Off Register Hosts Third Annual Art Book and Print Fair 

Off Register, an art book and print fair, is returning for its third annual year at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW) on Saturday, October 24, featuring panel discussions and numerous family-friendly print activities. 

“Off register,” a term that describes when a print job’s elements are misaligned or displaced, is organized by a team of local artists and academics passionate about printmaking, publishing, and building a DIY (do-it-yourself) and DIT (do-it-together) community in Santa Barbara. 

The free all-day event that features more than 70 vendors and exhibitors showcasing their work with hands-on demonstrations, free activities, symposium-style panel discussions, and performative readings, alongside local food trucks, and music.

The inaugural 2024 event brought together more than 60 exhibitors from around California and across the country working in a wide range of printmaking practices, ranging from zines and artist’s books to screen printing and fine art publishing. 

“Wildly, a lot has stayed the same from the first year,” said Madi Manson, artist, printer, and founder of Loud Flower Art Co. “We had no idea what to expect in terms of turnout or support, but since this is the first thing of its kind in the Central Coast, the support and desire to participate was so overwhelming.”

In past years, more than 1,800 visitors attended the event in celebration of print. “That first year, we had already maxed out the Community Arts Workshop,” said Manson. “A lot has remained the same, and we have stuck true to our initial goals of showcasing a variety of exhibitors.” 

This year, as in previous years, visitors will have the opportunity to meet, interact with, and purchase work from a diverse group of artists, designers, and publishers. Additionally, community institutions such as the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, SBCC graphic art and design, and the Santa Barbara Public Library will be involved in the event.

“One of the things that I really love is placing where people are gonna be in the layout of the exhibition space,” Manson said. “A super established book artist who’s been publishing books for 20 years, making really beautiful, amazing stuff will be set up next to an up-and-coming artist,” she added. “They can see and talk to each other, and the up-and-coming artists can look over and say that is possible. That can be my future.” 


Panel discussions will begin at 11 a.m., with the first discussion centered around Riso, a vibrant, stencil-based art style. This panel features three artists who will share their practice through short PechaKucha-style presentations (20 slides, for 20 seconds per slide) showing how inventive skills transform into artistic magic. The panelists include Louise Sandhaus, Anouk Beckers, and Travis Shaffer. 

In another panel discussion focused on the tactile aspects of printmaking, the discussion will spotlight how tactility influences print-making processes, such as carving, print making, and embossment. This panel will be moderated by art historian Jenni Sorkin, and printmakers Jasmine Delgado, Stephanie Dotson, and Cheri Owen will be talking about issues of vision, touch, pedagogy, and accessibility. 

Honey Boy Press will share a brief history of zines and radical publishing in a panel on zineologies. Zines are DIY, mini-magazines with a history in radical print culture and social justice movements. This workshop will allow participants to create their own minizine while also exploring the history of zines. The panels will conclude, with a discussion focusing on margins press with Matt Austin and Jeremy Rendina.

While around 35 percent of the artists are from the 805, a lot are coming up from L.A., down from San Francisco, and some coming from out of state. Manson said, “It’s busy, it’s exciting, it’s vibrant. It’s a space of colorful, creative conversations happening.” 

The event will take place on Saturday, October 24, at the CAW (631 Garden St.) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit offregistersb.org.