How to enter Big Issue's Kids Cover Competition for 2026

If you’re a talented young artist – or know of any schools or youth groups who’d like to be involved, spread the word: this the chance to have your artwork on the cover of the Big Issue magazine.

This year’s theme is PEACE, inspired by inspired by Oxford University Press’ choice for word of the year.

What does peace mean to you? It could be spreading a little love, or some happy animals playing together instead of preying on each other. The world looking harmonious; something funny about peace, love and understanding. Surprise us!

Send your design over to Big Issue by 11 March and the winning cover will be on sale across Britain from Monday 30 March, in time for Easter.

The cover competition winner will receive this specially created exclusive artwork by our competition judge, the famous illustrator Axel Scheffler!

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Read more:

• Six-year-old from Epsom, Surrey wins the Big Issue’s Christmas Kids cover competition
• ‘It’s a happy image’: Big Issue Christmas Kids Cover Competition 2022 winner
• ‘A bright and bold mosaic of creatures’: Meet the winner of Big Issue’s Kids Cover Competition 2025

How to enter:

To get involved, look out your pens, pencils, paints or graphic design apps and create a picture that will catch everyone’s attention, help our vendors sell more copies, and who knows, even bring about world peace.

Please use an A4 or an A3 sheet and make sure the drawing is portrait not landscape (that means the drawing is tall rather than wide). Make sure to include the words: BIG ISSUE on the drawing and send it to us by 11 March. 

The competition is open to anybody up to the age of 13. There will be an individual winner who will see their design on the cover, plus special recognition for the best group entry. There is no limit to the number of entries from a group but please note we are unable to return artworks, though we will print as many as we can fit on our pages!

Send all entries with a name, age, address and telephone or email contact to us by 11 March. 

You can enter by:

Post: Spring Kids Cover Competition, Big Issue, 43 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 1HW 

Online: Fill out our online form. Don’t forget to attach your entry as a JPG or PNG!

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

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