The L. Werner bookstore on Theresienstrasse in Munich, capital of Bavaria. Image – Getty: Rostislavv
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
This month, the Free State of Bavaria, as it’s known, has announced that it’s awarding a total €80,000 (US$89,472) to 10 independent publishers from Upper Bavaria, Swabia, Middle Franconia, and Upper Palatinate.
The total of that shared purse actually represents an increase in this year’s awards of €30,000 (US$33,552), making it all the more welcome to the publishers receiving grants from the total.
With that as the overall total, Bavaria has awarded €8,000 to each of 10 publishing houses “for a convincing publication project and for a high-quality publishing program.”
The award is designed “to recognize the cultural achievements of independent publishers in Bavaria and their social and cultural significance for a diverse and historic book culture—as well as for cultural diversity.” The program, of course, also carries the advantage of promotion of the state’s work in independent publishing and the creative processes behind “high-quality literary and artistic publications.”
Independent book publishing houses with an annual turnover of at least €1 million turnover are eligible for consideration in this program, provided they are working in fiction, poetry, children’s books, young adult literature, comics and other graphical narratives, and/or nonfiction.
The Bavarian state minister for science and art decides, currently Markus Blume, using proposals from a jury of representatives of the book business, the media, and cultural community.
Markus Blume
In a comment from Munich on the newly released winnings, Blume is quoted, referring to Bavarian publishers as being “full of vision.”
He says, “Our independent publishers in Bavaria are creative pioneers who inspire our book landscape with fresh ideas.
“In order to promote their innovative strength and entrepreneurial courage, the Free State is awarding €80,000 to 10 outstanding publishers this year, €30,000 more than before.
“From audiobooks to a photo book about the border region of Upper Palatinate, the award-winning publication projects are innovative examples of the cultural wealth, creative energy, and passion that characterize our publishers in Bavaria. Our publishers set their own artistic standards and thus create a diverse and lively book culture. Congratulations to the award winners. Their visionary projects are a win for us all.”
Bavaria State Independent Publishing Awards 2024
- Büro Wilhelm Verlag (Amberg) for the publication project Olaf Unverzart, damals hinterm Mond (art/nonfiction book)
- CC-live (Munich) for the publication project Elisabeth Zöller, Das Monophon (audiobook)
- Edition Hibana (Oberelchingen) for the publication project L. Valentin Krocka, Everything We Don’t Have To Say About (fiction, art/nonfiction)
- Edition Taube (Munich) for the publication project Hank Schmidt in der Beek, illustration/design, And in the Summer I Paint (art/nonfiction book)
- Klinkhardt & Biermann Verlag (Munich) for the publication project Charlotte Vierer, The Trunkfish (illustration/design): Marion Blomeyer (art/nonfiction)
- Limbion (Dießen am Ammersee) for the publication project Marie Le Cuziat, Brothers, translated from French by Bernadette Ott Design/illustration by Hua Ling Xu (children’s and young adult literature, art/nonfiction)
- Mixtvision (Munich) for the publication project Ariana Zustra, Pop Music (illustration/design: Jennifer Daniel; children’s and young adult literature, art/nonfiction)
- Schillo Verlag (Munich) for the publication project Delschad Numan Khorschid, Nowhere Is My Home (poetry, art/nonfiction)
- Starfruit Publications (Fürth) for the publication project Manfred Rothenberger in conversation with Elke Erb, Dancing Orderliness (fiction)
- Verlag Thomas Reche (Neumarkt/Oberpfalz) for the publication project William Kentridge, Pepper’s Ghost Meets Mayakovsky (poetry, art/nonfiction)
This year’s jury for the program comprised:
- Niels Beintker, editor, author and presenter at Bayerischer Rundfunk
- Tanja Graf, director of Literaturhaus München
- Carola Kupfer, writer and literary organizer, chair of the East Bavaria Regional Group of the Association of German Writers in Bavaria
- Manfred Metzner, publisher, Das Wunderhorn (Heidelberg)
- Patricia Preuß, program director of the Sulzbach-Rosenberg Literature Archive/Upper Palatinate Literature House
- Christiane Raabe, director of the International Youth Library at Blutenburg Castle
More from Publishing Perspectives on the German market is here, more on independent publishers is here, and more on publishing and book awards programs on the international scene is here.