* ESC - close the search window
awards
Chytomo Award announced winners of 2024
31.01.2025
The Chytomo Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements in book publishing, announced its winners on Friday, Jan. 31, at an awards ceremony in Kyiv.
BOOK PUBLISHING MARKET TRENDSETTER
Anton Martynov
“For implementing best practices of creative business in publishing, changing the rules of the game in the book market through high-quality service and innovative approaches, as well as fostering significant partnerships.”
Founder and former director of the publishing house Laboratoria (2020), specializing in useful non-fiction and modern fiction; founder of the book reading application Librarius.pro. Laboratoria publishes books simultaneously in three formats – paper, electronic, and audio. They are available in particular through Librarius.pro, which offers subscription, purchase, or rental of books as opposed to just online book purchases, thus promoting healthy competition through service rather than price. In May 2024, Martynov joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In his absence, the publishing house team continues its work and is successfully implementing the approaches introduced by Martynov. The founder of the publishing house continues to support his projects online.
Marketing professional at Laboratoria Publishing House Iryna Yurchenko received the award on behalf of Martynov (the publisher is serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and could not attend the ceremony)
“I would like to wish Anton Martynov to reach new horizons and even more success,” said Sonia Draga, publisher and President of the Federation of European Publishers commented.
UKRAINIAN BOOK AMBASSADOR 2024
PEN Ukraine
“For systematic efforts to build connections between the Ukrainian literary community and international opinion leaders, giving a voice to Ukrainian authors, advocating for Ukrainian culture, and implementing effective work models that allow Ukrainian writers and journalists – both free and imprisoned by the Kremlin – to be heard far beyond Ukraine’s borders.”
Since 2022, PEN Ukraine has focused on documenting and informing the world about crimes committed against media and culture by Russia during its war against Ukraine, preserving the memory of journalists who died, restoring cultural life, and supporting libraries damaged by Russia. As part of its “In Solidarity with Ukraine” program, the organization has hosted 65 writers and journalists from 18 countries and organized trips to frontline and de-occupied territories.
Owing to its work with international partners such as Book Aid International, PEN has received, since November 2023, a total of 52,000 books in English from British publishers, 30,000 of which have been transferred to libraries. The organization has also created an English-language newsletter for the international PEN community, human rights organizations, and diplomatic institutions. They also maintain their “Stop War in Ukraine” online page. PEN Ukraine regularly participates in events abroad, including the World Expression Forum, the Munich Security Conference, the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Helsinki Book Fair, the Writers for Peace Committee, and the Ukrainian House in Denmark.
PEN Ukraine board member Alim Aliev
“The Ukrainian PEN is an example, an inspiration, and a support for many of us. It is not just an organization—it is a community of professionals moving in the same direction and doing so with exceptional efficiency,” notes jury chair Iryna Baturevych.
BOOK INITIATIVE THAT PROMOTES READING 2024
The space of Ukrainian children’s books BaraBooka
“For consistent efforts to cultivate a community of professionals and readers of Ukrainian children’s literature and for promoting children’s reading in Ukraine and among those awaiting their return home.”
The project ecosystem consists of a website; #NaukaBarabuka advanced training courses for writers and editors a library space maintained on the grounds of the “Mystetskyi Arsenal,” a library space for educational literature in the Museum of Science of the Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; the annual “TOP Barabuka” rating for best children’s, teenagers’, family, and educational books; and a system of events for the promotion and presentation of new publishing products in schools, libraries, and at mass public and online events.
Over its 11 years of activity, Barabuka has united professional writing, illustration, library, educational, and literary circles who work with literature for children and teenage readers. Since the beginning of the Covid lockdown and throughout the war, the most massive online projects that “Barabuka” has engaged in include #LiveReading and #HowToTalkToChildrenAboutWar, which have generated tens of thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube.
Co-founder of Barabuka and the head of publishing projects Tania Stus
“I have to admit that while reading about the nominees of the Award, I was impressed by how powerful the book publishing industry in Ukraine is,” said Radovan Auer, Director of the International Book Fair and Literary Festival Book World.
SPECIAL AWARD OF THE FRANKFURTER BUCHMESSE 2024
Creative Women Publishing
The Frankfurter Buchmesse Special Award goes to Creative Women Publishing. The Creative Women Publishing team will have a free stand and free accreditations for the Frankfurter Buchmesse from 15 to 19 October 2025.
The first feminist publishing house in Ukraine focused on literature for and about women. Its goal is to bring change in society for the better through literature and to affirm the presence and importance of women and women’s experiences. The publishing house, through its books and its events, openly discusses feminism, its history in Ukraine, and its modern challenges. Its catalog features historical artifacts, such as the reprint edition of one of the first feminist almanacs “The First Wreath” from 1887, and new voices.
Publishing house co-founder Oksana Borovets
A good example of this publishing house’s work includes the launching in 2022 of the #proyavlyaysya (manifest yourself) series, which became a platform for debut authors. The team is currently working on restoring the House of Natalia Kobrynska in Bolekhiv, which will become the cultural center of the women’s movement in Ukraine. A writer’s residence for Ukrainian authors and researchers of women’s history will be created in this space. The publishing house also plans to launch a writing school for women, to be named “She Writes.”
“I am impressed with the publishing house and their contribution to the cultural life of Ukraine,” said Niki Theron, Senior Manager of International Projects at the Frankfurt Book Fair, commented.
Nominees were evaluated by a panel of seven experts in publishing and literature chaired by Iryna Baturevych, co-founder of the book-focused media outlet Chytomo.
The awarding ceremony took place at the Generator coworking space. The evening was hosted by Maksym Shcherbyna, and featured a DJ set by Nil Tarasov.
This year’s Chytomo Award was held in partnership and cooperation with the International Renaissance Foundation, the Goethe-Institut in Ukraine and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Chytomo is a media platform that brings together a community united by a love of texts and visual culture. Chytomo serves as a communication and discussion platform for participants in the publishing market, literary and artistic processes, reading communities, and the institutions involved in legislative, executive, and programmatic activities.
Copy editing: Ben Angel, Aalap Trivedi, Joy Tatryn
This publication is sponsored by the Chytomo’s Patreon community