“A well-designed book – let’s start with the children”, is a competition for the best books designed by students and graduates of Polish and foreign academies of art, organised by the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice since 2008, with a series of accompanying events, all related to illustration and books for the youngest readers and recipients of art.
During the lecture, the curator of the competition will present its principles and history and will talk about the latest, 7th edition of the competition and its accompanying exhibitions, which can be viewed at the Rondo Sztuki Gallery in Katowice until 8 June 2021. The competition aims to review illustrations and books for children, realized as part of the curricula of higher schools of art.
The goal of the competition is to draw attention to the needs of the youngest readers and to the application of design principles that should accompany the creation of children’s books, as well as to promote young creators in the publishing market. The competition rewards the best projects, in which individuality and originality go hand in hand with the adaptation of the form to the age of the reader. The entries are judged by a group of specialists professionally involved in the children’s book market for children. The competition is open to designs for sets of illustrations or entire books.
This year’s edition, held at a time of a pandemic, required the organisers to introduce some changes, among others, for the first time the event was not accompanied by a conference, and the competition jury deliberated online. However, as in previous editions, the works submitted and the exhibition that resulted from them are intriguing, encouraging to enter the world of illustration, and they represent a high level of art and design.In the 7th edition of the competition, 190 authors submitted 252 works.
This year the competition jury (composed of: Dorota Hartwich – publisher, Format publishing house, Barbara Kęsek – publisher, Magda Kłos-Podsiadło – publisher, Wytwórnia publishing house, Ewa Kokot – art educator, animator, Insea Poland, Agnieszka Małecka-Kwiatkowska – designer, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Krystyna Lipka-Sztarbałło – illustrator and book author, Jakub Sowiński – designer, Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków) deliberated online and qualified 81 works by 72 authors. The jury awarded three statutory prizes and distinctions.
Prizes and distinctions were also awarded by publishers: DEBIT, EZOP, FORMAT, WYTWÓRNIA, ZNAK. And also the Children’s Jury, consisting of children attending the Future Artist workshops organised by Ewa Kokot.

Anna Machwic – in 2002, graduated with honours from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, majoring in graphic design. Since 2003, employed at her alma mater. Since 2013, head of the Illustration Studio. In 2010, she obtained a doctoral degree in the field of art: fine arts, in the artistic discipline: fine arts. Between 2012 and 2016, Dean of the Faculty of Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice. Since 2020, he has served as Vice-Chancellor for Cultural Activities and Promotion.
Since 2008 she has been the curator of the international competition “A Well-Designed Book – let’s start with children” and of the accompanying conference Children’s Books – how is it done? The event reviews current trends in higher education in children’s book design

Lecture online, broadcoast: 12.05.2021 – 12.06.2021