Portland has long been a haven for independent artists, writers, and publishers, yet the city has lacked a large-scale event focused specifically on art books and small press work. Willamette University’s Pacific Northwest College of Art was the perfect organizer for the city’s first annual Small Press & Art Book Fair, an event that offered a space of collaboration and connection for publishers, community members, and PNCA students working in print and book arts.
More than 1,000 attendees joined more than 40 exhibitors for two days of making, browsing, and community-building. Hosted and created by PNCA’s Center for Contemporary Art & Culture, the fair featured public programming including artist talks, panels, and workshops, including a lecture and zine workshop by celebrated visual artist, photographer, and publisher Martha Naranjo Sandoval.
The fair’s goal was to give artists and small presses a venue to share and sell work while spotlighting art books and small presses — art forms occupying the vital ground between zines and traditional publishing. With few large-scale events dedicated to art books and independent publishing in Portland, the fair foregrounded risograph and small-batch print publications, while fostering connections among students, artists, professionals, and the public.
“Zine culture and small-press publishing are rooted in connection — bringing people together through creativity, conversation, and shared curiosity,” said Meghann Gilligan, Director of Public Programming at PNCA’s Center for Contemporary Art & Culture, who organized the fair along with Emma Wiseman, PNCA Public Programs & Events Coordinator. “The Small Press & Art Book Fair at PNCA celebrates community built through making, learning, and exchange, highlighting independent publishing and artistic creation as powerful tools for collaboration and shared expression beyond traditional platforms.”
The Small Press & Art Book Fair is one of the dozens of free public events PNCA presents each year through its Center for Contemporary Art & Culture. From exhibitions, artists residences, and visiting artist lectures, these programs provide vibrancy to the Portland arts community, while creating spaces for experiential learning, exposure, and community engagement for PNCA’s students.
