5 Things You Didn't Know About: Tate Publishing

Tate Publishing is one of the world's leading publishers on the visual arts. Its beautifully produced books not only include catalogues for blockbuster exhibitions at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives but also art history and art theory books, and a gorgeous range of children's books.

1) Tate Publishing has been creating art books... since 1911. Tate's first book was nothing like some of the lavishly illustrated coffee table books we're familiar with today. However, this simple booklet listing the artworks being exhibited was the first book to generate revenue for the gallery, in particular, for the purchase of artworks for the nation's then fledgling collection.

2) All profits earned from the sale of Tate Publishing books go... straight back to Tate, providing significant financial support for the ongoing work of the gallery.

3) Tate Publishing has seen its art books translated into... more than twelve different languages, including Korean, Japanese, Turkish, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese.

4) The Tate's most published artist is... JMW Turner. When the Clore Gallery opened at Tate Britain in 1987 to house the Turner Bequest, it generated great interest in the artist and provided opportunity for an array of specialist books about his work. William Blake, another British favourite, ranks at second most published artist, with Picasso coming in at a close third.

5) Tate Publishing also creates... art books for children too. Working with both emerging and established illustrators, designers and artists, Tate makes sure that the young artists among us have books of an equally high standard at their creative disposal, not to mention books that are superbly fun!

December 2011