The MA in Visual Art Practices - IADT and Temple Bar Gallery & Studios presents a one day symposium on art publishing on 16th April in Studio 6. Five speakers involved in independent publishing will respond to the question "Why publish?' through a discussion about publishing's role in art practice.

In the text Put About: A Critical Anthology On Independent Publishing (Book Works 2004), editor Maria Fusco posed the question "Why publish?" to fourteen parties involved in the production and distribution of printed matter. The varying responses collectively address social, spatial, political and economic issues that affect the will to publish. The day-long seminar in at Temple Bar Gallery & Studios will develop the themes raised in Put About and an accompanying symposium held at the Tate Modern 27 November 2004. Speakers are invited to respond to the question as a means to delve deeper into independent publishing as an alternative site of dissemination, experimentation, communication, and/or representation.

Invited speakers
Maria Fusco is a Belfast-born writer and lecturer, based in London. She is a regular contributor to international visual culture magazines including: Art Monthly, Circa, Dot Dot Dot, Flash Art, frieze, i-D, 032c and Tema Celeste. In 2004, she edited the books, 'Put About: A Critical Anthology on Independent Publishing' and 'Wonderful: Visions of the Near Future'.

Sarah Pierce is based in Dublin where she organizes The Metropolitan Complex, a practice embedded in local discourses. Recent projects include Archivo Paralelo, Bilbao, the Paraeducation Department, Rotterdam, St. Pappins Ladies Club 1966-2003, Dublin, and Affinity Archive, Dublin, a.o. She regularly publishes The Metropolitan Complex Papers, as well as low-key once-off publications for various projects. Pierce is Research Associate in Forms of Curating and Documentation at the University of Ulster and is one of seven artists representing Ireland in the 51st Venice Biennale.

Atelier/David Smith. Atelier, the studio space of David Smith was established in February 2000. The studio facilitates both commercial work, design writing and research. David Smith is a graduate of L'Atelier National de Recherche Typographique (Paris) a post graduate facility which specialises in typography and typographic design. David has worked as a designer in Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam - where he worked with UNA (Amsterdam) designers. Working principally in the Public and Cultural sector Atelier has experience in many aspects of communications design - Editorial, Book, Catalogue, Visual Identity design.

Richard West is a writer, editor and some time designer. He co-edits The Vacuum with Stephen Hackett and Source magazine with John Duncan. The Vacuum is a free monthly paper published in Belfast and dealing with themed cultural issues, Source is a national photography magazine. He is interested in pirates and would like to go to Madagascar.

Claire O'Leary has been involved in the book trade for 15 years, with the Photographers Gallery, the ICA, and recently Tate Publishing, specialising in fine art, architecture, design, & contemporary critical culture. In 2000 she was appointed to the task of sourcing and stocking the books for the shops of Tate Modern and Tate Britain. O'Leary also lectures on catalogue and book production for artists at the University of the South Bank and Goldsmiths' College London.

The 'Why publish?' symposium is free. Confirmation of acceptance of this invitation is essential, as places are very limited. Please contact claire@templebargallery.com or tel. Claire power at 01 671 0073.

Temple Bar Gallery & Studios in collaboration with MA in Visual Art Practices - IADT