Slap-Dash Publishing is an independent publishing house in Ardwick, that has published over 40 publications by local artists and residents. Our current catalogue of books is available online to purchase. Each book is allocated an ISBN and is archived in the British Library.

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SLAP DASH  Publishing
tlc-art+drop-in projects
lead : RAE STORY





Launch of Breathing Spaces Poetry Anthology, Longsight Library, 201

At tlc art+drop-in projects we run a small community publishing project that uses online publishing and print-on-demand technology to enable us to produce books affordably for local artists. All of our books are designated an ISBN number and a copy is archived in the British Library. In this way we are contributing to diversifying the voices of our public records and what eventually makes history. For the artists involved, they go through a process of selecting and digitally preparing their material for publication – this might mean photographing and or scanning pieces of artwork or typing up hand written stories, poems and prose.

Our Media Artist Rae Story then works with each person to edit and optimise the digital material and begin the process of designing the layout according to the artist’s wishes. We work with industry standard software so that people are gaining skills that are useful in employment or volunteering. When the publication is finished we use Lulu (www.lulu.com) to create the book by uploading a PDF of the final files to the website and ordering a proof copy. Although Lulu is a US based company they usually send the job to local printers to cut down on shipping costs and air miles.

Artists can then make any final corrections to their work before the book goes on sale through the Lulu website – that works pretty much like any online bookstore. Local shops can also order books and Manchester Libraries now stock a good selection of our publicaitons in Manchester Central Library and our local Longsight Library. 

Please check out our books online: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/stlukes