Festival of Illustration Oldenburg

The Festival of Illustration Oldenburg is a showcase of the professional illustration scene of the North. For over two weeks — from August 21 to September 6, 2026 — it brings together exhibitions, encounters, and discussions in an unusual festival location: the Oldenburg Youth Hostel.

Oldenburg Youth Hostel as Festival Venue

The choice of the youth hostel is programmatic. Instead of a classic gallery, the festival uses a meeting place frequented by people of diverse backgrounds anyway. This creates a reach that extends beyond the usual gallery audience bubble.

Disciplines and Focus Areas

The festival covers the broad field of contemporary illustration:

• Comics: classic comic strips, autobiographical comics, indie comics
• Graphic Novels: longer narrative book formats
• Children's Illustration: picture books, early reader books, school books
• Editorial: illustration for magazines, newspapers, online media
• Fashion: fashion illustration
• Infographics: visual representation of complex information

North German Scene in Focus

The focus is on the illustration scene of the North — Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Both established illustrators and newcomers are represented.

Application and Participation

Exhibitors apply through an open process. The application deadline is March 15, 2026, and the participation fee is €100. A jury selects the exhibitors.

Organizer Illustratoren Oldenburg

The organizer is the network Illustratoren Oldenburg, which represents the scene of the city and the region. The festival is their most important public format.

Accompanying Program

The exhibition includes an opening reception, artist talks, workshops, readings, and discussion panels — a program that takes the promotion of illustration seriously and creates points of contact with the audience.