A four-week course that aims to demystify the world of artist publishing.

Publishing is a timeless method used by artists to share their practice. In an ever-shifting landscape, how does one work towards being published or self-publishing as well as collaborative publishing ventures? This course aims to demystify the artist publishing world by addressing key topics such as finances and sharing guidance based on first-hand experience from Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck about being published by international imprints and running an artist imprint for a decade.

This course is suitable for new to established artists or writers interested in publishing their work or learning about self-publishing, particularly for those with a visual arts practice, and welcomes those from other art practices, including writing. Participants will learn how to prepare their practice and body of work towards publication and gain skills, confidence and an appreciation for the patience and playfulness this process requires.

Modules The Artist Images

Modules

Part A :
-Welcome and introduction to the history and context of artist publishing, setting a framework for the course.
-Introduction about Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck’s practice.
-Introduction to the course and its aim – including an overview of what participants will learn in
the following modules.

Part B:
– Keys to self-publishing I: Planning – Understanding the different types of publications (e.g., zines, art books).
– Group introductions and aims (Prompt: Share your practice, your goals for the course, and your current thoughts on publishing).

Part A:
– How to make yourself ‘publish-ready’
– Budget
– Keys to self-publishing: Printers: Selection, understanding paper types, and print runs
– Collaborating
– Basics understanding of the role of a distributor

Part B:
– How to get published by an (established or indie) publisher?
– How do you refine your pitch and portfolio for submission?
– How to approach galleries, publishers, and institutions.
– Contracts and essential legal considerations.

Part A – I:
– Precision on the role and benefits of having a distributor
– Riso Printing
– A list of Printers

Part A – II:
– A list of publishers with a focus on zine.
– Recommendations for inspiration.
– London – to visit / to do.

Part B:
– A 45-minute bookbinding session.

Part A – I:
– Financing: Crowdfunding, self-funding, or working with collaborators to raise money.
– Marketing: How to market a self-published book (not in-depth due to time constraints.

Part A – II:
– How to take part in Indie Book Fairs?
– Larger print run: Lithography also known as offset printing.

Part B:
– Final Q&A — wrap up with a reflective session. Prompts: What are your next steps after the course? How do you envision applying what you learned in your practice.

The Artist

Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck (b. 1990, France) is a transdisciplinary artist based in rural Oxfordshire. Her practice, rooted in ecological awareness, spans painting, sculpture, photography, publishing, horticulture, and participatory projects.

Johanna founded the independent, artist-led imprint Poetic Pastel Press in 2015, perhaps best known for its printed publication series Journal du Thé: Contemporary Tea Culture, which she co-founded in 2018. The deep ecology movement influences the imprint, with works printed in England using vegetable-based inks and distributed in over thirty countries. Poetic Pastel Press has participated in notable international book fairs, including Offprint in London and the Tokyo Art Book Fair. Johanna has also led and participated in talks on artists in publishing at venues such as BOAN Books in Seoul.

International imprints, including InOtherWords (UK), Chose Commune (FR), Nieves (CH), Hat Press (UK), Jane & Jeremy (UK), Editions Ulmer (FR), Ao-hata (JP), and Tombolo Presses (FR), have released publications on her practice. Her latest photography book, Please Take Your Shoes Off and Come In, has been edited and published by Pon Ding (TW).

Johanna’s work expresses care and tenderness, reflecting on the fragility and beauty of life. Recent solo exhibitions include Dreaming About Tomorrow at Nidi Gallery, Tokyo (2022). Group exhibitions include Soil at Somerset House, London (2025), The Equal Right to Live and Blossom at Kate MacGarry, London (2024), One Foot in the Sky at Contemporary Sculpture Fulmer, UK (2023), and Edge Effects at Whitechapel Gallery, London (2024).

In addition, Johanna founded the collaborative initiative The Gardening Drawing Club. She has organised and facilitated workshops and learning programs for adults and children at multiple British art institutions, including Camden Art Centre.