ACP Opens Submissions for 2027 Excellence in Publishing Awards
BALTIMORE, MD — The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is now accepting submissions for the 2027 Excellence in Publishing Awards, the association’s annual program recognizing the best in Catholic publishing.
Publishers may submit eligible titles through December 17, 2026, for consideration in categories covering a broad range of Catholic publishing, including biography, children’s books, fiction, general interest, inspirational, music, prayer, resources for liturgy and ministry, Scripture, Spanish, spirituality, and theology. First-, second-, and third-place awards are presented in qualifying categories, with the Resource of the Year selected from among the first-place winners.
For an example of what the awards can mean over the life of a publishing series, ACP recently sat down with Scripture scholar and author Stephen J. Binz to talk about his Threshold Bible Study series, published by Twenty-Third Publications, and its long history with the Excellence in Publishing Awards.
Threshold Bible Study received its first ACP first-place award in 2013 for The Gospel According to Luke: Jesus, the Compassionate Savior. Since then, titles in the series have repeatedly been recognized by the Excellence in Publishing Awards, including Acts of the Apostles, Peacemaking and Nonviolence, Wholehearted Commitment: Deuteronomy, Music, Hymns and Canticles, The Creed of the Church, and, most recently, Handel’s Messiah, which received first place in 2026.
In his conversation with ACP Executive Director Therese Brown, Binz described one reason he believes the series has endured for more than two decades: it is “deep, but accessible.”
“It’s good biblical scholarship,” Binz explained. “It’s not just kind of spirituality, but it’s really learning about the Bible,” while at the same time being easy for individuals and groups to use.
“The Excellence in Publishing Awards give us an opportunity to recognize the outstanding work being done by Catholic publishers and the authors and creators behind these resources,” said Brown. “Stephen Binz’s experience with the awards shows how that recognition can affirm not just a single title, but the ongoing work of creating resources that serve the Church year after year.”
Watch ACP’s conversation with Stephen Binz to hear more about the Threshold Bible Study series, its history with the Excellence in Publishing Awards, and what goes into creating Catholic resources that are both “deep, but accessible” on YouTube.
For the 2027 awards, non-music resources must have a 2026 copyright date. Eligible music resources may have copyright dates from 2024 through 2026. Publishers do not need to be ACP members to enter the competition, and publishers may submit multiple titles. Entry fees are based on the total number of titles submitted, with discounted rates available to ACP members and for larger numbers of submissions.
The deadline to submit entries is December 17, 2026. Finalists will be announced in early April, with winners announced in June.
Complete eligibility requirements, category descriptions, entry fees, and submission information for the 2027 Excellence in Publishing Awards are available at catholicpublishers.org/Excellence-in-Publishing-Awards.
The Association of Catholic Publishers (ACP) is a membership organization of Catholic publishers, those who provide services to Catholic publishers, and individuals who work with Catholic publishers. The ACP provides opportunities for members to further the Catholic publishing industry, promote Catholic publishing and reading, and engage those they interact with including retailers, pastoral leaders, individual customers, and staff.
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Note: AI was used in drafting the language used in the above document.
To schedule interviews, contact Therese Brown at 410-988-2926 or at tbrown@catholicpublishers.org.