The Dallas Art Book Fair returns to Dallas Contemporary as the museum’s highest-attended program. Held over the course of two days, the annual book fair brings together regional, national, and international artists, presses, publishers, galleries, and bookstores in the museum’s generous space. In addition to offering an assortment of printed works from local, national, and international presses, the fair also boasts an enriched programming schedule, with engaging conversations and readings with authors and artists; a makerspace for zine and printmaking workshops; activities for kids and families; live music; and culinary offerings from around the city.
We are excited to announce our first batch of vendors, with more to be added in the coming weeks. This year’s fair will feature publishers such as Alliance Française de Dallas, BLACKLIT, Can Can Press, Corsicana Artist & Writer Residency, Dallas Public Library, Deep Vellum, Impresos México/Miau Ediciones, K.Co Press, Southwest Review, and Spectacle Box & Pryor Press. Individual artists and creators include Arcadian Editions, Chelsea Akpan, CICR Studio & Press, Creative Baddies, Delaney Allen, Kid Ray B, Mara Gervais, Mystic Multiples, National Monument Press, T.C. Oliver, and our partners Spacy Apprentice Creative Space and Soft Spots.
DABF SATELLITE PROGRAMMING
We’re thrilled to introduce DABF Satellite Programming—a citywide initiative celebrating the creativity and community at the heart of art book publishing. As part of this year’s Dallas Art Book Fair, we’re collaborating with incredible partners to bring you unique experiences across Dallas:
Spacy – A 35-seat microcinema inside Tyler Station aiming to foster connections and collaborations among artists and audiences across a variety of ideas, perspectives, art forms, and disciplines, all through the medium of moving images.
Apprentice Creative Space – A nonprofit literary and creative hub in Oak Cliff offering affordable coworking, free education programs, and inclusive community events to support and uplift Dallas’s creative community.
Soft Spots – A Dallas-based Risograph press, owned and operated by artists Kristin Wright and Gino Dal Cin, dedicated to fostering creativity and collaboration through accessible print and publication resources.
Soft Spots: RISO CLUB
Friday, 21 February, 2025
5.00 pm - 8.00 pm
Free admission, limited capacity
915 Seale St. Dallas, TX
Meet us at Soft Spots for RISO CLUB. Come fold your zines, print a project, or just doodle. You will have access to the riso machines with help from our assistant. This is first come first serve when it comes to printing and using our community supplies so be prepared to share. Typical printing costs apply to any riso work.
Follow the link below and select a slot for Friday, 21 February to join us.
Apprentice Creative Space: Zine-Making Workshop
Thursday, 27 February, 2025
7.00 pm - 8.00 pm
Free admission, limited capacity
919 Morrell Ave #110 Dallas, TX
Learn how to make a zine at Apprentice Oak Cliff, a nonprofit creative hub in the historic Oak Cliff Assembly building. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned zine-maker, join us for a hands-on folding session and connect with fellow creatives.
Spacy: Archives Beyond Activism
Sunday, 02 March, 2025
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Free admission, limited capacity
1300 S Polk St #160a, Dallas, TX
In this workshop, attendees will put archival images classified as LBGT in dialogue with their own photo libraries, creating a new artifact that can be left in a public place. We will each use the space of one page to think about what queerness and transness actually is in the world — the way it liberates people, the way it threatens all structures meant to oppress everyone. And we’ll go behind the scenes of iconic images in various social campaigns to understand fully how tender, personal experience fuels collective action.
Hosted by the microcinema, Spacy, this workshop is facilitated by Lyndsay Knecht, Editorial and Engagement Lead of Red Hot and will include music from the nonprofit label’s catalog with an emphasis on TRAИƧA, the 46-track spiritual journey featuring 100+ contributors celebrating trans artistry and influence. Admission is free. Attendees will receive information about archives accessible to them for future projects. For those who are not able to make it, RSVPed patrons will still receive this information at a later time through email.
Apprentice Creative Space: First Fridays
Friday, 07 March, 2025
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm, limited capacity
Free admission
919 Morrell Ave #110 Dallas, TX
Kick off DABF by connecting with local creatives at Apprentice Creative Space’s First Fridays mixer, a casual networking event —co-hosted this month with Dallas Contemporary.
