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8th - 22nd March 2013
Various venues*
Curated by Louise Atkinson

Artist Book Collective has invited existing artist book and zine collectives to create pop up archives in coffee shops in conjunction with Leeds International Artist Book Fair and Divided We Fall. The publications will be available for customers to browse and there is a map of participating venues for people to explore.

The project aims to work with non-traditional art spaces in Leeds, such as coffee shops, in order to increase the accessibility of artist books and promote alternative venues for exhibiting. Inviting existing archives and collectives to participate also showcases the wealth of independent publishing activity, building links with new audiences to create longevity after the project has finished.

Container Inside 

This collection is a sample of publications and artists books by some of the artists involved in CONTAINER INSIDE, an artist led project curated by Rafael Doctor at Cidade da Cultura de Galicia, in Santiago de Compostela (Spain).

The project originated as part 1º Encounter of New Artists Cidade da Cultura event that took place back in September 2011 (in Galicia, Spain), where 100 artists from different nationalities met to reflect about contemporary artistic production. The event organisers gave our group the opportunity to present a proposal for inclusion in the inaugural exhibition for Cidade da Cultura.

Three months later, CONTAINER INSIDE took shape, a portable museum within a shipping container, bringing together nearly 160 pieces of work by 80 artists from Argentina, Portugal, Spain, Italy and France. For more details about CONTAINER INSIDE visit: http://cargocollective.com/CONTAINER_INSIDE

Loosely Bound

"So, Simon, tell us about how you put your zines together." "Er, well, they're quite loosely bound .."

And that was how our gathering of zinesters came to be known as Loosely Bound. In the words of Jean McEwan, who initiated the meeting of a select few back in November 2011: "We make our zines in diverse and differing ways, from perzines (personal zines) to those containing photography, craft and other visual arts. These are created using methods that range from lo-fi and handmade to digital. What binds us is that we all love zines. We come together to share, swap and learn from each other, to create new zine projects and to organise events but, above all, to MAKE ZINES"

The group has so far produced three  collaborative zines, Heroes/Tributes, God Save The Zine, and a Riso recipe zine. You can buy them via their website, details below. The members have sold their group zines and solo projects at various events since forming, including AnteArt in Shipley, Wharf Chambers Leeds Zine Fair, and a zine event at the South Square centre. They will next emerge at a Shipley zine fest taking place on March 16 in the underground market. Loosely Bound are currently working on an A6 postcard sized zine about being a tourist in your own home. More information: http://looselybound.org and https://www.facebook.com/LooselyBound

Holmfirth Artist Book and Zine Archive

The Towser Zine Library was built for Holmfirth Arts Festival 2012 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Luddite uprising in the oldest building in Holmfirth, Th'Owd Towser. A specially acquired collection of zines and artists’ books comprised a temporary borrowing zine library housed in a HafzBau library stand constructed by artist Bob Milner. Now in 2013, curators Alice Bradshaw and Vanessa Haley are touring the zine collection which features over 70 specially made and selected artists' books and zines.

Sheffield Artist Book Prize

Bank Street Arts in Sheffield is home to a collection of over 230 Artists’ Books, exclusively made up of donated books from submissions to the Sheffield International Artist’s Book Prize. The SIABP is the largest and most prestigious ongoing project at Bank Street Arts. The Prize was initiated in 2008 and over the course of three editions, it has grown to be internationally recognised in its field, and the largest of its kind in the world, with over 180 entries from 22 different countries in 2011.

The SIABP is open to anyone, free to enter and the main Exhibition Prize is voted for by visitors to the exhibition. Additional prizes, including a student Prize are decided by jury. The 4th edition of the Prize is open for submissions from mid February to end July 2013 and the Exhibition, in which all books submitted will be shown, will be held in October and November this year.

The Collection is unique in so far as it is not determined by budget, edition number or personal taste and whilst it might not span the entire range of possibilities in terms of artists’ books, it does contain a wide and varied cross section of the medium from around the world. To view the collection online visit http://artistsbookprize.co.uk and for more information about Bank Street Arts and our activities visit http://bankstreetarts.com or email info@bankstreetarts.com

Strawbleu

Not strictly a collective, Strawbleu is the art photography and publication project of Jon Eland. Jon, who also set up Exposure Leeds - the city's alternate photography society, often evangelises about the benefits to photographic imagemakers of formatting their projects as books.

In the past he has collaboratively produced publications using open calls - many contributors haven't published before and don't necessarily consider themselves artists. This includes the Midsummer Madness (2007/10) projects, The UnGuide to Leeds City Centre zine (2011) and LVLLDS#1 - The Textures of Two Cities (2012). Additionally he has produced over 30 zine publications himself; as well as several photobooks - playing with both digital and printed formats and a variety of on-demand and digital printing methods.

In 2013 he is beginning another phase of his work - helping emerging artists who've never published before to turn a photographic series or project into fruition, as well as bring the 'Unguide' format to Bradford. Available to browse at Bottega Milanese on The Calls, you'll find a variety of publications under the Strawbleu banner - as well as invited others.

Village Leeds

Village is a new art book store, gallery and publishing house based in The Corn Exchange. We offer a curated selection of contemporary artist books, creative magazines and self-published zines from independent publishers, artists and collectives around the world. Our stock includes beautiful and inspirational art, design, illustration and photography publications from well-known and emerging artists, as well as some of the world’s best and most sought-after fashion and lifestyle magazines.

Our in-store gallery, currently exhibiting work by photographers curated by No Culture Icons, along with our comfy sofa area and coffee shop (coming soon) should provide a welcome escape from the busy Leeds high street where people can meet hang out and browse. The overall aim of Village is to celebrate the medium of print and champion creativity across a range of disciplines.

Our goal is to develop the Leeds creative community as a whole by providing exposure to talented emerging artists and connecting different organisations and collectives through collaboration. We want to put independent art at the forefront of the city’s identity and make the Leeds creative community something people are proud to be part of. Find out more at http://welcometovillage.tumblr.com

*Participating venues
Mrs Atha's, Central Road, LS1 6DE
Laynes Espresso, 16 New Station St, LS1 5DL
White Cloth Gallery cafe, 24 - 26 Aire Street, LS1 4HT
Brewbar Espresso, Under Leeds Art Gallery, The Headrow, LS1 3AA
Costa @ Waterstones, 93 - 97 Albion Street, LS1 5JS
Opposite Cafe, 26 Blenheim Terrace (Opp Leeds University), LS2 9HD