Let’s go for 2026 International Art Bookbinding Contest

The theme of the 18th World Biennial of Artistic Bookbinding is the novel “La Vagabonde” by COLETTE.

Contest calendar

  1. Registration: Proceed now with your online pre-registration after reading the competition rules (below). Book numbers will be assigned in the order of registration, unless you request a specific number. There is no registration deadline, as long as we receive your creation on time.
  2. Receiving the Book: In April 2025, you will receive a copy of La Vagabonde to bind, along with illustrations.
  3. Creation: Let your creativity run free to design a unique bookbinding.
  4. Submission: Send your bound book by May 15, 2026.
  5. Jury: In June 2026, an international jury of renowned professionals will evaluate the works and award the prizes.
  6. Exhibition: Let’s meet in September 2026 in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse for the public exhibition of all submitted bindings. On the program: four days of exhibitions, conferences, bookbinders’ dinner, awards ceremony, and a suppliers’ fair.

COLETTE and Her Work

Sidonie Gabrielle COLETTE, known as Colette, was a French writer of the 20th century, as well as an actress and journalist. She depicted French society during the Belle Époque. Her literary work earned her a prominent place in French literature and brought her international recognition.

All you need to know about the contest

The International Art Bookbinding Competition aims to promote the art of bookbinding. It is organized every 2 years by the association “Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’Art”.

The competition is endowed with prizes awarded by public and private partners, all associated with the event.

The association honours French literature. All bookbinders work on the same work, published by the association, which makes this competition unique.

You will find below:

  • the competition process
  • the awarding of prizes
  • the competition rules.

Competition process

The association has a work of its choice from French literature printed. It offers it at the beginning of the year preceding the competition by email and via social networks to amateurs, professionals, schools and creative bookbinding workshops around the world. The copies provided are numbered and ready to be bound.

The books to be bound are printed in France at the Cheyne workshop, labeled “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant”. Each book is unique and benefits from high-quality lead typographic printing, on 160 g pure rag Arches vellum. Illustrations are proposed to the bookbinders, created by artists chosen by the association.

Each participant has until May 15 of the year of the competition to create the binding of their choice. There are no constraints on the shapes, techniques and materials used. But the perfection of the binding is paramount in the choice of the winners. The bookbinders are free to insert (or not) the illustrations as they wish.

The bound book, without a box or slipcase, must be returned, imperatively accompanied by the participation form and the loan agreement, to the following address: Biennales Mondiales de la Reliure d’Art, 2 rue Victor Hugo  F-78470 Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse FRANCE.

Download the participation form and the loan agreement to be completed, printed, signed and sent with the binding.

An international jury meets in June of the year of the competition. It is composed of professionals recognized in the world of bookbinding or bibliophiles. Around 15 prizes are awarded. Schools and bookbinding workshops can compete for the special prize called INTER-ÉCOLE. This prize is awarded to the school presenting at least 5 perfect bindings that have a link to each other.

The Biennale ends with the presentation to the public of ALL the received bindings in September of the year of the competition in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse. During this exhibition, a Supplier Fair is organized where visitors can find all the materials necessary to create their bindings.

Awarding of prizes

Upon receipt of the bindings, an” binding number” is assigned to them, in order of arrival. All, without exception, are presented anonymously to the jury. Each member of the jury selects twenty works from among them. These are grouped together. Each juror then gives each selected binding a score by category:

  • quality of production,
  • suitability for the subject of the book,
  • technical prowess,
  • originality of materials,
  • aesthetics.

The scores obtained are added and the prizes are awarded in descending order of the result.

For the Inter-Schools prize, the bindings that may have already won an individual prize are put back in place, which gives the school an additional chance.

As for the prizes given by the partners, the remaining bindings from the jury’s selection are proposed, but they can also have a “crush” for another work.

The names of the winners are revealed only after the prizes have been awarded.

Competition rules 2026

Clause1

By registering for the competition, the participant accepts these rules.

Clause 2

The association remains the sole to choose the book for each competition and the amount of the prizes awarded.

Clause 3

Registration for the competition entitles the participant to:

  • Shipping of the book to be bound (provided in notebooks and numbered) as well as the illustrations, at the price indicated on the association’s website. For schools and bookbinding workshops, a reduced price is granted for a group purchase of at least 10 participants.
  • Presentation of the binding to the jury and at the exhibition.
  • Publication in the catalogue of any binding presented in the competition.
  • 2 free entries to the exhibition per binding exhibited.
  • A catalogue given during the exhibition or sent with the return of the binding.

The cost of reshipping the binding and the catalogue after the exhibition is at the participant’s expense.  Shipping costs for reshipping bindings after the exhibition.

Clause 4

The binding (without slipcase or box) must be returned before May 15 of the year of the competition, imperatively accompanied by the participation form and the signed loan agreement.

Clause 5

In the event of damage to the bindings entrusted to the association, the latter undertakes to compensate the participants up to twice the registration fees. Additional insurance for the bindings is the responsibility of the participants.

Clause 6

Any customs duties are the responsibility of the participants, on invoice sent to the participant by the association.

Clause 7

The members of the Jury are appointed by the association and their decisions are final.

Clause 8

Any identifiable binding will not be presented to the jury but will be presented at the exhibition and in the catalogue. The bindings must not appear on social networks before the jury deliberates.

Clause 9

The prizes consist of vouchers from suppliers present during the exhibition. They can only be given to the winner or his duly authorized representative. No shipment is made.

In the event of non-delivery of a prize, it remains the property of the association.

Clause 10

When a person purchases a binding and the participant accepts his proposal, the latter agrees to pay 10% of the amount of the transaction to the association.

Clause 11

Any dispute will be examined by the Association’s Office and its decision is final.

Clause 12

The Versailles Court has sole jurisdiction to settle any dispute that could not be resolved amicably with the Association’s Office.

International Contest - 18th World Biennials of Art Bookbinding

with "La Vagabonde" by Colette