The lunatics have taken over the asylum

New Association formed for
Book Designers and Book Design Awards

A new and exciting chapter is about to begin for book design in Australia.  It was announced recently that the Australian Publishers Association [‘APA’] will be handing over the baton of the organisation of the Annual Australian Publishers Association Book Design Awards to a dedicated and active group of leading Australian designers.  Welcome to The Australian Book Designers Association [‘ABDA’].  The ABDA Committee for 2013 consists of WH Chong, Sandy Cull, Jenny Grigg, Daniel New, Tony Palmer, Miriam Rosenbloom, Alex Ross and Zoë Sadokierski. The APA is delighted to assist this group during the transition. 

The ABDA will highlight the role and importance of book designers in the promotion of Australian books, and provide a home for designers that is expansive, relevant, active and inclusive.  The ABDA is dedicated to ensuring that the unique history of the national awards, internationally recognised and celebrated, will not miss its 62nd consecutive year.  The tradition will continue in 2014, though in a very different form. Details about the new association, its committees, the awards event and the process for nominations will be reviewed and the ABDA will communicate news and developments as soon as possible in the new year. (Email the ABDA at info@theabda.com.)

Sandy Cull on behalf of the committee says, ‘‘Australia is unique in having such a long history of book design awards. We thank the APA for its 62 years of support for the award program, its significant efforts to highlight the role of design since 1950, and for its willingness to hand on such an important archive to ensure its future.”