AWA PRESS YOUNG DESIGNER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Just after announcing a new typography award, the Book Publishers Association of New Zealand has now announced a new award to recognise emerging talent in New Zealand book design as part of the annual BPANZ Book Design Awards, run in association with the New Zealand Listener and Publishing Press.

The Awa Press Young Designer of the Year award will be given to the book designer aged under 35 years who shows the greatest artistic merit and innovation in his or her book design.

“All publishers know that a knock-me-dead cover and alluring internal design can
make or break a book. But how to achieve this, when so many designers would rather devote their attentions to cereal boxes and lipstick ads?” says Mary Varnham of Awa Press, the publishing company that sponsors the new award.
Awa Press is “proudly sponsoring this award in the hope it will entice many more young designers to take up a career in book design and enjoy its many rewards.” says Mary Varnham.

Judging the new award in 2009 are designers Nick Turzynski and Sharon Grace.
Turzynski took a circuitous but perhaps inevitable route to book design. With a work history spanning journalism, advertising, packaging, graphic and magazine design, Turzynski eventually spent six hectic and challenging years as Art Director at Hodder Moa Beckett (now Hachette NZ Ltd). Turzynski established redinc. book design in 2003, and has received several awards for his work including BPANZ book design awards for cover, internal design and typography.
Grace has worked as a freelance book and magazine designer for the past 13 years. After designing for various magazine publications in both England and New Zealand, in 1991 Grace moved from North and South to the role of Art Director at Next magazine. Freelancing since 1996, Grace has received numerous award nominations, and has been presented with BPANZ book design awards for typography and illustrated book design.

Entry for the new design award is free, and applications are welcomed from both publishers and designers. Designers are asked to send between three and five books they have designed, which were published between 1 January 2008 and 31 March 2009. A cash prize of $1000 will be presented to the winner.

Full criteria, conditions of entry and applications for Awa Press Young Designer of the Year will be available on the BPANZ website from 11 May; entries close 12 June. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony held 3 September at the Arts Lounge, Auckland Art Gallery.

Contact: Natalie Wyse, Whitireia Publishing, bpanz.bda@gmail.com, 021 124 335