The Artists Self-Publishers' Fair The Eigth

The Artist Self Publishing Fair The Eight is due to take place at Conway Hall on the 16th December 2023. However Arts Council England decided not to fund us for the second year running as they are diverting funds outside of London.

The fair is hosted annually and is one of the few genuine opportunities for the public and artists to be together in one place to meet, talk, share and engage with each other. Whilst we don't offer any definition of what artist's self-publishing is, the fair has been able to offer work by hundreds of artist since we began to thousands of people. Prices start from a quid, and are always very affordable.

The event has become the mainstay of the self-publishing artist's community and helps generate a real buzz and a sense of belonging that is hard to replicate anywhere else.

We are looking to raise £6,000 as a minimum to be able to afford to pay all those who help with the fair, website, marketing, admin, production costs, front of house, hospitality for the artists, bursaries for some of the artists.

We have received generous support from PICPUS Press and Camden Art Centre, but this only takes us so far; paying the rent for the venue and some publicity.

As a matter of principle 100% of all sales go to artists, and the fair is free entry for all, but this situation is becoming untenable, with unprecedented cuts to arts in London, our partners at Camden Art Centre suffered a huge cut to their finding early this year and as a knock-on effect their support to us was reduced by 55%.

The fair started in 2015, and has been running annually since, except for a year during the pandemic. Each year we host 80 plus artists with an audience of thousands. The fair is one of the few opportunities to meet the artists face to face and see and buy their work.

ASP Fair will host artist self-publishers only, and continues to avoid the restrictions and market dominance of much of contemporary arts culture. The publications are the art works; affordable and available, and remain free from the fetter of the institution or gallery, the ideas, images and text are produced and self-published by artists who understand the restrictions and freedoms of the printed page.

ASP seeks to celebrate and promote artist self-publishers and their work. In addition to those selected by ASP, 10 places will be allocated via open submission.

Organised by ASP and Camden Art Centre with generous support from PICPUS Press. Our Media Partner is Tank Magazine.

We will shortly begin announcing the artist self-publishers taking part in this year's fair. For further updates and details please keep an eye on our Website, Facebook or Instagram pages.

If you have any question, or need more information in making your decision whether or not to help the ASP Fair take place this year, please email us, our contact details are via our website or instagram, and we will provide you with any information you ask for.

Sara MacKillop and Dan Mitchell co-founded ASP in 2014. This year ASP Fair is joined by Heiba Lamara from OOMK zine and Daniel Wilkinson from Marzipan Press.

Yours,

Dan Mitchell

ASP Fair Partnership