The Walter-Tiemann-Award was first presented at 1992 and since than has been awarded every other year. This award primarily recognizes the design achievements of typographers and illustrators. The art contest addresses those, who outside the established publishing houses create room for innovations and enthusiastically carry through their ideas of artwork. By means of dealing with possibilities of text and picture mediation using electronic media new approaches for artistic work on books arises. Stripped of the function of being a straight knowledge provider, more creative ways open up which enable you to consciously examine the specifics of this medium. In principal only high quality texts should form the basis of the composition. In doing so it's secondary if it's based on belletristic or ideas, which reflect current thinking. The typographic form is essential; whereas handwritten originals are excluded. The incorporation of drawings, photos and other illustrations are judged by its book-specific benefit, which certainly can be understood in terms of association enhancement. All types of typography are permitted. The quality of paper, print and bookbinding is all taken into account for assessment

The Walter-Tiemann-Award is an internationally announced prize. The financing of it is done entirely through contributions. The association for promotion of visual arts sponsors the award and invites a jury of selected experts including the latest award winner.

The aim is to buy all prize-winning books for the library of the association, which provides for exhibitions as well as for individual studies.