[category]
[title]
Art books and independent publications have always been more than just paper and ink. They're meeting grounds, conversation starters, communities built on shared curiosity. For three days this December, the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) is where ideas collide and creators find their people.
The Bangkok Art Book Fair is back for its seventh edition, running from December 5-7 at BACC. This year's theme is the heartwarming ‘You Can Sit With Us’ – an invitation that makes everyone feel like coming home. It's saying what the fair has always quietly believed: whoever you are, wherever you're from, whatever sparked your interest, art books and independent publications are ready to welcome you in.
Since launching in 2017, BKKABF has carved out a reputation as the kind of platform that doesn't just showcase work – it reignites something in the people who make it. Each year brings a different theme, but the throughline remains: creativity doesn't exist in a vacuum. It responds to the world around it, reflects it back, sometimes challenges it entirely.
What makes the fair particularly compelling is watching it grow beyond its original borders. Independent publishers and creators from across Asia and further afield arrive with work you won't find anywhere else. It's cultural exchange at its most tangible, the kind where you can actually flip through someone's labour of love and ask them about it.
This year brings four main programmes, three of which are entirely new. The Symposium marks a fresh addition, and honestly, each section deserves your attention.
- Exhibitor fair
Presenting 126 art book makers and publishers from 25 countries. Meet familiar faces and new contributors from Thailand, Asia and worldwide.
- Showcase
Three installations in public areas show publications from selected international contributors to expand the conversation about what art books and independent publications can be.
- Open ground
Series of 25 activities initiated by our exhibitors – featuring mini talks, book launches, reading groups and workshops open to the public.
- Symposium
Two discussions with experts, artists and designers focusing on current movements, challenges and practices in the world of publishing.
That sure sounds like a hell of a lot of brilliant books and brilliant conversations to be had. The full schedule drops soon, so keep an eye on the Bangkok Art Book Fair page and Instagram, or check bangkokartbookfair.info for all the details. As always, mark December 5-7 in the diary and watch this space!