Final few days for making submissions to this year's Sheffield International Artist's Book Prize. We are only accepting submissions made digitally through CuratorSpace in the first instance. We will ask you to forward your book once it has been accepted and we have all the information we require.

Terms and Conditions

Closing date for digital submissions: 31st May 2015
Final date for receipt of books: 30th June 2015
Exhibition dates: 7th October – 31st October, 2015

The Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize and Exhibition is open to makers of artists’ books in any format and from anywhere in the world. We have no desire to engage in discussion about what constitutes an artist’s book beyond clarifying that the prize is not concerned with books about art or artists, but books as art.

This year’s prize is supported using public funding from Arts Council England.

- The prize is OPEN TO ALL and FREE TO ENTER.

- ALL BOOKS selected for the Prize will feature in the exhibition.

- PRIZE MONEY of £1000 (US$1500) will be awarded in 2015 and there will be up to ten Prize winners.

Background
The inaugural Sheffield Artist’s Book Prize in 2008 attracted nearly 50 entries from all over the world and for the second installment in 2009 that figure was up to 78. To allow us to develop the Prize, it then became a biennial event. The 3rd Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize in 2011 attracted over 180 entries from 22 different countries and in 2013 with the assistance of funding from Arts Council England, Sheffield Town Trust and sponsorship from the Open College of the Arts, we took the opportunity to increase the scale of the event and saw over 455 books entered from over 35 different countries. All books were exhibited in a two month exhibition and also featured in a full colour catalogue that we added for the first time.

This unprecedented success, and increase in scale in 2013, meant we had to make some changes going forward whilst trying not to lose sight of our main objectives. Our main aim is to develop the profile of artist’s books and to create opportunities for display and dissemination. As such, a key element is that visitors to the exhibition are asked to vote for their favourite entry and this determines the Exhibition Prize winner and makes the event unique: it is as much about the viewing, looking at and handling of the books as about their making. Another aim has always been to show the whole range of artists’ books and host an event that is open to all and free to enter. We intend to retain these elements of the Prize in 2015. By contrast, as stunning as it was seeing 455 books in a single exhibition, many visitors did say they felt overwhelmed. As organisers we certainly did – from photographing and cataloguing to responding and writing – the sheer volume of work stretched us to breaking point. So the changes we are making this year are in keeping with our aims and intentions but will hopefully make the event not only more manageable but part of an enlarged programme of book related activities that, as ever, celebrate and promote the medium.

For the first time this year we will be asking artists to make digital submissions rather than sending books. We will delay some of the decision making process regarding the prize and exhibition until after this digital submission phase is underway. We may opt to select entries, we may offer more Prizes or we may show all books entered – we feel it is unfair to commit to showing hundreds and hundreds of entries but we don’t want to limit the range and reach of the event. We are also offering artists and makers the opportunity to be part of an enlarged programme under the Opening Up The Book banner, taking place in Sheffield from September to December. The Book Prize remains at the heart of this programme but we hope that the additional events will mean even more artists and artists books will be involved but on a scale that is manageable.

Eligibility and Entry Criteria
The SIABP is open to books by artists/makers living and working anywhere in the world.

Artists may submit one entry only, either as individuals or as joint authors/makers. Group entries are permitted but where an artist has contributed to a group entry they may not enter another book this year. Small Presses may submit entries on behalf of artists/makers they publish and the number of entries submitted by a press is not limited, provided rules regarding authorship above are respected. Entrants from previous years are free to enter again this year.

Entries must be made digitally via CuratorSpace.

Each digital submission must include a completed application form and photographs of the book. If the book is not yet completed and will not be completed before 31st May please contact us before entering.

You will be given details for submitting the book itself only after completing the digital submission phase.

Artists Book Collection @ Bank Street Arts
Bank Street Arts requests that artists donate entries to its Collection in the Centre at the end of the exhibition – this is on public display in our Education Space. However, this is not a Condition of Entry.

Books donated to our Collection form part of our regular exhibition programme, are used for educational purposes, are toured to Fairs and Conferences to promote both the event and the dissemination of artist’s books in general. In 2013, 90% of those who entered the Prize donated their book to our Collection and we now have a unique collection of over 600 books, which can be seen on our website. Many of the books from our Collection will be on show at other venues in the area as part of this year's Opening Up The Book programme.

