Printed Matter, Inc.
  • Chelsea

  • 231 11th Ave, NYC

  • Open tmrw at 11 am
  • St Marks

  • 38 St Marks Pl, NYC

  • Open tmrw at 11 am

    • Submit your Book

    At the heart of Printed Matter’s non-profit distribution services is a longstanding open submission policy which welcomes artists and publishers worldwide to submit their publications to be considered for sale by Printed Matter. It’s incredibly exciting for us to see the diverse and innovative contemporary artists’ books being published, and to make them available to the widest audience possible. We hope you will consider submitting your publications!

    If you have an artists’ publication that you would like to have considered for the store, please send us a single copy of the publication along with a completed copy of our Title For Review Form. This form is necessary for processing submissions. If it is not included, your submission will not be considered.

    No additional supporting materials are necessary, but feel free to provide relevant information along with the book if you like.

    Submissions can be dropped off in the store, or mailed to:

    Attn: Submissions
    Printed Matter
    231 11th Avenue
    New York, NY 10001

    Please Note: Printed Matter does not offer pick-up or return service for submissions. In the event that your book is not accepted it will be donated to the SVA Library or the Austin Public Library for consideration. Zine submissions will be donated to The University of Texas at Austin or Books Through Bars.

    Artists’ books accepted for distribution will be made available for purchase through our two nonprofit bookstores, our online catalog and other platforms such as art fairs and art books fairs. Please be aware when submitting your book that collecting institutions, such as museum and university libraries, source works from Printed Matter in developing their collections both for public access and archival purposes. In support of artist and publisher agency in regards to institutional representation, we ask our institutional clients to reach out directly to artists and publishers for permission if publicly exhibiting or presenting works outside of a library context.

    Before submitting your book, please take a moment to read the following FAQ regarding the types of publications we’re able to consider, our consignment policy, and other important information about the submission process.

    Current Open Calls

    Printed Matter is currently soliciting artists’ books, zines, and print ephemera that engage with ideas of decolonization, resistance, and interconnected solidarity. For more information, click here.

    We also continue to host an open call for pdfs of anti-racist posters, pamphlets, signs, flyers, organizing material, handouts and zines that provide information about the fight for racial equality and the movement to protect black lives. For more information, click here.

    Stacksofbooks
    “book”, Nemo Librizzi (2017)

    What type of publications can I submit?

    Broadly speaking, Printed Matter is interested in publications that have been conceived as artworks in their own right. We are looking for artists’ publications that are democratically available, inexpensive and produced in large or open editions rather than limited editions or unique books. While the majority of our inventory is made up of artists’ books, we also consider some other related material including artists’ writings, artists’ magazines, flip books, audio works, DVDs, and computer works.

    What types of publications are not considered?

    Conventional catalogs of artworks, traditional artists’ monograph, fiction, non-fiction, literary magazines, chapbooks and works of illustrated poetry typically fall outside our scope. While we carry a small selection of multiples, prints and posters, we are unfortunately not able to consider this material through the submission process due to limited space at the shop.

    Do I need to submit a physical copy of my book?

    We do ask to see a physical copy of the book in its completed form as the production and execution of the book are important aspects that are taken into account during the review. For this reason we are unfortunately not able to consider books in progress, galleys, mock-ups or PDFs.

    How are books selected?

    Books distributed through Printed Matter are selected by a committee made up of staff. Books that are in line with Printed Matter’s mission and function as artists’ projects are considered with regards to the overall realization of the book project. We try to balance our selection to take into account the diversity of publications in the field as well as what else is currently in stock.

    How long should I expect to wait before hearing?

    We receive a very large number of submissions and while we do our best to review all material in a timely manner, it typically takes around a month to hear from us. Around our book fairs and holidays the response time can be longer. We kindly ask for your patience.

    What happens if my book is accepted?

    If your work is accepted, you will be contacted by email with a link to our online consignment contract and initial order quantity. Publications may be sent by mail or dropped off in store. We advise that you save a copy for your records, as we are no longer able to return a countersigned contract.

    What happens if my book is not accepted?

    We regret that we cannot carry every title submitted to us due to very limited retail space. In the event your book is not accepted please understand this is not necessarily due to the merit of the publication, as we frequently receive interesting books that fall outside of our scope or are over-represented at the time.

    In the event that your book is not accepted it will be donated to The University of Texas at Austin or Books Through Bars.

    Printed Matter does not offer pick-up or return service for submissions.

    What are the conditions for selling my book?

    As a non-profit organization, Printed Matter typically works on a consignment basis for books sold through the store, as purchasing all books outright would be cost-prohibitive and greatly limit what we are able to stock. Consigners set the retail price of their publication and receive 50% of the retail price upon sale of the publication. If your book is accepted you will fill out a consignment contract which outlines our terms in full detail.

    What happens to the review copy I submitted?

    Single copies submitted for review act as an in-store reading or display copy and are not considered part of the inventory consigned to Printed Matter. In the event they are sold, you will be paid 50% per our usual consignment terms. If they are damaged through handling to the point they are not sellable, Printed Matter is not accountable for compensation.

    How do I get paid for books sold?

    We endeavor to make payments to suppliers quarterly, for sales due through March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st for amounts owed over $25. Any amount under $25 will be carried forward to the next six-month payment period. A report of sales will be provided upon payment.

    With close to 3,000 active supplier accounts we are unable to pay all suppliers every quarter. Please e-mail our Finance Director if you haven’t received payment or would like to check your balance due. Please also e-mail our Finance Director if you need to update your address, e-mail, or payment information.

    Printed Matter pays by check for domestic suppliers, and via Paypal for international suppliers. We are not able to pay cash.

    How do I restock my publication?

    We do our best to keep on top of restocking publications, but it is difficult for us to monitor everything that sells in the store. Due to limited space, we are not able to restock everything that we have previously carried, as it is important that we allow for new publications to have a presence. If you do notice that your title is out of stock, please feel free to reach out and inquire about restocking at craig@printedmatter.org.

    Do I pay for postage?

    Due to the volume of books handled by Printed Matter, we can not be made responsible for any shipping costs incurred in delivering material to us. Books may also be dropped off in store.

    Will Printed Matter wholesale my book to other bookstores?

    Printed Matter offers a default 20% wholesale discount to bookstores on all consigned stock. In the event that your publication is purchased by a wholesale customer, you would still get your usual 50% of the sale. As the supplier, we also give you the option to offer a 30% wholesale discount on your publication, in which case you would get 40% of the sale. The higher wholesale discount is offered as part of our mission to distribute your publication to as wide an audience as possible, but it is entirely optional. If you would like to offer a 30% wholesale discount on your publication, and take a smaller margin on sales to booksellers, please indicate so on your consignment contract.

    How do I consign or sell a rare and collectible book?

    If you have rare or collectible books that you would like to consign via Printed Matter, please email Craig Mathis. We’re particularly interested in classic books from the 60s and 70s, but happy to discuss all kinds.

    Who do I contact if I have any other questions?

    Please write to craig@printedmatter.org with any questions you have concerning book submissions or you may call the store at 212 925 0325.
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