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.

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 displayed in the Gingerbread House exhibition. How you choose to 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 short descriptive text about your entry. The text helps the jury understand the idea behind your creation.

Categories:

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

Jury:

A jury will select a winner in each category.

The Public’s Prize:

A prize will also be awarded to the public’s favorite, as voted for by visitors.

This year’s theme:

The theme for this year’s competition will be announced when registration opens.

Important dates:

October 20

• Registration opens for everyone who wants to contribute to this year’s exhibition
• This year’s theme is announced
• The email address pepparkaka@arkdes.se is activated for questions
• And most importantly, time to start baking!

November 17

• Registration closes

November 21–22

• Submission of gingerbread houses at ArkDes (queues may occur)

November 28

• The exhibition Gingerbread House 2025 opens
• Time to start voting for your favorite entry

December 11

• Last day to vote

December 14

• Award ceremony at ArkDes at 13:00. The winners in all three categories and The Public’s Prize are presented.

January 11, 2026

• Final day of the exhibition

Competition rules:

The exhibition is a safe and inclusive space for all ages – especially children – with a focus on creativity, imagination, and joy.

• 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 does not need to be edible. Decorative elements such as string lights or similar accessories are not permitted.

• ArkDes reserves the right to reject submissions that violate Swedish law, serve as advertising for commercial purposes (such as logos, company names, or slogans), contain partisan messages (such as the names of political parties), address political conflicts, or could be interpreted as part of a political campaign or debate, or that ArkDes considers inappropriate or unethical in the context of an exhibition aimed at children.

• ArkDes also reserves the right to edit the submitted texts to ensure they are suitable for the exhibition context, as outlined above.

• To ensure fair judging, all entries remain anonymous until voting is complete. This means that if you participate in the competition, you may not share or promote your entry in external media until the competition has ended and the Public’s Prize has been announced.

• Once the exhibition closes, it will not be possible for participants to retrieve their gingerbread houses.