Illustration Contest

Bodegas Sánchez Romate Hnos., with the aim of promoting artistic creativity related to Jerez brandy, announces the 1st “Cardenal Mendoza” International Illustration Competition.

By entering this competition, participants accept the following rules:

1. The competition is open to any individual of legal age, regardless of nationality.
2. The illustration must depict one of the four winning micro-stories from the 2024 edition of the “Cardenal Mendoza” International Micro-Story Competition.
3. The illustration must be original and unpublished. It must not have received any awards or honourable mentions in other competitions.
4. The artwork must be in vertical A3 format. It must be submitted as a .jpg or .pdf file, in CMYK mode and with a resolution of 300 dpi.
5. From all submissions received, a selection of 10 finalists will be made, from which the three winning illustrations will be chosen.
6. Any artistic technique and style may be used, except for the use of generative artificial intelligence, which is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate disqualification.
7. To ensure compliance with the above rule, all finalists will be required to submit at least five images showing their creative process. These may be photos, screenshots or videos, documenting the process from initial sketches to the final piece. If these materials are not submitted, or if they are not clear or detailed enough, the entry will be disqualified and replaced by another, at the jury’s discretion.
8. All entries must be submitted in digital format only.
   Submissions should be sent to the following email address: ilustracion@romate.com.
   The email subject line should be: 1st Cardenal Mendoza Illustration Competition, and two files must be attached.

The filenames must follow this format:

1. For the illustration: a .jpg file named after the title of the artwork.
2. For the entry form: a .doc or .docx file named after the title of the story followed by "_plica".

Example: If the illustration is titled Sunny,

• Illustration file: Sunny
• Entry form file: Sunny_plica

Illustrations must be signed with a pseudonym.

The entry form file must include: title, pseudonym, full name, date and place of birth, full address, nationality, national ID number (or equivalent identity document or passport number), phone number and email address.
The organisers will not correspond with participants during the course of the competition.

9. The prizes are as follows:

• First Prize: €2,000
• Second Prize: €1,000
• Third Prize: Cardenal Mendoza Non Plus Ultra gift box (or monetary equivalent if shipment to the winner's country is not possible)

The corresponding tax deductions, as established by Spanish law, will be applied to the prize amounts.

10. The submission period opens on 15 May and closes on 15 September 2025.
11. The jury will consist of two individuals with recognised artistic credentials and one professional from the Jerez brandy sector. Their identities will be announced once the competition ends.
12. The jury’s decision will be made public during Cardenal Mendoza Golden Week, between 25 and 31 October 2025, on the website:
    https://www.cardenalmendoza.com/en/golden-week/illustration-contest
13. The jury may declare any of the prizes void if it deems that none of the entries meet the required standards of quality.
14. All winning artworks will become the property of Bodegas Sánchez Romate Hnos. and may be used in any promotional format — books, brochures, various publications, websites, blogs or any other medium the organisers see fit — without prior notice to the author.
15. Finalists will grant the organisers the rights to exhibit their work during Golden Week.
16. Participants are solely responsible for the lawful ownership and originality of their work, in accordance with the Spanish Intellectual Property Act. They must guarantee that the work is their own and unpublished.
17. Participation in this competition implies full acceptance of these rules, full agreement with the jury's decisions, and a waiver of any legal claim.

Legal Notice
In compliance with the Spanish Organic Law 15/1999 of 13 December on the Protection of Personal Data, we inform you that all data and documents submitted to SÁNCHEZ ROMATE HNOS., S.A. will become part of a file owned by said company and will be used exclusively for the management of this illustration competition.
You may exercise your rights to access, rectify, cancel or oppose this data by writing to:
Calle Lealas 26, 11404 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), Spain.

SÁNCHEZ ROMATE HNOS., S.A. will not be held responsible for the legality, truthfulness or accuracy of the data provided. It is the participant’s sole responsibility to notify the company of any changes to their data.
Providing the requested information is mandatory and implies your express consent for the processing of your personal data for the stated purposes. Answering the remaining questions is optional.