About TABOR (Easy English)
TABOR is a one‑year online programme for eight book artists. The group meets once a week to learn from each other and from invited experts. It is a friendly, supportive space to grow your skills and make new work.
What is a book artist?
A book artist is an artist who makes books as their art form. The book itself is the artwork. It usually has some kind of content and does not have to look like a book you’d buy from a book shop. Book art can be made from folded paper, card structures, boxes with items inside, or sculptural forms that relate to books.
Book art is not the same as book illustration. A book artist does not make pictures for a book. An artist book can have only text, only images, or both (and in very rare cases it may be blank). What matters is that the artist’s message and the physical book belong together. They are not two separate things. The book does not just hold the art — the book and the message are one artwork.
If you would like to see some examples, and maybe find inspiration to get started, we recommend you take a look at https://www.accessart.org.uk/book-art/
Why can apply to join TABOR?
TABOR is open to book artists who live in the UK.
You can be a beginner. We ask that you have made at least two pieces of book art. If you are unsure whether your work counts as book art, you are welcome to contact us and talk it through.
How to apply for TABOR?
Applications are made through CuratorSpace.
You will need to create a free CuratorSpace account and submit the form there.
If filling in long forms is difficult for you, we can support you. We can complete the form with you, or we can enter basic information on your behalf and receive the main details in another format. CuratorSpace still needs a form with your name on it, because they require us to send all decisions through their messaging system.
What will happen during the residency year?
The group meets weekly during the first half of 2027. Each artist presents their work and receives feedback. Together, the group decides what they want to learn next and teaches each other skills.
Between April and July, there will be several expert talks. TABOR artists are expected to attend these sessions.
There is a summer break from weekly meetings.
By the end of September, every artist should have made at least one artist book on the theme Salt. The books from all the artists will be shown in our final group exhibition.
The final months of the year are for preparing and promoting the joint group exhibition. Each artist also completes one Outreach Activity. This is something that shares book art with people outside the residency, such as an online workshop or a public talk.
If you have any other questions, please contact the TABOR team through our contact page.