In 2018 Lithuania will commemorate the centenary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania. On February 16, 1918, the Council of Lithuania signed a document proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania.  This date marked a new stage of modern history of the Republic of Lithuania.

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Povilas Višinskis Šiauliai County Public Library announces the international bookplate competition “EX LIBRIS. RESTORED LITHUANIA 100” on purpose to commemorate the centenary of the Reinstating of the Statehood of Lithuania. It is the society consolidation initiative of centenary commemoration. We invite artists from Lithuania and abroad to enter the competition. Painters and small graphic artists of the world are invited to make bookplates dedicated to the Republic of Lithuania, its outstanding personalities, state institutions.

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Šiauliai city is known as the main bookplate centre in Lithuania. Some international competitions of bookplates, conferences, seminars, discussions have been organized. Povilas Višinskis Šiauliai County Public Library nurtures and popularizes bookplate activities. In 2003 the Museum of Exlibris was founded, which was reorganised to the fund of Gerardas Bagdonavičius. The fund stores the information about the history and evolution of bookplates, organizes exhibitions and different educational events, familiarises the society with the book marks and their creators, stores collections of bookplates.

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We hope that the competition will contribute to the nurturance and popularisation of the art of bookplates, will give new creative impulses and inspiration, will stimulate small graphic artists from Lithuania and abroad for cooperation, will contribute to the formation of positive attitude towards the national history and culture, the nurturance of national values, will expand the national and historical view of citizens, to modern and creative state image formation  in Europe and the whole world.

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The international Jury will evaluate the works, select the laureates of the main prizes. Portable exhibition “EX LIBRIS. RESTORED LITHUANIA 100” will be organized after the competition, which will travel all across Lithuania, will be presented in county libraries of Lithuania and other public spaces. The competition will have the significant persistent value – the album-catalogue of the works of the exhibition will be distributed in Lithuania and abroad.

We congratulate the participants of the international bookplate competition „EX LIBRIS. RESTORED LITHUANIA 100 “, wishing you creative success, we are looking forward to your  bookplates!

 

Director of Povilas Višinskis Siauliai County Public Library Dr. Bronius Maskuliūnas