Binghamton Libraries Special Collections is pleased to announce its fourth annual juried student book arts competition for spring 2026. The competition recognizes the creativity of Binghamton University students and promotes engagement with the book arts.
2025 Purchase Prize winner.
The 2025 winner of the purchase prize was Sammy Feng (‘25 BFA, Graphic Design) for her work entitled “Cha (Tea).” The piece consists of four hand-folded paper boxes resembling tea packaging with excerpts of poems on the subject. Each box contains small booklets fashioned as tea bags. The tea bags feature photographs she took of four varieties of loose and brewed teas. Through the work, Feng sought to bring into focus the cultural and personal significance of tea in Asian culture.
An honorable mention was awarded to Agamya Rao (‘25 BFA, Graphic Design) for her photo book “deciduous forests: a closer look.” In the book, Rao supplied informational text on various trees of the Northeast and problems encountered in deciduous forests due to climate change and other factors. The work is illustrated with photographs and scanned ink prints of leaves.
More information about the 2026 competition:
Purchase Prize: The recipient of the 2026 student book arts competition award will receive a purchase prize of $500 and their work will become the property of Binghamton University as part of the holdings of the Libraries’ Special Collections. The winning piece will be discoverable through the Libraries’ catalog, and will be used in teaching and research, in physical and virtual exhibitions and in publicity/outreach.
Eligibility: To be eligible, the undergraduate or graduate student must be currently enrolled in Binghamton University or be a recent graduate (graduated in summer ‘25 or after), and have completed the book arts work in 2025 or 2026 as part of course requirements. Eligible works are those that are inspired by, engage with or challenge the book form and/or the idea of the book; including artists’ books, found art, and works that combine typography, graphic design, letterpress printing, printmaking, photography, digital techniques, bookbinding, or papermaking. The work must be unique or a limited edition multiple. Artists may submit no more than two entries for this competition (complete an entry form for each submission).
Submission must include:
- Original book arts piece
- Completed online entry form
Submission Deadline: All artwork must be delivered to Special Collections (Bartle Library, 2nd floor north), during its regular business hours, 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday, starting April 20 through April 27, 2026. To drop off submissions at other times, contact speccoll@binghamton.edu. If the original artwork cannot be delivered by the deadline because it is in a student exhibition or has been turned in the possession of an instructor for grading, please submit the entry form and contact us to make other arrangements for the delivery of the artwork. The deadline to submit the online entry form and artwork is 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2026. No late or incomplete submissions will be accepted, except as noted above.
Open House Exhibition: All submitted artwork and artist’s statements will be exhibited in Special Collections between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday, May 4, 2026. All are invited!
Return of artwork: All works will be returned by arrangement after May 4, 2026 except the prize winner, which will be retained by the University Libraries.
Copyright: Copyright to all entries remains with the artist.
Liability and Responsibility: Binghamton University Libraries’ Special Collections will take all reasonable precautions to ensure the protection of the works while in its care, but does not assume responsibility for damage or loss. Works will be exhibited in the Professor Bernard F. Huppé Reading Room in Special Collections (LN2320). Access to Special Collections is controlled and the reading room is monitored, but the works will not be in locked cases.
Submission of an entry assumes permission for Binghamton University Libraries to photograph and use or reproduce images for publicity and marketing for any exhibitions, events, websites, and/or digital repository. The competition winner agrees to relinquish the work for the purchase prize in the amount of $500 to become the property of Binghamton University. Entrants agree to all terms and conditions set forth by Binghamton University Libraries.
Contact speccoll@binghamton.edu with any questions.