About the nomination
A collaborative nomination of the national book design competition Zhar-kniga and DAFES AWARDS. The purpose of the competition is to determine the trends in the evolution of the book form, formulate the distinctive features of a modern printed and electronic book, and identify the criteria for evaluating book design.
The nomination includes two categories:
A. National book design competition Zhar-kniga. The competition accepts printed books published in the Russian Federation (year of publication 2020 and later) in any language, as well as printed books published outside the Russian Federation, created by Russian designers. More information about the terms of participation www.zharkniga.ru.
B. The New book. Concepts and prototypes of books, as well as completed projects presented in the form of a presentation or in e-book format, are accepted for participation in this category.
Conditions
Category A: To participate in the competition, you must create an account on the www.zharkniga.ru website by filling out an online application for each of the publications submitted to the competition.
Category B: To participate in this category, you sign up for the DAFES platform. The concept, prototype or implemented publication is submitted to the competition in the format of a presentation created using the platform’s functionality. Also, e-books can participate in category B, which are longreads consisting of at least three chapters, created using the special functionality of the platform (https://books.gallllery.com).
The number of projects from one author is not limited.
Both concepts and projects implemented or published in 2022 and later are accepted for the competition. The deadline for accepting works is September 19, 2025.
Requirements to projects
This competition supports designers and publishers who are ready to see a book as a living, developing organism, capable of a comprehensive solution to the problems of printed books, and are determined to ensure that the books they create become objects of modern culture.
Category A: printed books (in any genre from a catalog and non-fiction to a children’s book), provided in two copies (one is transferred to the funds of the Russian State Library).
Evaluation criteria: members of the expert council evaluate the conformity of the content and graphic form of the publication, the quality of the material embodiment, the conceptuality, novelty and organic nature of the project.
Category B: presentation of the book concept or the implemented edition, as well as an e-book. Both formats must be created on the DAFES platform.
Evaluation criteria: Concept — development of the structure and scenario of the project, its novelty, quality of interaction of form and content, figurative expressiveness (0–10 points)
Presentation — quality of delivery, ensuring understanding of the features and image of the edition (0–10 points)
The shortlist and the list of laureates are formed based on the results of secret voting of the members of the expert council.
Jury
Category A: Zhar-kniga
Expert Council:
Evgeny Korneev is the head of the Book Art Master’s program, graphic designer, specialist in multi-page publications, art director, founder of the Razdesign bureau, lecturer at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL.
Dmitry Mordvintsev is a designer, head of the ABCdesign graphic design studio, co-founder of the A+A Publishing Project.
Yuri Surkov is a lecturer at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, academician of the Academy of Graphic Design, member of the Union of Designers of Russia.
Arseny Meshcheryakov is the head of HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, a designer, the creator of the Agey Tomesh design bureau and «WAM Books».
Kirill Zaev is a lecturer at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, a book designer, and former art editor at the newspaper «Speed-Info», art director at the magazines «Art», «Project Classic», and Speech. Winner of professional competitions and laureate of professional awards.
Innokenty Keleynikov is a professor at the Department of Artistic and Technical Design of Printed Products (ATDPP) at the V. A. Favorsky Institute of Graphics and Book Art at the Moscow Polytechnic University, holds a PhD in Art History, associate professor, and book designer.
Mila Ershova is the head of the Typography and Book Design department at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, a graphic designer, and a specialist in multi-page publications.
Valentina Krylova is the art director at the RIP-holding publishing house.
Tagir Safayev is a teacher of the Font, Design of display font disciplines. Academician of the Academy of Graphic Design, member of the Moscow Union of Artists.
Alexandra Kuznetsova is an artist, a curator, a teacher, the academic director of the Design educational program of HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, as well as a constant participant in Russian and international exhibitions and biennales of contemporary art.
Ksenia Filatova is a museum designer, designer, curator, head of special projects of the Russian State Library, member of ICOM; co-founder of the museum bureau Soralsense / «Agentstvo KIF», whose projects are nominees and winners of the European Museum of the Year Award 2019, and «Museum Olympus» 2024.
Vladimir Semenkov — teacher of Design Technologies at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, color corrector, prepress specialist.
Anton Samylkin is the director of the Moscow branch of Europapier
Category B: New book
Expert council:
Innokenty Keleynikov is a professor of the Department of Artistic and Technical Design of Printed Products (KhTOPP) of the V. A. Favorsky Institute of Graphics and Book Art of the Moscow Polytechnic University, holds a PhD in Art History, associate professor, book designer.
Mila Ershova is the head of the Typography and Book Design program at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, graphic designer, and specialist in multi-page publications.
Svetlana Danilyuk is a teacher of Typography at HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL. Specialist in multi-page publications, graphic designer at ABCdesign studio.
Ivan Aleksandrov is a book artist, designer, illustrator. Member of the Russian Children’s Book Council.
Evgeny Grigoriev is a curator of the Font, Typography, and Multi-Page Publishing specialization, teacher of special technologies at the St. Petersburg HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL, book designer, typographer, member of the editorial board of the Shrift magazine.
Igor Gurovich is the Academic Director of HSE ART AND DESIGN SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL — Yerevan — a joint bachelor’s program of the HSE School of Design and the Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University, teacher, graphic artist, poster designer, co-founder of the Ostengruppe design bureau
Konstantin Eremenko is a Graphic designer, specialist in multi-page publications, founder of Eremenko Design
Registering and uploading a project
The step-by-step way to create an account and create a project on the platform to participate in the contest is described in the instructions.
Contacts