How it works!

Everyone is welcome to participate in ArkDes’ annual competition, where gingerbread houses from children, professional bakers, architects, and amateurs are displayed side by side.

The jury will select a winner in each category. Entries will be judged on the following criteria: color and shape, edibility, construction, and how well the work interprets this year’s theme. The gingerbread houses may only contain edible ingredients.

How does it work?

You bake your gingerbread house at home and then bring it to ArkDes, where it will be exhibited during Gingerbread House 2024. How you interpret this year’s theme is entirely up to you – the more interpretations, the more exciting the exhibition. You also have the option to include a descriptive text about your entry (max 200 characters). The text is important for helping the jury understand the thought behind your work.

We can accept a maximum of 150 entries, so it’s first come, first served.

Categories:

• Architects, designers, and bakers
• Up to 12 years old
• Everyone else who bakes

Jury:

A jury will select a winner in each category. There will also be a prize for the public’s favorite, for which the public can vote until December 12, 2024.

Important dates:

• October 15, 2024: Registration opens and this year’s theme is announced.
• November 20, 2024: Registration closes.
• November 22-23, 2024: Submission of gingerbread houses. More detailed information about the submission will be sent by email at the beginning of November to all registered participants.
• 29 November 2024: The Gingerbread House 2024 exhibition opens, and voting for the public’s favorite begins.
• December 11, 2024: Last day for voting.
• December 15, 2024: Award ceremony.
• January 12, 2025: Last day of the exhibition.

Competition rules:

• The house must not be wider than 40×40 cm. No part of the entry may exceed these dimensions. If the house is placed on a base plate the total width must not exceed 40×40 cm. Height is optional.
• The gingerbread house may only contain edible ingredients. The base plate, however, does not need to be edible.
• All submissions will be exhibited, but ArkDes reserves the right to reject submissions that violate Swedish law, serve as advertising for commercial purposes, contain partisan messages, or are considered inappropriate or unethical.
• To ensure fair judging and that all entries have the same starting point, entries remain anonymous until the voting is complete. This means that if you are participating in the competition, your entry cannot be shared in external media until the competition is finished.
• ArkDes reserves the right to discard the gingerbread houses after the exhibition unless otherwise specified by the baker.