IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD 2025/2026

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Images Vevey Book Award: support grant to produce an original book within one year that will be presented at the following Biennale Images Vevey in Vevey (Switzerland) in September 2026.

Opening of registrations: 13 January 2025

Online application deadline: 25 February 2025

1. INTRODUCTION

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 2026, which will be presented at the Biennale Images Vevey, from 5 to 27 September 2026.

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.

2. THE AWARD

The award grants the winner with a value ranging from a minimum of 10,000 CHF (co-publishing) to a maximum of 20,000 CHF (exclusive publisher), according to the agreed arrangement, to produce a unique photography book. The book must be carried out in consultation with Images Vevey as publisher or co-publisher.

By participating, the author agrees that Éditions Images Vevey will necessarily act as either the co-publisher or the exclusive publisher of the book.

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 installments after verification of the intermediate stages of production.

3. CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION & DEADLINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THE BOOK

• 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 2026. 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. Candidates are free to submit an application for the Images Vevey Book Award while simultaneously applying for the Grand Prix Images Vevey, provided they comply with the respective regulations.

• Participants agree that their participation be made public by Images Vevey if required.

• Award-winners must be present in Vevey for the Biennale Images Vevey opening ceremony on Saturday 5 September 2026.

• Employees of Images Vevey's partner companies are prohibited from entering the competition.

4. SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD 2025/2026

The selection process is carried out in two stages:

• A pre-jury of international experts shortlists up to 25 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.

5. REGISTRATION FOR THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD 2025/2026

Registration for the competition is done online at picter.com.

For their application, entrants must:

• 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.)

• Submit a brief presentation of the project (in English, 600 characters maximum).

• Include a general project description detailing the idea, intentions, and objectives (in English, one page maximum).

• Pay the participation fee

• Register by the deadline (25 February 2025, 23:59 CET at the latest)

6. PARTICIPATION FEE

40 EUR

The participation fee enables Images Vevey to partially cover the administrative expenses required for the proper functioning of the Book Award.

7. CREATION OF THE PORTFOLIO (FOR ENTRANTS SHORTLISTED FOR THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD ONLY)

Shortlisted photographers will be contacted individually on 24 March 2025.

They will be required to send physical portfolio by post.

The portfolio must arrive before 22 April 2025 in Vevey, Switzerland and include the following items:

• A brief presentation of the project (in English, 600 characters maximum).

• A general project description detailing the idea, intentions, and objectives (in English, one page maximum).

• 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 2026 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)

8. SHIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS (FOR ENTRANTS SHORTLISTED FOR THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD ONLY)

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 40 EUR 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.

9. DECISIONS OF THE JURY

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 communication platforms starting in July 2025. Any communication must be coordinated with Images Vevey.

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.

10. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

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

• Timeline and budget

11. EXHIBITION OF THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD AT THE BIENNALE IMAGES VEVEY 2026

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.

12. FIRST DRAFT OF THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD

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, Biennale Images Vevey, etc.).

13. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACCOMPANYING THE IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD

By entering the competition, all participants accept that, should their work receive the prize, Images Vevey will be credited as publisher or 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.

14. IMAGES VEVEY BOOK AWARD EXCLUSIVITY

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, visual arts biennial (or related event) without prior consultation with Images Vevey until the following biennial in September 2026. 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'.

15. AUTHORISATIONS & RIGHTS

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 2025 and 2026 rests solely with Images Vevey.

16. LIABILITY

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, 7 January 2025

FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Images Vevey
+41 (0)21 922 48 54
grandprix@images.ch
www.images.ch