About Radius Books

OUR PURPOSE

Radius Books encourages, promotes, and publishes books of artistic and cultural value for a wide audience. Our projects are distinguished in both form and substance: beautiful objects by important artists of all ranks.

Through our publication, education, and donation programs, Radius Books creates and promotes an ongoing dialogue among writers, thinkers, and artists. Since our founding in 2007, we have gifted over 75,000 thoughtfully crafted books to libraries, schools, and art programs across the US through our Donation Program.

We invite you to read more about our history and community, and to consider joining us in our efforts. As a volunteer, sponsor, in-kind donor, or corporate partner, your support directly benefits the Donation Program and ensures that Radius Books continues to impact arts education in unique and unexpected ways.

OUR ARTISTS

We often refer to our artists as the Radius Family, because the painters, sculptors, photographers, and writers who make our books possible are woven into the fabric of everything we do. Without their creative energy, collaboration, and vision we would simply not exist.

It is our greatest hope that the books we publish serve to amplify the artists’ voice and to make their work accessible to as many people as possible. Please see our complete list of artists here.

OUR HISTORY

Radius Books was founded in 2007 by David Chickey, Darius Himes, David Skolkin, and Joanna Hurley. At the time, public libraries were rapidly losing funding for high quality art books, so the founders laid the groundwork for a nonprofit publishing company that would help to fill this need.

By structuring the company as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they were able to ensure each project could be independently funded, while also guaranteeing that a number of copies from every print run would be donated to underfunded libraries and arts organizations. From the beginning, they tried to ensure a diverse list of books that would balance both male and female contributors, and photography and fine arts.

In the first year, Radius published four titles, subsequently growing to eight, and then twelve annually. We now publish 18-20 new titles every year.

OUR STRUCTURE

We are governed by an active Board of Directors that meets in person twice a year, and remotely every 4-6 weeks. Ever since Radius was founded, the Board has helped steer the company both strategically and creatively.

We review submissions throughout the year, and collaborate with the Board to select the titles we will publish. Once a project is approved, we work closely with the artists to coordinate the financing, either through grant funding or the sale of limited editions.

We provide complete design, editorial, and marketing through alternative fundraising. The only expenses applied to each project are for printing, paper, binding, and shipping.

OUR COMMITMENT

We take very seriously our responsibility as a publisher to provide a platform for diverse voices, and to infuse an anti-racist framework into what we do. We are certain that increasing Black visibility in our cultural institutions will change the world fundamentally and for the better. ⁠We have committed to understand more deeply our responsibility to this movement, and to internalize its message in tangible and significant ways.

We will continue to question ourselves and our practices as an organization, to listen, and most importantly, to do the work to change the way we approach our publications. If you would like to submit your work, give us feedback, or share your thoughts on what publishers and curators can do to improve inclusivity in the art world, please reach out at info@radiusbooks.org⁠.

OUR FUTURE

Over many years, Radius has gradually developed a solid foundation through our publishing program and community outreach. We are now focused on preserving the stability of these programs to ensure that our legacy will continue well into the future.

By partnering with foundations, other grant-giving organizations, and like-minded individuals, we hope to build an endowment to preserve the Donation Program, fund books that otherwise would not be published, and maintain stability in our staff.

If you are interested in learning more about these efforts, please email us at info@radiusbooks.org.