In 2023, BDFIL is partnering with Caran d’Ache and the Espace des inventions for its BDFIL – Caran d’Ache Prize for emerging comic artists competition. With a prize of CHF 5’000.- divided between the winners, it is open to anyone aged 15 and over who has never been published. The theme of the 2023 edition is “Eureka”. The winners of the three BDFIL prizes will be invited to the opening of the exhibition and the prize-giving ceremony (August 31, 2023). The deadline for entries is Thursday the first of June, 2023 (postmarked).
1. GENERAL TERMS OF PARTICIPATION
The competition BDFIL – Caran d’Ache Prize is open to anyone 15 years of age or older, living in Switzerland or abroad, whose work has never been published in the form of album, regularly in a large-circulation newspaper or magazine, or an expert reviewed online platform or under any editorial license. Participants whose work is being published on the 31 of August 2023 will be disqualified. Each participant may enter one project only. As the competition aims to encourage and recompense complete artiste, collective entries will not be accepted. Winners of previous editions of the competition, except for special mentions, are not allowed to participate.
2. SUBMISSION OF PROJECTS
Every project should present a complete original story, in one panel, with or without text, closely related to the theme of the contest: “Eureka”. This theme can be freely interpreted. The project has to be presented on an A3 format (29,7 x 42 cm) in the French format (vertical). Projects that do not comply with this format will be automatically excluded from the competition. The style, form and materials used for the project are left to the free choice of the author. The language used for the texts and dialogues must be English or French.
The contact information of the participant must be clearly indicated on the back of the project: last name, first name, date of birth (day/month/year), complete postal address, telephone number (landline and/or mobile) and e-mail address. He or she must also indicate the working technique used for the creation and the coloring if needed.
3. DEADLINE FOR PARTICIPATION
Participants in the competition have to send their work to BDFIL (BDFIL, Comics competition BDFIL 2023, Place de la Cathédrale 12, 1005 Lausanne – Switzerland) by Thursday 1st of June at the latest (postmarked). If the submission is made in the week before or on June 1st, please send it by priority/first class mailing.
The submission of a project implies the acceptance of the present rules and must be accompanied by the completed form and the proof of payment if the participant wants the work to be send back (point 10 of the present rules).
4. SENDING / DELIVERING PROJECTS
Each project (original or print) must arrive at BDFIL flat, neither folded and rolled, and packaged in such a way as to ensure optimum protection. BDFIL will send by e-mail an acknowledgement of receipt of the projects received, by the 15th of June 2023 at the latest. Any projects sent from outside of Switzerland must contain the information “no commercial value”* clearly indicated on the customs document. The submission of projects to the BDFIL office is only possible from Monday to Thursday, from 2 to 5 pm, until June 1st.
* BDFIL declines all responsibility in case of blocking of the project at customs and does not commit itself to pay additional fees related to value declarations.
5. COMPETITION JURY
The jury, headed by a comic book artist, will be composed of a member of a museum, a specialized journalist, a publisher, a member of the University of Lausanne’s Comics Study Group, a Caran d’Ache member and a festival representative. The jury will evaluate the respect of the conditions of the present rules, the originality as well as the particular qualities of the scenario (execution, cut-out, etc.) and the graphic design.
6. RESULTS AND PRIZES
Three BDFIL prizes:
1st Prize CHF 2’000.-
2nd Prize CHF 1’500.-
3rd Prize CHF 1’000.-
The three winners will be notified personally, by phone and email, by Friday, 30th of June at the latest. Their names will be publicly announced at the opening on August 31, 2023 and published on the website in the following week at www.bdfil.ch. In addition to the three prizes, the jury may award one or more special mentions to distinguish projects. The special mentions will, unless otherwise specified, be honorary awards, not endowed with prize money.
No correspondence may be entered into regarding the competition or its jury. No legal appeals will be accepted. The winners of the BDFIL awards who are domiciled in Western Europe are invited to the award ceremony and the exhibition opening (travel, accommodation and meals are at the expense of the festival). Prize-winners from outside Western Europe enjoy the same benefits, with the exception of travel expenses (covered up to a maximum of CHF 300.-, upon presentation of receipts).
7. COMPETITION EXHIBITION
All of the projects will be available for viewing in an exhibition that will be held from 1 to September 24, 2023 at the Espace des inventions (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1, CH-1007 Lausanne). The winning boards will be displayed for the Lausanne public on the occasion of the Night of the Museums of Lausanne and Prilly on September 23, 2023 (Caran d’Ache creatives spaces, Plateforme 10 – Arcades 8 to 11, Place de la Gare 16, CH-1003 Lausanne).
8. PUBLIC AWARDS
A public prize of CHF 500.- will be awarded by visitors to the exhibition and during the Night of the Museums. The winner will be announced the following week on www.bdfil.ch.
9. PROJECT OWNERSHIP
The prize-winning projects remain the property of the festival. No royalties will be charged to the authors for publications in the press or for the promotion of BDFIL (catalogs, anniversary books, exhibitions, etc.). The entrant can nevertheless publish his or her board for other projects (website, exhibition, etc.), as of Thursday 28th of September, 2023.
10. RETURN OF PROJECTS
All competition projects will be kept by BDFIL and remain available at the festival’s office (Place de la Cathédrale 12, Lausanne) from Monday, 16th of October 2023, by appointment, on +41 (0)21 312 78 10 or via info@bdfil.ch, and until 15th of February 2024.
Participants who have sent an original project and wish to receive it back are requested to enclose proof of payment in accordance with the following fee schedule according to their location:
– Residents of Switzerland CHF 12.-
– Residents of Western Europe CHF 15.-
– Residents outside Western Europe CHF 25.-
The payment of the fees in case of return is to be addressed to the following account:
Beneficiary Fondation lausannoise pour le rayonnement de la BD
Place de la Cathédrale
1000 Lausanne
IBAN CH77 0900 0000 9166 6CHF
Account number 14-669166-6
BIC POFICHBEXXX
Bank address PostFinance SA
Mingerstrasse 20
3030 Bern
Switzerland
It is necessary to add the mention “Comics competition BDFIL 2023” as well as your name and surname as references when making your payment.
These financial contributions are intended to cover the shipping costs and logistics related to the return of the projects. The projects claimed will be returned on March 15, 2024 at the latest by second-class post. BDFIL declines all responsibility in case of loss by the competent postal services.
11. RESPONSIBILITY
The festival strongly recommends participants to make a copy of their project for any useful purpose. The festival declines all responsibility for the loss or damage to projects, but undertakes to treat all projects with the utmost care.
FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION:
BDFIL, Comics competition BDFIL 2023, Place de la Cathédrale 12, 1005 Lausanne (Switzerland)
Phone +41 (0)21 312 78 10
info@bdfil.ch

 Source