About
Mission & History
Center for Book Arts promotes active explorations of artistic practices related to the book as an art object.
Founded in 1974, Center for Book Arts (CBA) is the oldest non profit dedicated to uplifting and furthering the book arts & book art through education, preservation, exhibition, generation, and community building.
The book arts and book art inherently democratize the powerful media of the book by empowering people to harness the format independent from the exclusive industry of commercial publishing.
Read CBA’s DEAI Statement
In solidarity with Black lives and in our efforts toward utilizing the book arts as a tool toward liberation, the Board and Staff of Center for Book Arts are committed to anti-racism and actively work against violence in all its guises.
A major goal of our programs, both in-person and online, is to encourage and nurture the many perspectives, experiences, and processes that artists bring to the space. We strive to cultivate a myriad of practices within the book arts, tying in our varied and collective histories outside of the dominant canon.
The organization opposes discrimination due to race, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and age. We affirm our dedication to values that ensure transparency and equity for all our staff, students, faculty, and the greater book arts community.
Programming
CBA’s multifaceted in-person and online offerings include:
Workshops
CBA’s talented Artist Instructors, many of whom have been working with us for decades, teach a wide variety of book arts workshops with options available in-person as well as online. View upcoming workshops…
Collections
You can access our rich collections of artist’s books, books on book arts, and other rare items—many of which are not publicly available anywhere else in the world—online or in person (by appointment or drop-in). Make an appointment to view the collections in person by emailing collections@centerforbookarts.org.
Exhibitions
Our dynamic exhibition calendar brings over ten unique curatorial presentations exploring the art of the book to CBA’s galleries each year. On view now…
Events
From artist talks to poetry readings to community gatherings, CBA offers exciting ways to engage with the book arts through live programs that take place either in-person or online. Check out our events calendar…
Opportunities
CBA offers many opportunities for emerging artists, writers, scholars, students, and professionals to engage with the book arts including our Book Artist-in-Residence program, Annual Chapbook Competition, Book Art Research Fellowship, internship program, volunteerism, and more. See opportunities…
Studios & Equipment
CBA’s well-equipped bindery and printshop studios feature 300 type specimens, vandercooks, a 19th century Washington hand press, several platen presses, a 36” guillotine paper cutter, board shears, varieties of presses including hot stamping presses, hand tools, and more. Studio rentals are available. Request a studio orientation by emailing studio@centerforbookarts.org.
Membership
Those looking for deeper engagement with the book arts and our community are invited to join our membership program. Learn more…
In an effort to ensure our programming remains accessible to all who wish to engage, many of our programmatic offerings have pay-what-you-can pricing or need-based financial aid available.
Hours & Admission
Admission to CBA is free with a suggested donation.
CBA is open Monday through Friday from 11am–6pm and Friday and Saturday from 11am–5pm
We are closed on Sundays as well as on certain holidays and during our exhibition turnover periods
Closed on Jan 3, 2022
Closed on MLK Day Jan 17, 2022
Closed on May 17 & 18, 2022
Closed Memorial Day May 28 – 30, 2022
Closed for Juneteenth Jun 20, 2022
Closed on Independence Day Jul 4, 2022
Closed for Labor Day Weekend Sep 3 – 5, 2022
Closed on Indigenous People’s Day Oct 10, 2022
Closed on Veteran’s Day Nov 11, 2022
Closed on Thanksgiving Nov 24, 2022
Closed for Winter Holiday Dec 25 – 31
Covid 19 Healthy & Safety
All visitors are required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination upon arrival and wear a mask covering their nose and mouth at all times while on-site. If you do not have a mask when you arrive, one will be provided for you.
If you have a medical or religious exemption to the vaccine, please contact CBA Executive Director Corina Reynolds in advance of your visit.
Directions
CBA is located in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood at 28 W 27th Street, 3rd Floor between 7th Avenue and Broadway.
Getting Here by Train
Getting Here by Bus
Parking Nearby
- 29 West 28th Street, between Broadway and 6th Avenue
(Enter on 28th Street or Broadway) - 6th Avenue between 29th and 30th Streets
- 101 West 23rd Street, near 6th Avenue
- 1251 Broadway, near 31st Street
- 39 West 23rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues
Please note: street parking in Manhattan is VERY limited and restrictions prevent the general public from using street parking on weekdays from 6am-7pm in our neighborhood.
Accessibility
Center for Book Arts welcomes all and makes every attempt to accommodate our community’s access needs.
CBA’s building has an elevator, with a backup freight elevator, both accessible from street level.
Our galleries and studio space are wheelchair accessible with an ADA-compliant bathroom. The space is regularly cleaned and sanitized.
Large type programs are available on request. Please call ahead if you have questions or needs.
Contact Us
Center for Book Arts
28 West 27th Street, 3rd Fl
New York, New York 10001
(212) 481-0295
Staff
Corina Reynolds
Executive Director
Elsbeth Pancrazi
Director of Development
Caroline Wood
Educational Programs Manager
Camilo Otero
Artist Programs Manager
Gillian Lee
Librarian
Elizabeth Castaldo
Studio Coordinator
Allison Carter-Beaulé
Administrative Assistant
Zoe Katz
Outreach Assistant
Erika Hendrix
Archives Intern
Natasha Lane
Editorial Intern, Book Art Review
Volunteers
Matthew Murphy, Volunteer Print Specialist
Malik Kirkwood, Exhibitions Volunteer
Studio Stewards
Biruta Auna, Delphi Basilicato, Elizabeth Castaldo, Keith Graham, Roni Gross, Barbara Henry, MC Hyland, Nancy Loeber, Amber McMillan Braverman, Richard O’Russa
Senior Publications Advisor
Cornelia Lauf
Founder
Board of Directors
Stephen Bury, Chair
Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian, Frick Art Reference Library
Gail Coleman, Treasurer
Managing Director and CFO, J. Fitzgibbons LLC
Sheila Brathwaite
Director of Global Event & Marketing Operations, S&P Global
Roberta Brody
Professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens College
Maria Fredericks
Sherman Fairchild Head of Conservation
Thaw Conservation Center, The Morgan Library & Museum
Tom L. Freudenheim
Museum Professional and Art Critic
Neal Grenley, Secretary
White & Case LLP
Milan Hughston
Museum Professional, Retired
Paul John
Artist, Educator, and Founder of Endless Editions
Nancy Macomber
Head of Library Technical Services; Associate Professor, CUNY, Retired
Miriam Schaer
Artist and Educator
Asher Schlusselberg, Vice Chair
Associate, The Plymouth Group
Szilvia Szmuk-Tanenbaum
Special Collections Librarian and Faculty, St. John’s University, Retired
International Council
Thorsten Baensch (Brussels, Belgium); Sarah Bodman (Bristol, United Kingdom); David Dibosa (London, United Kingdom); Peter Foolen (Eindhoven, Netherlands); Jack Ginsberg (Johannesburg, South Africa); Angela Lorenz (Bologna, Italy); Susanne Padberg (Vienna, Austria); Priya Pereira (Mumbai, India); Sharmini Pereira (Colombo, Sri Lanka); Melanie Scarciglia (Paris, France); Renée Ting (Singapore)
Press Clips
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Media Contact
Sara Morgan
Communications Manager
sara@centerforbookarts.org