Conditions of Entry

1.    All entrants must complete the Digital Submission phase at CuratorSpace. All information will be treated in strict confidence and will not be passed on to any third party. The information and photographs submitted will be used for cataloguing purposes, promotional activities and in the exhibition itself.

2.    Please complete the online Application Form in full. We are not responsible for errors made in completing the form.

3.    You must send a minimum of one photograph of your entry and no more than four. All photographs must be landscape and 300dpi.

4.    There is no entry fee. If your book is to be subsequently returned after the exhibition, you will be required to pay postage.

5.    We will acknowledge receipt of each entry via CuratorSpace. Within 2 months of submitting your digital entry, you will be asked to send the book itself. Do not complete the digital submission phase if you will not be ready to submit your book.

6.    We will email you via CuratorSpace to ask you to send your book. Receipt of books will be acknowledged by e-mail.

7.    All books entered for the Prize must have been created since June 2013. Books made before that date are ineligible.

8.    We will not be selecting books based on the quality of photos. This is an exhibition and Prize for artists’ books not photographs of artists’ books. The photographs are for use in cataloging, identification etc. Just because your book is not ‘photogenic’ does not mean it will not be accepted.

9.    All books not being retained in our Collection will be returned after the exhibition but only if the artist has paid the administration fee and return postage. If the fee/postage is not paid, the book will be retained in the Collection.

10.Bank Street Arts accepts no responsibility for any book submitted. Proof of sending does not indicate proof of receipt.

11.Bank Street Arts will not insure books entered for the prize or in any subsequent exhibition, fair or display. Insurance of the work is the sole responsibility of the artist/ maker.

12.Bank Street Arts will exercise reasonable care of works submitted but will not accept responsibility for loss or damage, howsoever caused while works are in its keeping or in transit. Insurance remains the responsibility of the entrant at all times.

13.All entries will be included in the exhibition, unless the organizers decide there are too many to reasonably show. All selected entries will be included in the catalogue and all books donated to our Collection will be featured in our online catalogue.

14.The organisers will make all decisions regarding the exhibition. Whilst we will try to respect any requests regarding the display of entries, we absolutely cannot guarantee to do so.

15.We undertake to award total cash prizes to the value of at least £1000. All decisions regarding the Prize and Exhibition are at the sole discretion of the organizers and no correspondence will be entered into.

16.The Student Prize is open to anyone still studying (e.g. PhD, MA, BA or equivalent) as well as those graduating in 2015. The Prize is also open to anyone who graduated in 2014 provided their book entry was produced while still a student. This includes both Part Time and Full time students of any age on courses of any kind. The Student Prize will be decided by jury. All entries for the Student Prize will be automatically entered into the Exhibition Prize and jury prizes.

17.The aforementioned cash prizes will be considered as payment for the acquisition of all prize winning entries, whether or not return is requested.

18.Bank Street Arts is of the opinion that any prize money is taxable. All entrants should seek advice from their own advisors with respect to such matters. Bank Street Arts is not responsible for any tax or other charges arising from entry to the competition and accepts no liability with respect to any such matters.

19.It is a condition of entry that artists accept and agree to their works being displayed and that they will be handled, looked at and read by visitors.

20.Bank Street Arts withholds the right to cancel the prize in the event of unforeseeable or exceptional circumstances.

21.All entrants must allow their works to be reproduced in print or electronic media (including website) in the advertising and promotion of the exhibition, prize and future BSA projects.

22.All books donated to our Collection after the exhibition will be the property of Bank Street Arts. Copyright, Moral Rights and all other Rights will remain vested in the artist/maker/author.

23.We reserve the right to disqualify any entry where the Application Form is inadequately or only partially completed or the Applicant is in breach of any of the other Conditions.

24.Entry to the Competition and Prize automatically indicates acceptance of all Conditions of Entry.

25.Any queries regarding the entry form and the prize should be addressed to the organisers through CuratorSpace.

All submissions must be made via CuratorSpace

Do not send any books until requested to do so.

For further information see artistsbookprize.co.uk

(The Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize is hosted and organized by Bank Street Arts in Sheffield. Bank Street Arts is an independent, cross-disciplinary arts centre and a registered charity. The Address for correspondence is: SIABP, Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield, S1 2DS, U.K.