Announcing the recipients of first annual Page Turner Fellowship

We are pleased to announce that Washington-based artists Daniel R. Smith and Cecelia “Mika” Westman have been selected for the inaugural Page Turner Fellowship. From January to May, Smith and Westman will work with SABF staff and mentors to develop new publications to be launched at the third annual Seattle Art Book Fair on May 10–11, 2025 . The incoming artists were awarded Fellowships based on their applications that included a proposal and sample work, which were reviewed by a panel of four advisors who are working artists, writers, and publishers: Jake Alexander, Alex Barsky, Kelly Froh, and Mita Mahato.

For SABF 2025, Smith — a graphic designer and artist — proposed to work on a book that is a collection of collages made at the Rockland artist residency at Belfair, WA. Smith’s colorful collages were executed over a period of three weeks across the pages of a vintage promotional binder for “Pyro Antifreeze.” Westman proposed to create a shadow book — a series of pages from which light shining through could cast shadows on a wall — that could form the basis of shared experiences for telling stories. Harriet Tubman will be the subject of the first book in the eventual series.

Click here to see the full press release

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The Page Turner Fellowship provides a designer or artist who has not yet participated in an art book fair the mentorship and resources to create a new work to be launched at the 2025 Seattle Art Book Fair. The goal of this program is to encourage and support new voices in the art book field and to grow the connections among book artists and designers in Washington state.

Fellows must meet the following qualifications:
—Must be based in Washington state.
—Have not previously exhibited at an art book fair, zine festival, or equivalent event.

Fellows will receive:
—A $500 stipend
—Regular meetings with SABF staff and other mentors
—Support for the production of their publication
—Table space at SABF 2025 to exhibit and sell their publication
—Opportunity to give a brief presentation about their project during SABF 2025

Applicants from communities that have been historically underrepresented within the art book field are strongly encouraged to apply.

Selections will be made by a committee composed of SABF staff and advisors. 

Applications for the 2025 Page Turner Fellowship are closed. Please check back for information about the 2026 Fellowship.

For more information, visit the FAQ.