This is a list of book arts centers worldwide. These are university based programs, community programs, galleries, and museum collections, which focus on books arts, including bookbinding, book design, and the artistic medium known as artists books, all as distinct from the writing or publishing of books.
Austin Book Arts Center opened a "maker space" in a shared studio building in 2015 and began to teach classes in various aspects of the book arts. In Feb. 2019 a large studio was established at 5501 N. Lamar Blvd Suite C-125 Austin 78751. In 2020 ABAC began to teach classes over zoom; a kit is sent to each student. Zoom and in-person classes continue to the present day.
The ABAC mission statement: The mission of Austin Book Arts Center is to engage people of all ages in creative, interpretive, and educational experiences related to the arts of the book.
ABAC regularly offers workshops in letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking, typography, book history and design, and various arts of the book. In addition, ABAC provides access to equipment for qualified users during regularly scheduled Open Studio times.
Art Metropole was founded by the three artists of General Idea in 1974 for the collection, distribution, publishing and promotion of artists' books. It continues today as one of the primary institutions for artists' books, with a regular exhibition programme, in addition to its publishing and distribution activities. The Art Metropole Collection, comprising some 13,000 items, is now held by the Library of the National Gallery of Canada as a special collection.
The Banff Centre's Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives has an impressive collection of artists' books.
Mainzer Minipressen-Messe, also known as the biennial International Book Fair for Small Publishers and Private Presses, in Mainz. Up to 360 exhibitors from more than 16 countries and 10,000 visitors form the largest marketplace for books by small publishers. [19]
Salon für Kunstbuch, in Vienna, is an art space, where artist books are collected, exhibited and discussed. Founded in 2007 by the Austrian artist Bernhard Cella, it hostst discussions, performances and symposiums about artist books. In 2012 the curatorial initiative Bureau for Open Culture gave a lecture at the Salon für Kunstbuch. Since 2012 the Salon für Kunstbuch is also housed in the 21er Haus which is a branch of the belvedere, Vienna. [20] It publishes an annual list of all artist books published in Austria. [21]
The University of Saint-Etienne, France (Université Jean Monnet), started a one-year M.Phil. programme in Art Publishing & Artists' Books in 2007 (Master Edition d'art / Livre d'artistes). Its University Library also holds a collection of Artists' Books. It was the first of its kind in France.
Annual artists' book fairs in the UK include:
London Centre for Book Arts offers open-access studio facilities and workshops in book arts, bookbinding, printing and publishing.
Three of the earliest and most extensive collections of artists books worldwide are those of the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Library of Chelsea College of Art and Design, and the Hyman Kreitman Research Centre at Tate Britain. The Tate's collection numbers about 4,000 items, includes books dating from the 1960s onwards and is international in scope with an emphasis on British artists.
Since the mid-1990s, Camberwell College of Arts (a constituent College of University of the Arts London) has run a one-year postgraduate degree programme in MA Visual Arts (Book Arts), graduating 10-15 students annually.
London College of Communication (also part of University of the Arts London) ran a three-year undergraduate degree programme in BA (Hons) Book Arts and Design. This course ended in 2015.
The bookartbookshop is a non-profit organisation founded in 2002 by Tanya Peixoto (co-founder of the Artist's Book Yearbook) and sells publications of artist presses and publishers of artists' books.
Founded by Meg Green as 'Atelier Soleil' in Montréal in 1996, Some Odd Pages moved to the UK in 2003 and offers workshops in flexible studio book arts, artist editions, historical bindings and unique volumes.
The University of the West of England in Bristol publishes the bi-annual Artist's Book Yearbook, as well as a free downloadable monthly newsletter on artists' books. It began a new MA degree programme in artists' books in 2006.
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design houses a large collection of Artists' books within abcD -artists' books collection Dundee. The collection was originally established in 1999 as the Centre for Artists Books by Alec Finlay and now includes over 1,400 books, multiples and ephemera from 600 artists. Several works have been specially commissioned for the collection, often through Cooper Gallery, including books by Richard Long, Bruce McLean and Paul Noble. [23]
Circle "Bokartas" was founded in 1993 by Kestutis Vasiliunas in Vilnius, Lithuania for artist's book creators to share ideas and participate in collaborative art projects. Since 1993, the Circle "Bokartas" organised more than 40 international artist's book exhibitions, workshops, symposiums and lectures in Lithuania, Germany, Austria, South Korea, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, France, Japan and USA. The "International Artist's Book Triennials Vilnius" is a unique non-commercial cultural project, organised to promote artist's books, creators of artist's books from all over the world, to connect galleries, publishers, editors and printers of fine art & limited editions, the greater general public, collectors and individual artists. The "International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius" is organised periodically since 1997. Over this period 1778 artists from 99 countries have submitted about 3000 artist's books. An international jury has chosen the best 911 submissions from 68 countries to be displayed during successive exhibitions. During the 22 year of the Triennial history, the artist's books have been displayed not only in Vilnius, but also in Leipzig, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Rheine (Germany), Lille (France), Silkeborg (Denmark), Venice, Urbino, Vercelli (Italy), Seoul (South Korea), Halmstad (Sweden), Salzburg (Austria), Evanston and Fredonia (U.S.A.).
