International Cartoon Contest “BY BUS”

The Estonian Humour Museum, in cooperation with its partners, international bus company Lux Express and Tallinn Bus Station, announces an international cartoon contest on the theme: “BY BUS”.

Theme Description: The content of the cartoons must be related to bus transport in its broadest sense. We welcome works reflecting bus travel, bus stations, drivers, and passengers at both local and international levels. Is the bus just a vehicle or a social phenomenon? What happens on a long journey? How does the world look through a bus window? Etc. We are looking for a witty and clever approach!

Prize Fund:

  • I Place – 700 €
  • II Place – 500 €
  • III Place – 300 €
  • 2 Special Prizes – 150 € each (Intended for Estonian cartoonists to encourage local participation if they do not reach the top three, or a special prize from Lux Express).

Rules and Conditions of the Competition:

  • Participants and Number of Works: Each author may submit an unlimited number of thematic caricatures. However, only one work per author can compete for a prize (the best one).
  • Originality: Caricatures may have been published previously, but they must not have won awards in other competitions. The author is responsible for ensuring their submitted work does not violate third-party copyrights.
  • Entries produced using AI text-to-image generating software or platforms are not eligible to be qualified for the competition. AI-generated artwork or entries based on AI-generated artwork will be disqualified.
  • Technical Requirements:
    • Format: JPG or PNG.
    • Quality: At least 300 dpi (suitable for printing in A3 format or larger).
    • Both color and black-and-white works are allowed.
  • Language: Cartoons should generally be wordless. Internationally known abbreviations and expressions (OK, S.O.S., HELP, etc.) are allowed. As an exception, caricatures with up to 5 words in English are permitted.
  • Entry Details: Along with the works, the email must include the author’s:
    • First name and surname
    • Exact postal address (with postal/zip code)
    • Email address
    • Phone number
    • A photo and a short CV is recommended.
  • Deadline and Submission: Entries must be sent by March 1, 2026, at the latest to the email address: cartoon@eestihuumor.ee or by post to: Eesti Huumorimuuseum, Purku, Rapla vald, Raplamaa, Estonia.
  • Results: Winners will be announced no later than April 1, 2026. The results will be published on media channels and on the organizers’ website. Awarded participants will be notified personally.

Exhibitions and Catalogue:

  • The best cartoons will be selected for an exhibition displayed at the Estonian Humour Museum (Purku village, Rapla County) and Tallinn Bus Station, Estonia.The exhibition may also be presented as a traveling exhibition elsewhere in Estonia.
  • The best 100 cartoons will be published in a thematic catalogue.
  • All participants will receive a free digital exhibition catalogue (PDF), which can be downloaded from www.eestihuumor.ee. The top 20 participants will receive a printed catalogue by mail.

Copyright: The Estonian Humour Museum and Lux Express reserve the right to use the submitted works free of charge for organizing exhibitions, publishing printed materials, and promoting the competition/exhibition in media and advertising materials (referencing the author’s name). Submitted works will not be returned (digital archive). Works received on paper will not be returned, they will remain in the archives of the Estonian Museum of Humor and in the case of originals, the author may request a certificate of donation.

More info: 

Estonian Humour Museum
Andrus Tamm
Phone:  +372 51 77 861
andrus@eestihuumor.ee