Printed Matter Inc.

The world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination, understanding and appreciation of artists' books.

As one of the world’s largest publicly available source for artists' books, Printed Matter is an important voice in a vibrant and expanding field. At the heart of our mission is a longstanding open submission process, inviting artists and independent publishers to submit their books for sale at Printed Matter. We circulate over 32,000 publications annually on behalf of artists and small presses through our non-profit store in Chelsea, our online catalog and other distribution channels. With a commitment to representing and engaging a diverse community of artists, Printed Matter is in many cases one of the few outlets for artist-made publications on the peripheries of mainstream distribution networks.

In addition to maintaining an expansive inventory of 15,000 titles by over 6,000 artists, Printed Matter is a dynamic center of non-profit services and activities offered in support of artists who make books. We maintain a busy programming calendar which includes exhibitions of contemporary and historically significant artists' books, artist talks, book launches and performances, a PM Window Series presenting installations in our storefront window, and a PM Publishing Program.

Our organization also offers a number of services intended both for those familiar with the field of artists' books and those encountering the medium for the first time. These include educational services such as class visits and off-site lectures, research and bibliographic services through our extensive, publicly available artists’ book records, and collector and library consultation services. Our Archive, collected since the organization’s founding in 1976, stands as an important record of the developmental trajectory of the artists’ book field as it intersects with Printed Matter’s institutional history.

Printed Matter also organizes the annual NY Art Book Fair and LA Art Book Fair, the world’s largest events showcasing and celebrating the international artists’ book community, attracting a combined total of over 76,000 visitors each year. As a way to further promote the visibility of these publications, we also extend our mission offsite to a number of leading art fairs, independent zine fairs and other events worldwide.