Competitions by Stiftung Buchkunst 2024

Call for Entries by Stiftung Buchkunst 2024

“Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher” and “Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung”

Author: Nina Vollmer

Stiftung Buchkunst invites participation in its competitions Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2024 (The Most Beautiful German Books 2024) and Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2024 (Young Book Design Promotion Award 2024). The deadline for both design competitions is March 31st, 2024. All information about the competitions and participation details can be found on the foundation’s website.

Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2024

In the competition for Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher 2024, two juries consisting of experts from various fields—from design and production, to design theory and the book trade—will select the 25 most beautiful books of the year through a multi-stage process. The books exemplify excellence in design, conception, and production, showcasing a wide range of design and manufacturing possibilities. The awarded books make a statement and highlight trends in German book production. In each of the five categories—“General Literature,” “Scientific Books, Technical Books, School and Textbooks,” “Guides, Non-fiction Books,” “Art Books, Photo Books, Exhibition Catalogs,” and “Children’s Books, Youth Books”—there are five awardees. The selection also considers the quieter, well-typographed reading book. The awarded titles are simultaneously nominated for the € 10.000 Preis der Stiftung Buchkunst (Foundation for Book Art Prize).

The competition is open to publishers, book designers, and producing companies. Submissions can include new releases from the years 2023 and 2024 (publication date: April 1st, 2023 to March 31st, 2024). If the submitted book has a regional connection, there is also the option to simultaneously register for the competition Deutschlands schönstes Regionalbuch (Germany’s Most Beautiful Regional Book).

Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2024

The Förderpreis für junge Buchgestaltung 2024 aims to make extraordinary, new ideas about printed books or hybrid book forms—thus developments in book design—and book impulses for tomorrow, as well as today’s quality concepts, visible. Technical perfection takes a backseat to the idea in this competition. A jury composed of designers and university experts will select three winning titles, each endowed with € 2.000, that rethink the medium of the book. Additionally, the awarded book projects will be honored with their own exhibition at einBuch.haus in Berlin, starting from July 11th, 2024.

The awarded books from both competitions, along with their short and longlists, are part of the exhibition by Stiftung Buchkunst at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The 25 awarded titles will also be showcased at various locations in Germany and international book fairs.

All necessary information and participation forms can be found here.

Competitions by Stiftung Buchkunst 2024