The Básne SK/CZ Anthology is the annual publication of the largest Czech-Slovak poetry competition dedicated to emerging poets and writers. One of the main conditions of the competition is that participants must not have previously published their own poetry collection—making this book, for many of them, the first publication to carry their name on the cover.The Básne SK/CZ Anthology is the annual publication of the largest Czech-Slovak poetry competition dedicated to emerging poets and writers. One of the main conditions of the competition is that participants must not have previously published their own poetry collection—making this book, for many of them, the first publication to carry their name on the cover.

We wanted to celebrate this moment with them—through a graphic design that highlights their names. The visual identity of the cover is a celebration of individual success, while still respecting the collective spirit of the anthology.

Working with a poetry anthology comes with its own particularities. Authorship often extends beyond the written text—it shapes the way each poem is visually composed. The book thus becomes not only a collection of poems, but also a collection of typographic gestures and authorial play.

Since the anthology is published annually, we approached its visual identity as an editorial design system. The structure and layout remain consistent across editions, while the color palette of the cover changes each year—giving every volume its own distinct character within a unified framework.