Rudolf Koivu 2025 Award Exhibition

Every two years, Grafia awards the children’s and young people’s book illustration award, named after Rudolf Koivu, who served as the association’s first secretary.

The first prize of the Rudolf Koivu children’s and young people’s book illustration competition, worth 15,000 euros, was awarded to Maria Vilja’s illustrations for the book Kesän ainoa kaunis päivä. The second prize was awarded to Jussi Kaakinen’s illustrations for the book Maailman pahimmat paikat. The third prize was awarded to Tuomas Kärkkäinen’s illustrations for the book Terveiset Kalevalasta. This year, three prizes were awarded in the competition for the first time: the first prize (€15,000) awarded by Grafia, and the second (€10,000) and third (€5,000) prizes, which were funded by the Amer Cultural Foundation. Grafia’s award is funded by Kopiosto remunerations.

Honourable mentions by the jury:
Mirkka Eskonen: Talvipuutarhurit (Teos, 2024)
Aino Havukainen ja Sami Toivonen: Tatun ja Patun 14 outoa ongelmaa ja ratkaisut niihin (Otava, 2025)
Ilja Karsikas: Sateenkaarikiitäjä (Kustantamo S&S, 2024)
Netta Lehtola: Mölymyrsky (WSOY, 2025)
Sanna Pelliccioni: Kaija! – Säveltäjä Kaija Saariahon värit, varjot ja valot (Teos, 2025)
Mikko Saarainen: Barbaari-Ari rosvojahdissa (Otava, 2025)
Maria Sann: Gamlingarna (Kustantamo S&S, 2025)

The jury of the Rudolf Koivu 2025 competition consisted of the winner of the previous prize, illustrator and comic artist Kati Närhi, Executive Director Emmi Jäkkö from the Finnish Reading Centre, curator Marja Niemi from the Tuusula Art Museum, illustrator Anja Reponen and illustrator and designer Ville Salervo.

Exhibition architecture and design: Klaus Aalto
Special thanks: Designmuseo ja Hakola näyttelyn kalusteiden lainasta
The visual design of Rudolf Koivu Award: Linda Linko

14.11.–21.12.2025 (closed 6.12.)
Rudolf Koivu 2025 Award Exhibition
Luonnos, Uudenmaankatu 13, Helsinki
Wed-Fri 12–17, Sat-Sun 12–16, free admission