The global winners of the 2025 Hans Christian Andersen International Art Awards have been announced recently. Teachers and students from the School of Comics, Jilin Animation Institute (JAI) claimed 3 gold medals and 8 silver medals, showcasing outstanding artistic creations on the international stage. Founded by the Hans Christian Andersen Culture and Art Development Committee of Denmark and co-organized by the Hans Christian Andersen Society (Copenhagen), the Hans Christian Andersen International Art Awards is an influential international art competition. It honors Hans Christian Andersen’s cultural legacy and encourages creative artworks with humanistic care from around the world. This year’s competition drew numerous artists and educational institutions globally. Entries from JAI’s School of Comics earned high praise from international judges for their creative conception, professional craftsmanship and complete presentation.
Awarding works (selection)
The award-winning works cover diverse styles and integrate profound ideas with artistic aesthetics. Unchained Mind Apeby faculty Tong Yuhui adopts black-and-white illustration based on the Monkey King archetype. It blends oriental pavilions and Western Gothic architecture to interpret the pursuit of freedom beyond restraints, highlighting the spirit of rebellion embedded in Eastern mythology. Warm Sun Notesby Zhao Jianmei depicts a cozy scene of a girl resting on a sofa with a cat bathed in afternoon sunlight, delivering soothing warmth to viewers. Going to Meet Youby student Ma Xiyao centers on a lone girl at a seaside train station. Cool blue tones convey longing and the romance of traveling to meet loved ones.
showcase
These distinctive, technically sophisticated works span oriental culture, daily aesthetics and emotional expression, fully demonstrating the solid professional skills and humanistic reflections of JAI’s teachers and students. Upholding the institute’s school-running mission and the educational philosophy of “learning through practice and growth through creation”, the School of Comics integrates theory with artistic practice and art with technology. Aligned with industrial standards, it has built a full-chain talent cultivation system covering creative conception to commercial transformation, and keeps making breakthroughs in interdisciplinary teaching and original artistic exploration.
Award recipients noted that artistic creation relies on cultural heritage and technological innovation. These international awards testify to their personal expertise as well as JAI’s fruitful teaching, practical training and creative strength. The school improves its comprehensive teaching system, guiding creators to draw on fine traditional Chinese culture and tell authentic Chinese stories globally. Faculty provide whole-process tutoring to help students grasp artistic expression, social value and contemporary mission, producing aesthetically appealing works with deep humanistic thoughts.
Certificates
Taking these honors as a new starting point, Jilin Animation Institute will advance its strategic layout featuring characteristic development, industry-education integration and innovation & entrepreneurship. It will further implement the “Education Plus” industry-education integration strategy, root creations in traditional Chinese culture and capture the spirit of the times. The institute aims to cultivate interdisciplinary artistic talents with innovation capabilities and global vision, boost the international development of Chinese original comics, and contribute JAI’s strength to global Chinese cultural communication.
