Illustration and reading promotion

Exhibition of the 2nd Budapest Illustration Festival in Szolnok

Abstract

The first travelling exhibition of the 2nd Budapest Illustration Festival was held in Szolnok at the Damjanich János Museum's exhibition space, the Szolnok Gallery. A temporary exhibition with more than 80 works from of the Budapest Illustration Festival 2021 was held from 8 January to 6 February, 2022. The first part of the essay explores the characteristics of illustration as a genre of applied art, and its role today, with a special focus on the function of the illustrated book in promoting reading and developing verbal skills. The Budapest Illustration Festival (Billufeszt in short) is committed to promoting quality illustration, both for publishers and book consumers (parents, teachers and children). After describing Billufeszt's ambitions and the characteristics of the exhibition, the participatory methods are described which were used by the Damjanich János Museum to involve institutions, individuals and groups during the exhibition to promote the genre of illustration, reading and storytelling with pictures. This was reinforced by the educational corner in the exhibition space, with its playful storytelling tools, and by the illustrated publications of the works on display, accessible to all age groups, and offering quality recreation.