We are absolutely delighted to share some wonderful news from Search Press: we have been shortlisted in not one but two categories at this year’s Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) Awards. We have been shortlisted for Specialist Publisher of the Year and The International Award, and we couldn’t be more proud.
To be recognised by the IPG, which is one of the most respected and visible organisations in independent publishing, means a great deal to us. These nominations reflect the passion, creativity and sheer hard work of everyone across the Search Press team, and it is a real honour to be included among such an inspiring group of publishers once again.
As a proudly independent and family-run publisher, moments like this give us the chance to pause, reflect and celebrate how far we’ve come. Search Press has been creating beautiful, practical arts and crafts books for over five decades, and our journey has always been one of curiosity and growth. Being shortlisted this year feels especially meaningful as it speaks not only to our publishing heritage, but also to our ability to evolve and thrive in a constantly changing industry.
We are no strangers to the IPG Awards, and we look back with enormous pride on our previous successes. In 2015, we were honoured to win Independent Publisher of the Year, having first been shortlisted for the award in 2011. We also won Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year in both 2011 and 2015, with a further shortlisting in 2018, reinforcing our long-standing reputation as leaders in specialist publishing.
Innovation has always been at the heart of what we do, and this was recognised in 2010 when we won the Nielsen Innovation of the Year Award. More recently, in 2019, we received the Haremi Digital Publishing Award for the success of the Half Yard Sewing Club with Debbie Shore, a subscription-based digital platform offering projects, videos and ongoing support for sewing enthusiasts. Judges praised the project as “a great example of how traditional publishers can turn the business upside down and develop great digital products without compromising commercial principles,” a comment that we still hold close.
What makes these achievements particularly special is that they represent our commitment to learning and growing internationally, through a variety of print and digital publishing. While our books remain at the heart of everything we do, we are constantly looking for new ways to serve our audiences, support creativity and explore fresh opportunities across formats and markets, for example with our recent best-selling product The Granny Square Card Deck TM.
Being shortlisted for The International Award this year is a reminder of the global reach of Search Press and the strong relationships we have built with authors, licensors, booksellers and partners around the world. Meanwhile, recognition as Specialist Publisher of the Year celebrates the depth, care and expertise that go into every book we publish. We look forward to IPG announcing the winners for their awards at the end of April!
Above all, these nominations are a testament to our incredible team – from commissioning and editorial to design, production, marketing, sales and distribution. We are immensely proud of what we create together, and deeply grateful to the authors, contributors, artists and crafters who continue to support us.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, and here’s to what’s still to come.