The 1st International Artist's Book Triennial was in 1997, in Gallery "Kaire Desine", in Vilnius, Lithuania. The theme of it was "Diary: Eight Days". 65 artists from 13 countries took part in the Triennial.
The 2nd International Artist's Book Triennial was in 2000, in Gallery "Arka" in Vilnius and in "Galerie 5020" in Salzburg, Austria. The theme of it was "Apocalypse". 138 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial.
The 3rd International Artist's Book Triennial was in 2003, in the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. The theme of it was "23 Sins". 118 artists from 37 countries took part in the Triennial. The Triennial was shown in 2004 in Frankfurt Art Fair in Germany; in 2004 in Thomas Mannas' House in Nida, Lithuania; in 2004 in Gallery "Le Carre" in Lille, France;
The 4th International Artist's Book Triennial was in 2006, in the Gallery "Arka" in Vilnius. The theme of it was "Rabbit and House". 130 artists from 29 countries took part in the Triennial. After the exhibition in Vilnius the Triennial was shown in 2007 in Leipzig Book Fair in Leipzig, Germany; in 2007 in Seoul International Book Arts Fair in Seoul, South Korea.
5th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius was in 2009. The theme - "Text". The Triennial was shown in 2009 in Leipzig Book Fair, Germany; In the Gallery "Arka" Vilnius, Lithuania; In the Art Centre Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg, Denmark; In 2010 in the Gallery "Hübner Bokform, Halmstad, Sweden; In the "Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia", Venice, Italy. 330 artists from 56 different countries sent their books for the 5th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2009. The jury selected 131 artists for the exhibition.
6th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius was in 2012. Theme "Love". The international jury selected 94 artists from 33 countries for the exhibition. The 6th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2012 was shown in "Scuola Internazionale di Grafica", Venice, Italy; in Leipzig Book Fair, Germany; in Gallery "Titanikas", Vilnius, Lithuania; in Kloster Bentlage, Rheine, Germany.
The 7th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2015. Theme "Error".
The 8th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2018. Theme "Memento Mori". The international jury selected 70 artists from 26 countries for the exhibition.
The 9th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2021 - is a conceptual art project. Theme "Absence". “Absence is presence. These are the fundamentals of mystery.”
The 10th International Artist's Book Triennial Vilnius 2024. Theme "To Be". The international jury selected 77 artists from 29 countries for the exhibition.
Artist's Book Museum established in 2021 in Lithuania with the artist's book collection of the international artists. It is the first Artist's Book Museum in North Europe. Artist's Book Collection in the Artist's Book Museum consists of unique & limited editions artist's books and artist's book-objects. In 1993 Circle "Bokartas" began to organise the Artist's Book Exhibitions and to collect artist's books.
The E+ABS at the Australian National University School of Art was an active centre of production for artists' books in Australia between 1996 and 2004. [24] It is now called the Printmedia & Drawing Book Studio.
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) holds 1049 Australian artists' books (July 2007), the largest institutional collection of Australian artists' books. The NGA is also one of the most active centres for discussion on artists' books via their triannual Australian Print Symposium
The National Library of Australia (NLA) holds one of the most notable and accessible collections of Australian artists' books in the ACT, with the collection numbering over 300. The NLA has also held regular exhibitions promoting the collection and further study on the collections, e.g. Beyond the Picket Fence: Australian women's art in the National Library's collections.
Southern Cross University has established an artists book collection housed in the university library.
The State Library of Queensland holds one of the most notable collections of Australian and overseas artists' books in Australia, with approximately 800 (as of 2007). [25]
The Center for the Artist's Book , part of grahame galleries + editions, which opened in 1987. It houses over 500 Australian and international artists' books [26]
The State Library of Victoria holds a collection of artists' books. Exhibitions held include "Lost & Found - Peter Lyssiotis and John Wolseley: the adventures of two artists". [27]