What is a yearbook?
The Yearbook highlights projects that demonstrate quality and imagination, and shows how designers today respond to contemporary challenges. Its goal is to provide an overview of the most significant developments in Flemish design culture.
It also serves as a starting point for in-depth conversations on content and policy. In this way, the Yearbook is not only a record of strong design practices but also an invitation to reflection and dialogue.
Call for essays
We are looking for five authors to each write an essay on contemporary themes in the design field and/or to provide insight into the current state of the field. We are interested in themes that feel urgent to address right now and that are relevant to the ongoing developments in our discipline.
Contributions may focus on Flanders, but we also strongly encourage reflections that connect the local and the global.
What do we offer?
- A platform: Your work will be published in a high-quality yearbook, designed by a leading graphic designer. We plan to publish yearbooks in 2026 (this call), 2027, and 2028.
- A reference work: The Yearbook will serve as an important reference document for future cultural design research and design policy. It will be around 200 pages and will be available in bookstores across the country.
- Networking opportunities: The publication will be launched with a book presentation and networking session.
- Fair compensation: Upon selection, we provide a fair salary for preparing the final essay.
Practical information
- Submit a synopsis of about 250 words together with a short CV (PDF format) including references to other publications. A professional jury will look into the submissions.
- After selection, you will be asked to write the full essay. This text is expected to be around 2500 words. Essays can be written in Dutch or English.
- Deadlines after jury selection:
- First week after Christmas break: feedback with the editorial team based on an extended abstract/first draft of around 1000 words
- End of February: final essay deadline - We encourage all to submit a proposal via this Open Call, but the editorial team may also autonomously propose additional names for this first edition.
Deadline for submissions: October 26, 2025, 10pm
Selection: by an independent jury in November 2025
Publication: early October 2026
How to participate?
Essay submissions can be made via this link. You may submit as many essay concepts as you wish, using a new form for each proposal. We look forward to your contribution in creating an inspiring and insightful yearbook that elevates our design culture.
Note: A parallel open call for projects is also running. For more information, see here.
For more information or questions, contact us at contact@designpunt.be
*From our cultural community perspective, Brussels also belongs to Flanders