Australian Small Art Press Collection

Small Art Press

This initiative will establish a unique home for Australian small press art publications—offering public access to a rich and diverse range of voices shaping contemporary visual culture. The collection will include past and present titles published by Power Publications, alongside works from emerging and established small publishers across the country.

Championing Local Art Press: A New Collection at Schaeffer Fine Arts Library

Schaeffer Fine Arts Library is proud to announce a new initiative, in collaboration with the Digital Publication wing of the Power Institute, to support Australia’s small art press and independent publishing community. In alignment with the Power Institute’s mission “to promote and diffuse the most contemporary ideas in the visual arts” (Strategic Plan 2020–25), the library will soon launch a dedicated space to collect, showcase, and celebrate the work of local and independent art publishers. 

Sydney is currently underserved in this area, with no central location where small press art publications can be browsed and studied. In contrast, Melbourne boasts a number of active venues, including World Food Books, Perimeter Books, and the Melbourne Art Library. Schaeffer Library’s new initiate will address this gap, becoming the only dedicated small art press collection in Sydney.

Going beyond the collection of printed works, the program will also serve as a platform for events such as zine fests, indie publishing fairs, readings, and book launches—nurturing a vibrant exchange between artists, writers, students, and the wider community.

As part of this initiative, Schaeffer Library will:

  • Develop a dedicated collection policy for Australian small art press publications, including an annual acquisitions budget.
  • Establish a “Small Art Press display” within the library to house the collection.

This program will not only enrich the University’s resources for art and design research but also position Schaeffer Library as a vital link in the ecosystem of independent publishing in Australia—supporting experimentation, critical dialogue, and creative practice.

Stay tuned for updates as we bring this exciting new collection to life.