Extraordinary and innovative use of tile and stone in architecture and design will be recognized at Coverings 2009 with the annual presentation of the prestigious Spectrum and Prism Awards. In issuing the Call for Entries, it was announced that the prize money for the two programs -- Spectrum for tile, Prism for stone -- totals $21,000, and it will be bestowed upon winners at a special awards ceremony at the international tile and stone exhibition and conference, which will be held from April 21 to 24, 2009, at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. Downloadable entry forms will be available at http://www.coverings.com/spectrum-prism-awards.html. Project must have been completed between January 2005 and December 2008, and the deadline for receipt is January 30, 2009.

Historically, the top criteria for the awards include a mastery of the materials, overall creativity and imagination as well as installation competency. This year, the Spectrum Awards will be presented for usage of porcelain and/or ceramic tiles, and separately honor projects featuring glass and/or mosaics. A $2,000 first prize each will go to winners of both residential and commercial projects in those two separate categories. Additionally, $1,000 Awards of Merit have been earmarked for the two different tile classifications. Finally, judges will have the option to acknowledge two other submissions with a $1,000 Special Recognition Award -- it might be a community project, uniquely "green," a standout for its detail and design or just architecturally worthy overall.

For the Prism Awards, there will be a $2,000 first prize given in each of three categories: Residential, Commercial and Institutional. Additionally, a $1,000 Award of Merit will also be presented in each category. And like the Spectrum Awards, judges will have the opportunity to acknowledge two other submissions with a $1,000 Special Recognition Award.

Each submission must be accompanied by an electronic file; a pocket folder with an official entry form; a typed project description and identification information; and high-resolution photography. The entry fee is $100 for a single project, but multiple entries are accepted, with a reduced $60 fee for each additional entry.

The 2009 Spectrum and Prism Awards are sponsored by Coverings and coordinated by the five sponsoring organizations of the show, including ASCER (Spain's Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association), Confindustria Ceramica (Italian Association of Ceramics), CTDA (Ceramic Tile Distributors Assocation), NTCA (National Tile Contractors Association) and TCNA (Tile Council of North America).

For any questions regarding the Spectrum or Prism Awards, contact Eva Boran of Veeder + Perman, the public relations agency for Coverings, at: (212) 966-3759 ext. 251 or e-mail: eva@veederperman.com.