AHDR has opened a call for Children's Books Illustrators!

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Professional Services (Illustrator, Cartoonist, Graphic Designer, Digital Designer for Children’s Books)

Roster of Designers/Illustrators

ASSOCIATION FOR HISTORICAL DIALOGUE AND RESEARCH (AHDR)

Terms of Reference for Designers/Illustrators

Background

The Association for Historical Dialogue and Research is an inter-communal, non-profit, and non-governmental organization established in 2003 in Nicosia, Cyprus. The AHDR envisions to contribute to the advancement of dialogue, critical thinking and intercultural understanding amongst teachers, students, and the general public by providing access to various learning opportunities for all. More specifically, the AHDR promotes the study and research of the History of Cyprus in a critical and comprehensive way; develops supplementary educational material for educators and students in relation to History and Peace/ Anti-racist Education to be shared and used in and beyond classrooms; increases public awareness on the importance of dialogue and multiperspectivity; promotes a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence through education at a local, national, and international level. In 2011 the AHDR opened the Home for Cooperation (H4C), a unique educational, cultural and community centre in the heart of Nicosia, in the UN Buffer Zone.

To support its work, the AHDR requires professional services to help support the current and future project needs of the AHDR.

Expression of Interest & Roster of Designers/Illustrators for Children’s Book

The overall objective of this expression of interest is to create a roster of graphic designer, digital designer, and illustrator for children’s book, for the AHDR project. Qualified designers/illustrators will be placed in the roster for the next one year in order to expedite the hiring process. Under the understanding for registering for the designer roster the selected candidates will be contacted to see if they are available to provide graphic design and illustrations services for children’s books when needed. The Roster will be maintained for a period of one year and will be reviewed and updated yearly based on performance and needs.

Scope of Work and Responsibilities

The designer will ensure effective and efficient provision of services, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made. Below are the key responsibilities:

- Provide graphic designs/illustrations/cartoons/anime images/comic book illustrations for AHDR projects in the field of Peace Education, more specifically under social justice theme

- Coordinate and work collaboratively with the AHDR Director, Project Officer(s) and Project Technical Consultant;

- Work with the team to understand the vision and concept of the project and working in line with the vision, mission and objectives of AHDR

- Create sketches, storyboards, and rough drafts to present to the team for review and feedback;

- Develop final illustrations that align with the vision and concept of the book, incorporating feedback from the team, making revisions as necessary;

- Create original characters, backgrounds, and scenes that convey emotion and convey complex ideas in a visually appealing and accessible manner, choosing appropriate colour schemes and designs that are consistent with the mood and theme of the book;

- Collaborate with editors and designers to ensure that the illustrations align with the overall design and layout of the book;

- Meet deadlines and work efficiently to complete illustrations on time, attending necessary meetings in person/via email/online meetings, providing regular updates and seeking feedback to ensure the illustrations meet the expectations;

- Ensure that the illustrations/comics/designs (e.g., educational publications) are respectful to the sensitivities to the different stakeholders and communities;

- Not disclosing any confidential information, materials, design or copyrights to third parties (all documents used within the project should be considered confidential);

- Keep up-to-date with industry trends, techniques, and best practices in children's book illustration and social justice themes;

- Adhere to copyright and trademark laws, and ensure that all illustrations are original works that do not infringe on existing intellectual property;

- Ensure the timely response to the AHDR team’s requests;

- State the cost of extra changes, if any.

Graphic Designer & Illustrator Requirements

Required Qualifications & Competences

- Bachelor’s degree or above in Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, Digital Design, Digital Motion Design or in relevant fields;

- Experience in illustrating children's books and a strong portfolio that demonstrates expertise in creating engaging and colourful illustrations;

- Expertise in idea generation and creative ability for creating cartoon characters, backgrounds, and scenes that convey emotion, and convey complex ideas in a visually appealing manner;

- Strong drawing and design skills, including an ability to work with various mediums (digital and traditional) and a proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign);

- Excellent communication skills to work collaboratively with project co-ordinators, authors, and editors to bring their vision to life;

- Ability to work on with tight deadlines, and a high level of attention to detail to ensure that all illustrations meet quality standards and are delivered on time;

- A commitment to ongoing learning and growth in the field of illustration and social justice themes;

- Experience in creating illustrations for social justice themes, and a strong understanding of how to use imagery to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion;

- An understanding of the target audience (children) and their developmental stages, and the ability to create illustrations that are age-appropriate, engaging, and accessible;

- A passion for social justice and an understanding of the impact that children's literature can have in shaping attitudes and behaviours;

- Demonstrated excellent English level;

- Ability to grasp new concepts quickly.

Evaluation & Selection of Applications

Designers/ illustrators will be selected in accordance with their qualifications and demonstrated level of experience. This Expression of Interest does not entail any commitment on the part of the employer, either financial or otherwise. The shortlisted applicants will be provided with a short concept to design and submit to the AHDR team.

Contracting & Rates

Successful designers/illustrators will be awarded an Agreement for Professional Services – Graphic Design Services and become part of a Roster of graphic designers for the AHDR projects.

The rates do not include VAT. Where applicable, the employer shall be liable to pay VAT taxation for the services upon receipt of a valid VAT invoice from the Contractor.

It is the responsibility of the contractor to ensure that they comply with all other relevant income taxations and social insurance payments. The employer has no liability for such taxes and duties (except VAT) payable by the contractor under this Contract.

The contract will establish a framework agreement for services when needed.  This does not form a financial obligation or commitment from the employer at the time the contract is signed.  Financial commitments will only be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the contract. Payments will be made upon completion of design services and submitted invoice by the Contractor. The rate of the contract is determined by the employer.

Submission Details

Please submit your: 1) CV, 2) Expression of Interest letter briefly stating your experience in this field, 3) Portfolio, 4) Financial Proposal and 5) any other relevant documentations (optional). 

Submit via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by May 1, 2023.

Interested applicants may obtain further information by sending any requests to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..