The name of Gutenberg stands for outstanding endeavours in the advancement of an innovative book culture. The Prize serves the promotion and recognition of achievements in the field of book art and at the same time, bears testimony to the traditions of Leipzig as a centre for quality print work and the fostering of book arts. The Prize is awarded for outstanding artistic, technical or scientific achievements that set standards in the book arts – in particular in script design, typography, book illustration or book-art editing and book production.
The City of Leipzig, the Free State of Saxony as represented by the Saxon Ministry for Science and the Fine Arts, the German Publishers & Booksellers Association and Leipziger Messe GmbH view the achievement with the nations of Central and Eastern Europe as a particular obligation for Leipzig as a traditional city of the book trade and book fairs. They seek to support this with their joint presentation of the Leipzig Book Award for European Understanding.The City of Leipzig, the Free State of Saxony, the German Publishers & Booksellers Association and Leipziger Messe GmbH shall each appoint one representative to form the Committee.