Welcome to Contemporary Art Books Australasia.

The artworld loves publishing. It’s crucial to the way contemporary art is documented, disseminated, marketed, and consumed. However, many small-press art publishers in Australia and New Zealand experience great difficulties in commercially distributing their books domestically. Contemporary Art Books Australasia is an initiative of the IMA, Brisbane and Artspace, Sydney aimed at addressing this problem. Our focus is upon ensuring a range of the most impressive titles are placed within key specialist booksellers on a regular basis. We use distribution to metabolise the publishing investment being made by publishers (and their funders)—to put the books into play and to increase the profile of small-press art publishing, artists, and galleries.

Contemporary Art Books Australasia is directed by Robert Leonard (IMA) and Blair French (Artspace). It is managed by Caraline Douglas (Artspace) and supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. Contemporary Art Books Australasia advisory group members are: Peter Beiers (Gallery of Modern Art Bookshop, Brisbane); Max Delany (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne); Lisa Havilah (Carriageworks, Sydney); Linda Michael (Heide Museum of Modern Art); Justin Paton (Christchurch Art Gallery).

If you are a publisher of art books or a bookseller in Australasia please contact us for more information.