The "Most Beautiful Czech Books" show has a very long tradition, with the prize-winning books representing highlights of Czech book culture. However, not all the publishers invited take part in the competition. Books are technically assessed and are further evaluated by an art jury consisting of experts in the fields of book production, visual communication and graphic design, headed this year by Marek Pokorný, Director of the Moravian Gallery, Brno. The competition has long contributed to the high standard of visual art and publishing in this country as well as to the cultivation of both wellestablished and fledgling publishers, and indicates trends towards new, attractive aspects of books. Subsequent shows in Prague and Brno and the presentation of the collection at international book fairs annually enable the wider public to become acquainted with the best of the Czech book production, and help refine a sense of the quality and beauty of books. The 2006 collection at this year's exhibition was selected from 196 books by 107 publishers. The Arno Sáňka Prize competition was entered by 19 students from secondary art schools and colleges. The 54 books on display were short-listed and assessed by the art jury in several categories. Apart from traditionally high-standard categories of fiction, art books and catalogues, there was much to choose from in the category of textbooks and didactic devices this year. Due to a change of conditions in government statutes that altered competition assessment, bibliophile prints ceased to be an individual category and were assessed alongside fiction.