Dallas Contemporary’s Dallas Art Book Fair 2024: Programming & Lineup Archive
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1:00 pm – Self-Publishing Conversation with Steven Monacelli, Steven Visneau, and Zac Crain
Protean Magazine publisher Steven Monacelli, photographer Steven Visneau, and D Magazine executive editor Zac Crain participated in a conversation discussing the excitement and challenges of independent publishing.2:00 pm – Solar Eclipse Workshop with Dr. Mary Urquhart
UTD planetary scientist Dr. Mary Urquhart led a solar eclipse-themed workshop. Dr. Urquhart was a collaborator on Dallas Contemporary's exhibition View Finder, a film by artist Brian Fridge.2:30 pm – Corsicana Artist and Writer Residency Reading with Josephine Birdsell
Josephine Birdsell, a queer, nonbinary artist and essayist, presented a reading that addressed themes of queer and feminine liberation, sobriety in subcultures, and recovery from trauma.4:00 pm – Comics Reading Hour with Chelsea Akpan and Cynta Camilia
Comic artists Chelsea Akpan and Cynta Camilia gave readings from their respective works, LOVEFOOL and The Space Between Nothing, followed by a Q&A session with fans.All Day – EAR READING: A Publication Performance by Kristen Cochran
Artist Kristen Cochran presented an all-day performance titled EAR READING, which explored the concept of live publication through performance. -
1:00 pm – Remembering The Reading Room: Artist Conversation
Artists Brandon Kennedy, Lucia Simek, and Terri Thornton reflected on the legacy and impact of the former Dallas gallery, The Reading Room.2:00 pm – Printmaking Workshop with Scout Ryman
Artist Scout Ryman conducted a block-printing workshop featuring their unique stamps and designs.2:30 pm – Performance by Ceci Ceci
Nicaragua-born musician and songwriter Ceci Ceci performed original songs inspired by her hometown and her queer identity.4:00 pm – Poetry Karaoke Hosted by Riley Rennhack
Riley Rennhack of Deep Vellum hosted a rapid-fire poetry reading session where audience members participated in live poetry performances. -
00ps B00ks, Corsicana Artist & Writer Residency, A24, Atopia Projects, Alliance Française de Dallas, BLUM, Colored Noise, Conduit Gallery, Dallas Contemporary, Dallas Public Library, Deep Vellum, Free Museum of Dallas Press, French & Michigan, Kansas City Art Institute Graphic Design & Friends, Make Art with Purpose, Nonplussed Media, The Power Station, Subjectively Objective, The Invisible Archive, The Wild Detectives, Adam George Art, Beanpolice, Bestu Friendo Co., Black Ego, Brent Ozaeta, Carlos Donjuan, Caroline Philippone, Chelsea Akpan, Chris Green, Colleen Colette, Cook Book/Look Book Calendar Project, Creative Baddies, Cryptic Device, Cynta Camilia/J4lly, Dallas Asian American Art Club, Dallas Contemporary Staff, Demir Candas & Jack Diller, Devin Selby, Dimsouls, Done The Magazine, Doodler-Doodles, Dwayne Carter, Eucalyptusseason, Ghostgrl Studio, Gren Bee, Ian Wortham & Chi Leong, K.Co Press, Kia Murray, Kid Ray B, Labsynthe, Logan Larsen, London Loftice Art, Lostinbadbooks, Michaela Made, Moriah The Artist, Mottemera, Olivia Harris, Our Quiet Work, Panocha Zine, Picnic Surf Shapes, Pipianshop, Play Nice Press, Plinth Books, Protean Magazine, S. Rodriguez, Scout Ryman, SM Sanz, Soft Spots Press, Steven Visneau Photography, Strange Powers Press, T.C. Oliver, Temple Monkey Editions, The Cauldron Press, UTD, Zine Map.
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Food + Bev; Xamán Café, Gelato La Boca, Tacos La Gloria, LALO Tequila, Greenhouse Gin, Townes Vodka, and Topo Chico.
Special thanks; Sally Warren, Kim Dawson Agency Inc., Paige Kuchler, Janelle & Alden Pinnell, David Droese, Shop SWOON, Soft Spots Riso, JJ Ermonsele.
Shots from DABF 2024 by Exploredinary