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| Nobrow Press | |
|---|---|
| Name | Nobrow Press |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founders | Sam Arthur; Adam Freeland |
| Country | United Kingdom; United States |
| Headquarters | London; New York |
| Publications | Graphic novels; art books; comics; children's books |
| Imprints | Flying Eye Books; Nobrow |
Nobrow Press Nobrow Press is an independent publishing house specializing in illustrated books, graphic novels, and art-led titles. Founded in 2008, the company operates from London and New York City and has become known for a distinctive aesthetic that bridges contemporary art and independent comics. Nobrow collaborates with a wide range of creators and institutions, positioning itself at intersections with design festivals, art biennials, and independent book fairs.
Nobrow was founded in 2008 by Sam Arthur and Adam Freeland amid renewed interest in illustrated media sparked by movements around alternative comics, the rise of graphic novels as mainstream cultural artifacts, and cross-disciplinary exchanges with contemporary art institutions. Early projects aligned Nobrow with networks around small press scenes in London, Brooklyn, and Paris, drawing attention at events such as the Small Press Expo, the SPX Book Fair, and the Angoulême International Comics Festival. Collaborations and exhibitions connected the press to curators associated with institutions including the Tate Modern, British Library, and regional galleries in Manchester and Glasgow. Growth followed the launch of the Flying Eye Books imprint and partnerships that extended distribution into markets in United States, France, Germany, and Japan.
Nobrow's catalog includes hardcover art books, graphic novels, and illustrated children's titles across imprints such as Flying Eye Books. The list features projects in dialogue with practitioners known from contemporary art shows, graphic novelists from the alternative comics tradition, and illustrators who exhibit at the Venice Biennale and the Documenta exhibition. Formats often reflect influences from collectible editions produced by small presses that appear at the Frankfurt Book Fair and specialty shops in Soho and Williamsburg. The press has issued themed anthologies, serialized comics, and artist monographs that echo the design sensibilities of publications promoted at the Design Museum and the Cooper Hewitt.
Nobrow has published work by creators who cross over between illustration and fine art circuits, including authors connected to galleries represented in Chelsea, Manhattan and illustrators who have participated in events like the Illustrators' Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Contributors include graphic novelists with ties to movements represented at the Angoulême International Comics Festival and visual artists whose work appears in collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. The press has worked with collaborators who have engaged in residencies at institutions such as Yale School of Art, Royal College of Art, and Pratt Institute, and with writers whose texts have been discussed in contexts alongside authors featured at the Hay Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and the Brooklyn Book Festival.
Nobrow emphasizes integrated editorial direction and design, reflecting approaches championed by designers whose work has been shown at the Cooper Hewitt, cited in exhibitions associated with MoMA PS1, and discussed in publications tied to the AIGA community. The press foregrounds materiality—paper choices, binding, print processes—mirroring craft values seen in limited editions from presses appearing at the Paris Book Fair and specialist publishers celebrated by curators at the Design Weekend events. Editorial choices often prioritize creator control and visual coherence, aligning the publisher with other boutique houses that collaborate with illustrators and art directors active in Los Angeles, Berlin, and Tokyo.
Nobrow distributes through independent and academic channels, stocking outlets in cultural neighborhoods like Shoreditch and Greenwich Village and partnering with distributors attending the London Book Fair and the BookExpo in New York City. Its books reach museum shops at institutions such as the Tate Modern and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and are carried by specialty bookstores in Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. The press participates in international markets and fairs that include the Frankfurt Book Fair, ensuring placement in lists compiled by critics who write for outlets affiliated with festivals like the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Titles from Nobrow and Flying Eye Books have been shortlisted for prizes presented at major festivals and institutions, earning attention from juries associated with the Angoulême International Comics Festival, the British Book Awards, and children's literature committees linked to the Kirkus Prize and the Carnegie Medal. Designers and contributors have been recognized by organizations such as the Design Museum and received nominations in competitions promoted by the Society of Illustrators and the Royal Society of Arts.
Criticism directed at the press has included debates over commercialization of indie aesthetics, disputes about print runs and rights that echo broader discussions within independent publishing communities active at the Small Press Expo and the Independent Publisher Book Award. Occasionally creators and commentators from forums tied to the comic arts scene and the illustration community have questioned pricing strategies and editorial decisions, sparking conversations in panel programs at events like the Reading Agency talks and independent symposiums at regional arts centers.
Category:British book publishers Category:Publishing companies established in 2008