Art book publishing: minority interest, popular entertainment, or kudos?

Abstract

Due to a number of factors, including lower educational standards and the pressures on publishers and booksellers to maximise profits by exploiting the mass market, the climate for publishing serious art books has become less favourable in recent years especially so far as commercial publishers are concerned. Art books are being published in greater numbers than ever before; many are of a popular and/or general nature; many too are produced specifically for the remainder market; yet these include some worthwhile books which are reaching a wide audience. The revolution in printing technology since the 1960s has facilitated large-scale mass production, but at the same time offers benefits to publishing of all kinds. While university presses are able to perform a crucial role in publishing scholarly works, there remains a need for commercial publishers to continue to publish quality art books which are accessible to the public.