Center for Book Arts Certificate Program in Bookbinding is a comprehensive 94-hour course of study designed for artists, designers, writers, and makers committed to building a serious foundation in bookbinding while developing an individual studio practice. Over the course of one year, participants progress as a cohort through core technical training, elective specialization, and monthly project development sessions with artist and instructor Ben Denzer.

Because students learn alongside one another throughout the program, we select applicants who are at a similar stage of development. This application helps us understand your previous experience, your current skills, and how you think about bookbinding in relation to book art. There are no right answers—we are looking to understand where you are beginning from so we can assemble a cohort of eight individuals who will progress well together.

Key Dates

• Applications open: June 1, 2026
• Application deadline: July 31, 2026
• Notification of decisions: by August 30, 2026
• Program begins: January 2027

Program at a Glance

• 94 total program hours: 60 hours of core bookbinding workshops, 24 hours of elective specialization, and 10 hours of monthly project development sessions with Ben Denzer
• One year duration, beginning January 2027
• 5 sessions of the bi-monthly Project Development Session w/ Ben Denzer ($250 value). Each additional session will cost $50 if you would like to attend more! These sessions are very popular and only available to certificate students.
• One year of artist membership ($60 value)
• Invitation to VIP events
• 6 studio hours + training ($165 value) + 20%  discount on additional hours during the program
• Certificate of Completion awarded upon successful completion of all required hours

Costs

• Application processing fee: $5.00 USD (submitted with application)
• Enrollment fee: $600 (due upon acceptance; includes Ben Denzer's project development sessions and a $100 discount on each of four core workshops)
• Program tuition: $3,000+ (depending on classes selected)

Program Structure

The curriculum balances technical skill with creative exploration through two complementary components:

Core Bookbinding Foundation (60 hours required)

Participants will develop fluency in fundamental binding structures that form the backbone of contemporary book arts practice. Core workshops cover essential skills including pamphlet stitch, case binding, and paper manipulation techniques. These foundational methods provide the technical skills needed to execute complex projects and understand how structure supports concept in artists' books.

Elective Specialization (24 hours)

With your core foundation established, you'll design an individualized learning track from CBA's workshop offerings in areas including specialized binding structures, paper engineering, box making, or conservation and repair techniques. This flexibility allows you to build expertise in the technical areas most relevant to your artistic practice. (See a list of included workshops below.)

Who Should Apply

This program serves artists, designers, writers, and makers at a range of experience levels who are committed to developing technical skills and a sustained studio practice in the book arts. Prior bookbinding experience is welcome but not required.

What You'll Need to Submit

• Completed application form, including responses to all required questions
• Three images of your previous work in any medium, with a preference for book arts–related projects. Each image should be captioned with medium, dimensions, and year completed.
• $5.00 USD non-refundable application processing fee

How We Review Applications

Applications are reviewed by CBA faculty and staff. We are not looking for right or wrong answers—we are looking to understand your starting point, your existing skills, and how you think about bookbinding in relation to book art. Our goal is to assemble a cohort of eight individuals who can learn alongside one another effectively.

Questions?

If you have questions about the program or need assistance with the application, please contact education@centerforbookarts.org.

Center for Book Arts Virtual Certificate Program in Bookbinding is a comprehensive 64-hour virtual course of study designed for artists, designers, writers, and makers committed to building a serious foundation in bookbinding while developing an individual studio practice. Over the course of a year, participants progress as a cohort through core technical training, elective specialization, and monthly project development sessions with artist and instructor Ben Denzer.

Because students learn alongside one another throughout the program, we select applicants who are at a similar stage of development. This application helps us understand your previous experience, your current skills, and how you think about bookbinding in relation to book art. There are no right answers—we are looking to understand where you are beginning from so we can assemble a cohort of eight individuals who will progress well together.

Key Dates

• Applications open: June 1, 2026
• Application deadline: July 31, 2026
• Notification of decisions: by August 30, 2026
• Program begins: January 2027

Cohort Size

The Certificate Program in Bookbinding is limited to eight students per cohort. Because students progress through the curriculum together, we select applicants who are at a similar stage of development.

