The European Museum Forum is seeking a design agency to support the visual development and publication of its two annual EMYA brochures. These brochures play a key role in communicating the achievements of nominated and awarded museums to a broad audience across Europe and beyond.
If you are a creative, reliable, and detail-oriented design agency with experience in publishing and digital design for cultural institutions, we would love to hear from you.
CONTEXT
Each year, an average of 45 museums participate in the European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA), with some variations from year to year. EMF publishes two brochures annually to present and promote the participating institutions:
1. EMYA Nominees’ Brochure
Language: English only
Format: Web and PDF versions (see previous editions here)
Length: The Nominees’ Brochure was 80 pages in 2025. About 50% of the brochure is dedicated to information that is largely fixed and does not require regular updates.
Publication timeline: February or March, approximately two months before the EMYA Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony
Purpose: To introduce the nominated museums to the public in advance of the event. The Nominees’ Brochure is not only an informational tool but also a publication that celebrates the rich diversity, innovation, and impact of museums across Europe.
Content: Showcases approximately 45 nominated museums for the current EMYA edition, along with introductory texts from the EMF Chair, presentation of the host organisation, the composition of the EMF Board and the EMYA Jury, a list of EMF national correspondents, partners, and supporters, as well as information about past editions since 1977, including a list of winners.
2. EMYA Winners’ Brochure
Languages: English and French
Format: Online version + downloadable PDF (publication version and print-ready version, see previous editions here)
Length: The Winners’ Brochure was 44 pages in 2025. About 20% of the brochure is dedicated to information that is largely fixed and does not require regular updates.
Publication timeline: Released on the last day of the EMYA Annual Conference (which usually takes place in May), immediately after the announcement of the winners
Purpose: To introduce the awarded museums (or individuals) to the public following the announcement of the winners at the award ceremonies. The Winners’ Brochure is a publication that celebrates the exemplary achievements of the winning museums, highlighting their impact on the European museum landscape and beyond.
Content: Covers six winning museums and up to seven Special Commendations, the full list of nominees, an introductory text from the EMYA Jury Chair, the composition of the EMYA Jury, and a list of EMF partners and supporters.
Note: Previous online brochures have been created using WordPress and we are open to continuing with this platform or exploring user-friendly alternatives based on the agency's proposal. They are available under the “Past Editions” section of our website.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
The EMF/EMYA team will supply all core content for the brochures, including:
Edited texts (in English and French as needed)
Images and image credits
Logos and visual identity elements
Access to subdomains for online brochure publication with SSL certificates
SERVICE / COLLABORATION
We envisage the following model for collaboration:
The agency designs a new visual identity and/or layout for each edition, in collaboration with EMF/EMYA and the event host. Often, EMF works with the host organisation’s designers to develop an overall design direction for the entire edition—including the website, social media visuals, outdoor graphics, and promotional materials related to the EMYA Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony—and the brochures’ design should be aligned with this direction.
Each year, the agency is responsible for updating the online brochure using the newly defined design direction. The agency also produces both:
A PDF version of the brochure for online publication
A print-ready version with proper formatting and printing instructions
CONFIDENTIALITY
Strict confidentiality is required, particularly for the Winners’ Brochure, as its content must remain embargoed until the official announcement on the last day of the EMYA Annual Conference. All materials related to the winners must be handled with discretion, and no content should be published or shared before the embargo is lifted.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested agencies are invited to submit the following materials by Friday, 31 October 2025:
A brief proposal outlining your approach and relevant experience
A budget estimate, clearly itemised in Euros (€), covering:
Design and layout of both Nominees’ and Winners’ Brochures
Production of online, PDF, and print-ready versions
Any additional costs related to the additional required services
Please send applications and any questions to:
Pedro BRANCO, EMF Administrator
emf@europeanforum.museum
Shortlisted agencies will be contacted to schedule an online meeting to discuss their proposal in more detail.
This call is also downloadable as a PDF here.
