To bookbinders all over the world!

You are very welcome to participate in the international bookbinding art exhibition Scripta Manent VII that will take place for the seventh time in 2025. This time we are celebrating the 90th birthday of our world-famous Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and the 500th anniversary of the first book published in Estonian.
Scripta Manent VII will be open from September 11th to November 16th, 2025 at Great Guilt Hall of Estonian History Museum.

200 numbered copies of printed texts of Arvo Pärt`s music „In principio. The Word in Arvo Pärt’s Music“ are printed for this exhibition. It is the second edition of this book. The book sheds light on a significant aspect of Pärt’s creation – on texts in the composer’s work, on the selection of the texts and also on the Word in a broader and deeper sense. This book brings together 81 texts in nine languages, complete with English translations. The handwritten material used in the design of the book, including the illustrations in the middle section, have all been selected from the archives of the composer – from sketches, manuscripts and music diaries.

Bookbinders and art students all around the world are invited to participate at the exhibition and attend the opening of the exhibition.

The winners of the competition, selected by an international jury of experts, will be awarded with three main awards Golden Books and some incentive awards. All works meeting the quality standards of the competition will be exhibited at the exhibition


The Estonian Association of Designer Bookbinders