Program at a Glance

• 64 total program hours: 30 hours of core bookbinding workshops, 24 hours of elective specialization, and 10 hours of monthly project development sessions with Ben Denzer
• One-year duration, beginning January 2027
• Certificate of Completion awarded upon successful completion of all required hours

Costs

• Application processing fee: $5.00 USD (submitted with application)
• Enrollment fee: $400 (due upon acceptance; includes Ben Denzer's project development sessions and a $100 discount on each of four core workshops)
• Program tuition: $1,500+ (depending on courses selected)

Who Should Apply

This program serves artists, designers, writers, and makers at a range of experience levels who are committed to developing technical skills and a sustained studio practice in the book arts. Prior bookbinding experience is welcome but not required.

What You'll Need to Submit

• Completed application form, including responses to all required questions
• Three images of your previous work in any medium, with a preference for book arts–related projects. Each image should be captioned with medium, dimensions, and year completed.
• $5.00 USD non-refundable application processing fee

How We Review Applications

Applications are reviewed by CBA faculty and staff. We are not looking for right or wrong answers—we are looking to understand your starting point, your existing skills, and how you think about bookbinding in relation to book art. Our goal is to assemble a cohort of eight individuals who can learn alongside one another effectively.

Questions?

If you have questions about the program or need assistance with the application, please contact education@centerforbookarts.org.

Center for Book Arts invites submissions to its annual Poetry Chapbook Program by December 15, 2026.

The winning manuscript will be determined by a Guest Judge in May 2027.

As part of the competition award package, CBA commissions artists to design and produce a limited-edition of 100 chapbooks for the competition winner's manuscript, a limited-edition of 100 chapbooks for a manuscript by the guest judge, and a limited-edition broadside of 100 for each runner-up featuring one poem from their respective manuscripts.

The competition winner receives ten copies of their chapbook, a $500 honorarium, a $500 stipend to participate in a competition reading public program, a week-long stay at Millay Arts during their Wintertide Rustic Retreat season (valued at $480), and one copy of the guest judge's chapbook as well as the runners-up's broadsides.

The two runners up each receive ten copies of their respective limited-edition broadside, a $250 honorarium to participate in the competition reading, and a copy of the winner’s chapbook as well as a copy of the guest judge’s chapbook.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Please submit a collection or sequence of original poems or a single long poem that does not exceed 450 lines or 21 pages. The author’s name should not appear anywhere in the manuscript or anywhere in the file as all submissions are kept anonymous to the panel of judges. Manuscripts should be typed, with pages numbered and formatted with easy-to-read font.

Translations of the author's own work are permitted. Translations of other writers' work will not be accepted unless the piece is specifically and consensually co-authored by both writer and translator.

This program only accepts text manuscripts. We are not receiving visual poems or illustrated manuscripts at this time.

Please provide a title page, table of contents, and a separate acknowledgments page containing prior magazine or anthology publication of individual poems at the end of the manuscript. Poems that have been published elsewhere are eligible for submission. Please note that the 450 lines or 21-page limit does not include the title or acknowledgements pages. The file name should match the title of the submitted manuscript. Only .PDF, .DOCX. and .DOC files accepted.

Writers will be notified of the status of their manuscript via email. Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to provide feedback at this time.

Questions can be directed to info@centerforbookarts.org

Application Fee: $30

Application Fee Waiver: October 1-October 15, 2026

Application Deadline: December 15, 2026 

SUBMISSION AGREEMENT

When you submit to our annual Chapbook Contest and/or publish with Center for Book Arts, you agree to:

1. Serial rights: we accept simultaneous submissions, but if your work is accepted elsewhere, we ask you to let us know as soon as possible so we can withdraw your application.

2. Rights reverting back to you if your body of work is accepted and published by CBA. You are free to republish or to give others permission to republish. We ask that if you do so, you use the credit as follows: [publication name] by [author] was first published with the Center for Book Arts in [year]. If you have any questions, do let us know!

3. Non-exclusive reprint rights: we may utilize parts of your work for promotional materials, for example, to market our next contest. If we intend on utilizing your work for something we intend to sell, you will be contacted about compensation before we move forward.