[6 pt] Book Design Conference 2024: Unveiling the Alchemic Magic of a Book

On November 16th, the [6 pt] book design conference returns, featuring six speakers who will share their professional insights. Held at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (Lithuania), the event will also include a book fair, open to everyone, as well as various exhibitions and a film screening. This year, we celebrate the conference’s 10th anniversary and are excited to be part of the Festival of Eastern European Design (FEED).

This year’s conference is themed “Alchemy of a Book” and will delve into the transformative power of book design. Presentations will explore when a book transcends the ordinary to become magical and intellectually captivating. Topics will cover which design elements act as “spells” that enchant readers today, current trends in the field, and whether these trends should be followed – or if we should seek inspiration in entirely new directions.

This year’s [6 pt] nonpareil speakers are: Sarah Boris (United Kingdom) will discuss book publishing as an artistic practice, “Hands on Press” (Lithuania) will share insights into the use of unconventional techniques and how publishing challenges shape design decisions, Marko Golub (Croatia) will highlight examples of creative play with the ‘anatomy’ of books, Honza Zamojski (Poland) will address the daily challenges faced by designers, publishers, and authors, Radu Manelici (Romania) will examine the potential dangers of book design, Demian Conrad (Switzerland) will provide insights on AI disruption strategies aimed at redefining the craft of design. Additionally, Lars Harmsen (Germany), representing the world-renowned Slanted publishing house, will give a special presentation on the issue Slanted Magazine #43–Ukraine. The event will conclude with a panel discussion featuring design representatives from Ukraine.

On November 17th, the day after the conference, everyone interested in books, zines, and printed miniatures is invited to the VAA Chess Hall for the [Naked Print] artist’s book and art book fair. The fair will feature book publishers and creators selling their work, as well as an artist showcase and student portfolio reviews. The day will conclude with a screening of the Czech film “Identita”, which explores the world of book publishing.

Several exhibitions will accompany the [6 pt] Book Design Conference:
November 8th–30th: The exhibition “Young New Graphics. Metaphysics of a Book” will be held at the “Kairė-dešinė” gallery, showcasing metaphysical experiments by junior creators of books from the Vilnius Graphic Art Center.

November 11th–December 6th: The exhibition “Best Book Design from All Over the World” will take place at the VAA Chess Hall, organized by Stiftung Buchkunst (Germany), featuring the latest global trends in book design.

Adjacent to this, the “Найкращий книжковий дизайн | The Best Book Design Contest” exhibition, presented by Mystetskyi Arsenal, will showcase the laureates of the Ukrainian book art contest.

Location: Lithuania, Vilnius, Malunu str. 5
Organizers: Vilnius Academy of Arts + [6 pt]
Participation fees: The [Naked Print] book fair and all exhibitions is free of charge.
For the [6 pt] Book Design Conference, you can purchase your ticket here.
Project Partners: NEED, Polish Graphic Design, Pictoric, Stiftung Buchkunst, International Book Arsenal Festival
The project is co-financed by Creative Europe Program of the European Union and Lithuanian Council of Culture.