Under the umbrella of Images Vevey, the Images Vevey Book Award is a competition that aims to finance the production of an original book by June 2024, which will be presented at the Images Vevey biennial, from 7 to 29 September 2024.
The Images Vevey Book Award supports the creation of a book project that showcases an optimal balance between publication format and photographic content. It provides a financial contribution that seeks to encourage artists to take risks and to innovate in order for them to develop a suitable and sophisticated publication format for their photography project.
Images Vevey expects participants to show creativity and originality, both in how they address an issue and in how they design their book project.
The award grants the winner the indivisible sum of 10 000 CHF to produce an original photography book, which must be carried out in consultation with Images Vevey.
Twenty-five copies of the award-winning book are given to Images Vevey, which commits to pre-purchase up to 2 000 CHF (at bookstore price).
Payment of the prize is made in three instalments after verification of the intermediate stages of production.
The competition is open to professional artists and photographers as well as those in training who are currently working on a book project.
Submitted projects must be achievable by June 2024. In agreement with Images Vevey, the project may be published before that deadline. In that case, Images Vevey will be included in all publication-related communications and events.
Each participant may enter no more than one project.
Participants agree that their participation be made public by Images Vevey if required.
Award-winners must be present in Vevey for the biennial opening ceremony on Saturday 7 September 2024.
Employees of Images Vevey's partner companies are prohibited from entering the competition.
The selection process is carried out in two stages:
A pre-jury of international experts shortlists a minimum of 15 projects among the applications received online. Shortlisted photographers will be contacted personally and required to send a complete portfolio by mail (see item 7).
An international jury consisting of art and photography professionals will pick the winner of the Images Vevey Book Award from among the shortlisted portfolios.
Registration for the competition is done online at picter.com.
For their application, entrants must:
Submit a statement of intent written in English
Upload ten pictures of the photographic series
Upload images of the book project as JPG's (examples: page spreads of the layout, dummy-documentation, sketches, etc.)
Pay the participation fee
Register by the deadline (17 February 2023, 23:59 CET at the latest)
30 EUR
The participation fee enables Images Vevey to partially cover the administrative expenses required for the proper functioning of the Book Award.
Shortlisted photographers will be contacted individually on 13 March 2023.
They will be required to send a portfolio.
The portfolio **must arrive before 13April 2023 **in Vevey, Switzerland and include the following items:
A statement of intent (one page max) written in English
A draft of the publication project and/or a printed PDF version of the project
A technical sheet for the project (pagination, binding, printing process, etc.)
A production timeline
A written undertaking that guarantees the book will be published by June 2024 at the latest
The list of partner institutions and/or organisations for the project
If a publisher is already interested, a letter of intent may be included with the application
At least one copy of a previous book (if available)
The mailing address will be sent by email to the shortlisted entrants.
Portfolios must weigh less than 2 kg.
IMPORTANT: For all applications sent from abroad (via ordinary mail, FedEx and other courier services), the following mention must clearly be stated on the customs declaration: 'No commercial value'.
Entrants wishing for their portfolio to be returned must mention it at the time of registration on: www.picter.com and will have to pay a 50 CHF shipping fee.
They should duly note that return shipping is by ordinary mail (non-registered and without liability from Images Vevey). It is the entrants' responsibility to receive their parcels. If the parcel is returned, Images Vevey will not ship it a second time.
The pre-jury (see item 4) and jury's decisions are final. Entrants commit not to appeal or undertake any private or public legal action against Images Vevey, the members of the jury and any other entrant.
Award-winners will be notified personally and results will be announced in the press and on Images Vevey's website.
The jury makes its decision on the basis of a statement of intent explaining the project, a draft and a guarantee that the publication will be printed within the set timeframes.
The jury may decide not to award any prize if the quality of the submitted projects is deemed insufficient. In this case, the jury and Images Vevey are under no obligation to provide any additional justification.
Among other criteria, the jury will be asked to assess the following aspects in particular:
Significance of the photography project to be published
Balance between the prescribed form and the content (artistic intent) of the publication
Creativity and innovation of the book's design
Images Vevey and the award-winner will consult each other to assess interest in an exhibition to accompany the launch of the book. Exhibition is by no means guaranteed. If it does take place, Images Vevey will commit an additional sum for its realisation.
The winner of the Images Vevey Book Award will undertake to provide a copy of the draft as well as a signed copy of the book for the archives of Images Vevey.
Images Vevey reserves the right to show this draft at Images Vevey-related exhibitions (L'Appartement -- Espace Images Vevey, Images Vevey biennial, etc.).
By entering the competition, all participants accept that, should their work receive the prize, Images Vevey will be credited as co-publisher by means of its logo and in wording in the book as well as in all book-related communication. The colophon will also include the following acknowledgements: 'This publication was produced thanks to the Images Vevey Book Award' and 'The Book Award is financed by Les Amis d'Images', accompanied by the logo of Les Amis d'Images.
Once a contract has been signed, the winner of the Images Vevey Book Award undertakes not to present any publication-related work in any photography festival (or related event) in Switzerland without prior consultation with Images Vevey until the following biennial in September 2024. If the work is presented in Switzerland or elsewhere, this will be done in consultation with Images Vevey and all related communication will bear the acknowledgement 'Images Vevey Book Award'.
Entrants are responsible for obtaining all authorisations (especially in relation to the protection of privacy) relating to the works submitted for the Images Vevey Book Award. Images Vevey does not accept any liability in this respect.
The ten images provided at the time of the registration must be free of rights for any competition-related communication and promotion purposes as well as Images Vevey-related activities.
Images Vevey reserves the right to publish and circulate all or parts of the winning portfolios, solely within the context of the promotion of its activities.
Application portfolios for award-winning projects will remain the property of Images Vevey and will not be returned. The entrants remain the sole holders of copyright.
All Images Vevey Book Award-related communication in 2023 and 2024 rests solely with Images Vevey.
Images Vevey undertakes to handle applications with the utmost care. However, it declines all liability for any damage or loss that the entrants' applications may suffer, regardless of the cause. The same applies to registrations bearing 'Return of File'.
Participation in the competition implies full acceptance of the current terms and conditions. In the event of dispute, the French version of these terms and conditions, which are subject to Swiss legislation, prevails. The place of jurisdiction is Vevey.
Vevey, 4 January 2023
Please feel free to contact us.
Images Vevey
+41 (0)21 922 48 54
grandprix@images.ch
www.images.ch