Action/Interaction: Book/Arts Conference 2007

June 8 - 10, 2007
Chicago, IL

An opportunity to raise the level of critical discourse among students and practioners in the book arts field; to examine what we do as artists and why and how the field is evolving. The conference events will be fully documented in the Fall issue of JAB: The Journal of Artists' Books

A program of lectures and participatory guided discussions crafted to stimulate active participation among conference attendees
A juried exhibition surveying contemporary work from centers of book arts around the country
A book fair in which students, artists, publishers, and vendors can showcase and sell current work

On Saturday night conference attendees are invited to share their work through readings, performance, or other interactive displays of book arts led off first by a perfomance by Marshall Weber of Booklyn. [Let us know if you have something you'd like to share and if it requires special equipment.]

The conference will take place in the historic Ludington Building, home to the Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Art in the heart of Chicago's South Loop. It is scheduled to coincide with the annual Printer's Row Book Fair, the midwest's largest free outdoor literary event ocurring in the nearby Printer's Row neighborhood.

Call for Discussion Session Proposals:

The call for proposals is closed.
The goal of the Guided Discussion Sessions is to provide conference attendees a chance to actively participate in conversations that reveal the many different perspectives in the book arts and help shape the discourse of the field. We encourage proposers to define book arts broadly and consider related fields such as poetry, installation, performance, experimental literature, etc.

Proposals should briefly outline a discussion topic which is likely to elicit lively conversation with multiple points of view. The proposer should be prepared to lead the discussion session by preparing a 5-10 minute contextualizing presentation of the issue; keeping watch on the time; appointing a secretary to take notes; and facilitating discussion by asking questions and prompting participation. After the conference, the discussion leader will be responsible for writing a summary of the session for publication in issue 22 of JAB: The Journal of Artists Books. Discussion leaders will receive a $150 honorarium.

Proposals are due March 1st and should be sent to what.garden@gmail.com with a subject line of Conference 2007 Discussion Proposal. Proposals need be no more than one page and should outline the topic, its relevance to the book arts community, and its potential for sparking an engaging exchange. We especially encourage proposals from students and new practitioners in the field.

The Conference Program Committee will review all proposals and send notification by March 30th.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.