Organizer Information
Founded in 1976, Printed Matter, Inc. is the world's leading non-profit organization dedicated to the dissemination, understanding, and appreciation of artists' books and related publications. Operating out of its expansive New York space, the organization champions books that serve as direct spaces for an artist's practice, framing the publication format itself as an artwork in its own right. In collaboration with the Wagner Foundation, which generously funds this initiative, Printed Matter serves a vital global ecosystem by organizing world-renowned Art Book Fairs in New York and Los Angeles and directly financing underrepresented visual voices.
Title & Description
Printed Matter Publisher Work Grant 2026: Third Annual Open Call
Printed Matter is accepting submissions for its third annual Publisher Work Grant, a targeted capacity-building initiative designed to honor the historical accomplishments of independent presses and ensure their long-term financial sustainability. Rather than demanding the execution of a singular, strict project, this award provides highly flexible, unrestricted cash injections. The program intends to offset standard operational overhead, fund forthcoming publications, and elevate independent imprints that view the printed book as an experimental site for art. Alongside significant monetary funding, selected laureates will receive premium institutional placement at the organization’s high-traffic regional art book fair circuits.
Categories
This opportunity is strictly tailored for Independent Publishing, Imprint Management, Book Arts, and Visual Book Production.
Scope Note: The grant is structurally unsuited for imprints focusing primarily on standard fiction, general non-fiction, pure poetry collection, traditional exhibition catalogs, monographs, or deluxe, hand-crafted standalone book objects.
Eligibility
- Geographic Scope: Open globally to independent artists' book publishers based anywhere in the world.
- Operational Scale: Tailored for small-scale imprints driven by an "independent spirit" that lack access to major, ongoing corporate distribution channels. Established imprints with full-time staff, secure university backing, or high visibility will be deprioritized.
- History Benchmarks: Publishers must have an active publishing timeline of at least 1 or more years, with a verified track record of releasing 1 or more titles annually. Imprints must be currently active with future projects planned.
- Artist/Commercial Exclusions: Individual artists looking to finance a monograph or book of their own work are ineligible unless they actively operate an imprint that releases the work of other creators. Commercial studios publishing client work or institutional galleries with separate funding are excluded.
- Personnel Constraints: Current employees, interns, or former staff members within a year of departure are legally restricted from entering. Past fair winners (BIPOC Volume Grant, Shannon Michael Cane Award) remain fully eligible.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Unrestricted Cash Awards: Three independent artists' book publishers will each receive a $10,000 USD unrestricted grant.
- Art Book Fair Exhibitor Stand: Selected presses receive a complimentary, featured exhibitor space at a forthcoming Printed Matter New York or Los Angeles Art Book Fair. The raw booth fees are waived, though grantees cover their own travel and lodging logistics.
Application Fee
The submission loop is 100% free of charge. There are no processing fees or application registry costs.
How to Apply?
All registry documentation, catalog lists, and conceptual data packets must be processed directly through the official digital workspace provided on the project domain.
- Application Link: Printed Matter Publisher Work Grant Portal
Key Dates
- Application Window Opens: July 9, 2026
- Application Submission Deadline: Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST
Location
The initial application submission and curation review happen entirely Online. The physical promotional platforms and exhibitor stands deploy live inside the United States at the NY Art Book Fair (New York, NY) or the LA Art Book Fair (Los Angeles, CA).
Additional Details
The internal evaluation and guest jury look closely at imprints that explore the page as an experimental platform, engage thoughtfully with nuanced socio-political themes, amplify marginalized identities, and demonstrate a methodology prioritizing equity and collaboration. Due to the massive scale of international submissions, individual critiques for non-selected applications will not be issued.