full authorship and all necessary rights.

Use of Submitted Works

By completing the participation form, contestants grant the Aydın Doğan Foundation a non-exclusive licence to use the cartoons submitted to the competition.

Under the regulations, the Foundation may process, reproduce, distribute, exhibit, represent, archive and publish the works through the internet, printed publications, exhibitions and other media.

This licence is granted without limitations relating to geographical area, duration or number of uses and may include the assignment of certain usage rights to third parties.

The Foundation may also decide whether submitted cartoons will be included in its Digital Archive.

Rights Relating to Award-Winning Cartoons

Different conditions apply to cartoons that receive a rank or prize.

Where a submitted work wins an award, the contestant agrees to transfer ownership of the cartoon to the Aydın Doğan Foundation.

The financial rights connected with the winning work, including reproduction, distribution, processing, representation and communication to the public, are also transferred to the Foundation under the terms stated in the official competition rules.

The Foundation may exhibit, archive, reproduce and publish prize-winning cartoons through the internet or other media without geographical, time or numerical restrictions.

Artists whose works receive awards will therefore no longer retain the right to conduct transactions with third parties concerning the transferred financial rights.

Participants should read these provisions carefully before completing their applications.

Personal Data

The personal information provided through the participation form will be processed within the framework of the Aydın Doğan Foundation International Cartoon Competition and in accordance with Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698.

Competition-related information may be shared with jury members, members of the press, media organisations and other relevant parties.

Where an artist receives an award or has a cartoon published, information identifying the artist as the creator of the work may be made public.

Even when an application is unsuccessful, personal data may be retained for the period required under the applicable legislation.

Participants may obtain information about their personal data rights and the Foundation’s data-processing practices through the official website of the Aydın Doğan Foundation.

Application Process

The organisers have stated that the online application portal will be made available soon.

Artists planning to participate are encouraged to review the complete competition rules in advance, prepare high-resolution versions of their cartoons and ensure that all submitted works meet the originality and authorship requirements.

The official competition platform will provide the application form and submission system once the portal becomes active.

Official competition details:
https://cc.aydindoganvakfi.org.tr/en/pages/41st-aydin-dogan-international-cartoon-competition-details-7-pg