Tânia A. Cardoso, illustrator and urbanist, has completed her doctoral research at the University of Amsterdam. Her research, a product of this distinct blend of fields, focuses on the potential of illustration as a form of urban communication.

This work is the culmination of her ground-based experience as an illustrator-researcher, exploring the poetics of everyday life and reportage art, and using illustration to co-produce and challenge the urban environment. The results of her research led her to open StudioTako, a studio for creating visual storytelling, urban chronicles, collective mapping and comics, and independent study.

Wouter Gresnigt of Werkplaats W has been active in Small Press for more than 20 years. For Gresnigt, it is the ideal breeding ground for experimenting with different kinds of visual expression. This year, that resulted in winning third prize at the Small Press Award. Wouter transformed Paul van Ostaijen’s well-known sound poem *Boem Paukeslag* into a magnificent Small Press zine. In 2022, Gresnigt also won third prize at the Small Press Award with the two Small Press zines: ‘#1 Daniil Kharms’ and ‘#2 Daniil Kharms’. These formed the basis for the book ‘Daniil Charms, 18 verhalen’, which was published in the summer of 2025. In addition to Small Press, you may also encounter the work of Werkplaats W in newspapers, magazines, on shop windows, and on chalkboards. He has also illustrated and designed several children’s books.

Bob Op ‘t Land (1992) is a comic artist and illustrator who lives and works in Deventer (NL). His work was published in magazines like Zone 5300 (NL), Spirou (BE) and Métal Hurlant (FR). He self-publishes ‘Plumbum’, an ongoing autobiographical comicseries, of which he has made four issues thusfar . His first book, ‘The Very Best Baby of All Time’, was published in 2025 bij Oogachtend Publishers.

Nikki Smits graduated from Utrecht School of the Arts in 2011. Since then she is active as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. She works digitally for the most part, which is very handy because she likes travelling around a lot. Right now she mostly creates her own illustrated products and sells them in her webshop and at (comic) conventions. Her current portfolio is full of imaginary worlds and cute characters.