Baltic Book Art Competition diplomas awarded in Vilnius on International Design Day
National book design competitions are an important part of printing and book culture. The Lithuanian Book Art Competition has been held since 1993. The Ministry of Culture has organized and curated it since 1996. In the same year, the first Latvian book art competition, “Zelta ābele” (Eng. “Golden Apple Tree”), was established. The annual competition in Estonia has been held even longer, and it adopted its current form and name, “25 kauneimat Eesti raamatut” (“25 Best-Designed Estonian Books”), in 1998.
The Baltic Book Art Competition is also held annually. Each year, the Baltic Book Art Competition brings together the strongest works from all three countries. A panel of experts selects one outstanding publication from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, highlighting excellence in design, craftsmanship, and concept. Last year, the selection took place in Haapsalu, Estonia, and this year in Vilnius on April 27, International Design Day. The best-designed publications from the three Baltic countries can be seen in one place at the exhibition “The Spaces In Between. Dizainas, kuris yra tarp,” which will be on view at the Museum of Applied Arts and Design until May 17.
Books that have won national awards in their countries were evaluated in Vilnius by experts delegated by each country: Karel Korp, graphic designer and head of the Estonian Graphic Designers Association; Madara Krieviņa, graphic designer and creative director from Latvia; and graphic designer Vilmantas Žumbys, who last year received the Baltic Book Art diploma for the design of the book “Artumo geografija. 14-oji Kauno bienalė | Long-distance Friendships.”
According to the decision of experts from Latvia and Estonia, the winning Lithuanian book was “Kęstutis Kasparavičius. Kasparatorija,” designed by Linas Spurga Jr. (edited by Jolita Liškevičienė, published by Vilnius Graphic Art Centre, printed by “Standart Impressa”).
The Latvian winner for best design was the bilingual book “Homo Novus grāmata | The Book of Homo Novus,” designed by Monika Grūzīte (edited by Gundega Laiviņa, published by “Neputns” and the New Theatre Institute of Latvia, printed by “Jelgavas tipogrāfija”).
Among Estonian books, the winner was the anniversary publication marking the first printed text in the Estonian language, “See esimene raamat. 500 aastat ühist kirjakultuuri,” designed by Viktor Gurov and Margit Plink (edited by Piret Lotman and Toms Ķencis, published by the National Library of Estonia, printed by “Printon”).
The awards ceremony concluded with a panel discussion among experts on design mastery, the materiality of the evaluated publications, aesthetic and sensory experience, and national traditions in printing and book illustration, as well as their differences and parallels. The discussion was moderated by philologist and cultural journalist Dr. Tomas Riklius.
The Baltic Book Art Competition in Vilnius was organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. The organizer of the International Design Day event network (www.dizainodiena.lt/en) is the Lithuanian Design Association, in partnership with the Museum of Applied Arts and Design.
Photos by Gintarė Grigėnaitė, Eiko Lainjärv, Monika Grūzīte
Last updated: 04-05-2026