Printed Matter is thrilled to announce the next LA Art Book Fair, taking place at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena from May 7–10, 2026.

Exhibitor applications are now open through Monday, January 5 at 11:59 PM EST.

Initiated in 2013, the LA Art Book Fair is a celebration and international gathering for artists’ book publishers to distribute their work, connect with broad audiences, and nurture new and longstanding relationships. LAABF 2026 returns to ArtCenter with a shared commitment to the educational possibilities of this community event. Signature programs such as the discussion series, The Classroom, and music programming on The Stage, will be accompanied by recent programmatic features like the Reading Room and expanded presentations of books, prints, and ephemera in our Project Spaces. 

LAABF is book focused. When filling out the exhibitor application, please be specific and illustrate how the proposed table or project space will feature artists' books, catalogs, monographs, periodicals, zines, or related printed material. Applicants are required to submit images or videos of recent publication projects, as well as in-person displays and/or presentations. Exhibitors should not foreground prints, limited multiples, apparel, or original artwork. 

The mission of Printed Matter’s Art Book Fairs is to represent the breadth of the field by platforming established publishers alongside emerging artists, collectives, and organizations. Applicants are encouraged to emphasize new work and/or inventory and share generous responses about their interest in participating, including proposals for programs and public engagement. In reviewing applications, we will consider a variety of factors in order to expand representation, with a focus on diversity of publications, geography, scale of publishing operations, and the welcoming of first-time exhibitors. 

We recognize that these Fairs are a vital platform, and we anticipate receiving far more applications of merit than we will be able to accept. Our foremost goals are to continue to create opportunities for artists’ book publishers through visibility and distribution, to encourage conversation and exchange, and to nurture new and long-standing relationships.

Due to the high volume of submissions, exhibitors will be notified on a rolling basis regarding the status of their application. We anticipate that we will begin confirming placement in February. Pricing for participation is tiered. 

Notification of your application result will be sent via Submittable. Please double check your Submittable account settings so that you receive an e-mail notification for this communication. 

For more info about eligibility and criteria, please refer to our FAQ. Additional questions can be sent to fairinfo@printedmatter.org.

We look forward to reviewing your application! 

pmabf.org