Apply for the Leipzig Book Fair 2025 award
The Leipzig Book Fair, a prestigious event in the literary world, has commenced its new season, and submissions for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize are now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is September 26, 2025, and publishers can submit up to two titles per prize category, which must have been published between March 31, 2025, and March 18, 2026.
The Leipzig Book Fair Prize jury, chaired by Katrin Schumacher, consists of seven members. Tilman Spreckelsen, a literary scholar and Feuilleton editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and Katharina Herrmann, a theologian and literary expert, have returned to the jury. They are joined by new members Brigitte Bedei and Jana Schumacher.
Brigitte Bedei is a cultural scientist and a long-standing staff and board member of the Griffelkunst Association. She oversees editions, exhibitions, editorial work, and coordinates selections of contemporary graphics and photography nationwide. Jana Schumacher, a visual artist from Hamburg, specializes in abstract drawing and site-specific installations. She has exhibited internationally since 2011 and co-founded the St. Pauli Paperstudio in Hamburg.
Katrin Schumacher, in her role as chair of the jury, expresses eagerness to see the books submitted for the next prize edition. She states that literature has the function of listening to the world and letting diverse voices flow into stories. The nominations for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize will be announced on February 25, 2026, and the winners will be announced in March.
Submissions for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize are accepted in the categories of Fiction, Non-Fiction/Essays, and Translation. Tilman Spreckelsen, known for his five-part crime series and work on fairy tales, and Katharina Herrmann, who runs the literature blog kulturgeschwaetz.de, will no doubt bring valuable insights to the jury.
The Leipzig Book Fair Prize winners for the next three years will be decided by this esteemed jury. As the deadline for submissions approaches, publishers are encouraged to submit their best works to compete for this prestigious award.
[1] Source: Griffelkunst Association and Jana Schumacher's website
- Publishers are encouraged to submit their best books in the categories of Fiction, Non-Fiction/Essays, and Translation to compete for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize.
- The Leipzig Book Fair Prize jury, chaired by Katrin Schumacher, expects to see diverse voices flowing into stories as they consider books in the fields of entertainment and literature.
