Art Metropole

Art Metropole is a non-profit artist-run centre that publishes, promotes, exhibits, archives, and distributes artists’ books, multiples, and related media. We produce exhibitions, talks, readings, and other programs that highlight artists who make books and other artworks that can be widely circulated.

Our shop at 896 College Street, Toronto, stocks artists’ books and publications on contemporary art in all formats, with over 16,000 inventory items. Established in 1974, Art Metropole operates the oldest and longest-running artist-run bookstore in the world. We also distribute works through our online shop, and at art book fairs, pop-ups, and satellite locations internationally. 

Art Metropole was founded in 1974 by the artist collective General Idea, as a division of Art-Official Inc. (est. 1972). Art-Official’s founding mission was to facilitate and document collaboration and exchange of ideas between artists, and served as the non-profit publisher of General Idea’s File Megazine (1972–1989). Art Metropole was conceived as a related artist-run centre and collection agency devoted to the documentation, archiving and distribution of all the images.