The 2023 24 HOURS Animation Contest Winners Announced

Over 2,100 students met the challenge, producing a 30-second animation in under 24 hours; teams from 90 colleges and 14 high schools participated, with winners receiving over $165k in prize packs and cash.

This year’s 24 HOURS: Animation Contest for Students took place Friday, October 13-14, with 431 teams from 104 schools from 23 countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkiye, UK and the USA!). A total of 2,155 students participated from 90 colleges and 14 high schools. One team joined from Exceptional Minds, an art school for young autistic adults and artists on the autistic spectrum. The contest is free to enter.

This year, more industry supporters backed the contest with additional prizes and funding efforts to support students, including an equipment request program for underserved students, which allowed them to participate and provided tools to aid in their virtual learning and art production.

Sponsoring companies awarded seven teams prize packs and cash totaling over $165,000. Sponsors included Toon Boom; ASIFA-Hollywood; Animation Educators Forum; Cartoon Saloon; XPPen; Bento Box; Nickelodeon Animation Studios; and NICE; CSU Summer Arts; TAAFI; Wacom; TVPaint; DigiCel; Huion; CRC Press; Xencelabs; CTNX; X in a Box; Legends Animated; Mac Hollywood; Stuart NG Books; DreamWorks; Walt Disney Animation Studios; Pixar; Sony Pictures Animation; and Animation is Film.

Cartoon Saloon co-founder Tomm Moore (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers) offered participants a special message of encouragement and a little professional advice: