New Delhi, 20th July 2018: ‘The Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize’, an initiative of the iconic bookstore to recognize and encourage the extraordinary work of illustrators, designers and publishers throughout India, returns in its fourth edition to award brilliance in book design.
The prize appreciates the importance of the balance of graphics and narrative, particularly in our increasingly visual age, and believes that a book cover interprets and decodes the ensuing text in crucial ways that contribute to its ultimate success. Standout cover design is an integral part of the success of a book, designers and illustrators play a vital role in helping a book become iconic and create recall.
In its first year, the prize was given to designer Bena Sareen for the book, Talking of Justice by author Leila Seth, published by Aleph. In the second year, the award went to Pinaki De for the book Kalkatta author Kunal Basu published by Picador India followed by Maithili Nikheel Apale in the third year for the cover designed for the book Himalaya published by Speaking Tiger.
The final prize in both editions was announced at Jaipur BookMark, the books and publishing segment of the Jaipur Literature Festival in January 2016 ,January 2017 and January 2018 respectively. The final winner was chosen following a submission process and intensive discussions by the distinguished jury. Post three successful editions, the ‘Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize’ opens entries for the fourth season and invites covers of titles designed by Indian designers and released between 1st April 2017 and 31st March 2018 to apply.
To maintain continuity and build strong foundations for the prize, the 2019 award will retain the distinguished jury from year one. Each of the jury members is preeminent in their respective fields, and they share a collective love for books and commitment to reading. These are Priti Paul Director, Apeejay Surrendra Group and the creative force behind the Oxford Bookstores, Namita Gokhale author, publisher and festival director, Aman Nath India’s leading heritage hotelier and architectural restorer, Alka Pande, leading art critic and curator and Dayanita Singh, prominent figure in contemporary Indian photography and bookmaking.
For application and other details please visit-
http://www.kolkatalitfest.in/oxford-book-cover-prize-2018.htm
About Oxford Bookstores:
Established in 1919, Oxford Bookstore is the best equipped ‘base-camp’ for journeys of the mind offering its customers the widest range of outstanding titles and consistently courteous and informed service for close to a century. Today, with stores in major metros, India’s first of its kind tea boutique, Cha Bar, India’s only literary festival created by a bookstore, Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, Oxford Bookstore offers booklovers access to the very best in publishing enhanced by a variety of events which salute books, visual & performing arts and celebrate the word. Oxford Bookstore measures its success by the smiles on millions of happy customers that the brand has served over the last nearly 100 years. There are a few treats as sumptuous as a visit to Oxford Bookstore in India. Each time you walk into our iconic store in Kolkata where the brand started in 1919, its charm leaves you wanting for more. Our fleet of happy to help expert booksellers and informed hosts work day and night to bring to customers world class reading experience be it through our books or our fine teas and live by the brand’s motto – Much more than a bookstore – at every Bookstore.