Vancouver Art Book Fair Symposium on Art Publishing

Join us at Emily Carr University of Art + Design (Rennie Hall) for a day filled with insightful discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. This event is a must-attend for anyone passionate about the intersection of art and publishing.

Attendance is free. Advance registration is required. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. ASL translation will be provided for all panels and talks.

Opening Remarks: Bopha Chhay, Jonathan Middleton
10:00–10:30 AM

Keynote: Emmy Catedral
10:30–11:25 AM

Panel One: Learning from Collections
Dallas Fellini, Anthea Black, and Christine Walde. Moderated by Bopha Chhay.
11:25–12:30 PM

Libraries, collections, and archives offer important repositories of publications and publishing histories. These collections typically have overt pedagogical roles, housed within academic institutions, or serving as research resources within art museums and public institutions. But if libraries and archives are intended to reinvigorate contemporary practice, what can be said about the obvious gaps in most collections? How can we imagine a bidirectional or more complicated relationship between archives and the ‘classroom’, workshop or gallery space?

Lunch and refreshments:
12:30–1:30 PM

Panel Two: Magazine, Criticism, and Art Writing
Joni Low/André-Lois Paré (espace), Anton Vidolke, Brian Kuan Wood, Hallie Ayres (e-flux), Maandeeq Mohamed (c magazine) (zoom). Moderated by Maxine Proctor.
1:30–2:30 PM

Art magazines and journals play integral roles in the cultural landscape, not least of which is their support for critical writing that sits apart from the (often) laudatory writing of catalogue essays and other institutionally commissioned texts. The demands of running a periodical are high, and we’ve seen numerous publications wrap-up or substantially change direction over the past few years. This panel features representatives of three periodicals who will speak to their current editorial and artistic directions, and what strategies they employ to sustain their important role.

Break:
2:30–2:50 PM

Panel Three: Distribution, Collaboration and Funding
Adetola Adedipe (Esker), Blair Swann (Art Metropole), Moderated by Louis Rastelli.
2:50–4:00 PM

Distribution is often cited as a major barrier for publishing artists and art book presses, but it remains a fraught territory, with low funding, high amounts of labour, narrow margins, and retail partners that are, at times, overly cautious. How can we better support a network of small distributors geared towards artists and small publishers? What other distribution models might we consider? Are there ways that artists and publishers can engage in collaborative models that facilitate both the production of art books and their journey into the hands of interested audiences?

Reception:
4:30–7:00 PM

Please join us after the Symposium for food and drink at Steamworks Mount Pleasant (2275 Main St). Steamworks is approximately a 15-minute walk from the Emily Carr campus. We will be in the private lounge area.