Arte Público specializes in publishing contemporary novels, short stories, poetry, and drama based on U.S. Hispanic, Cuban American, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and other themes and cultural issues. Arte Público is also interested in reference works, non-fiction studies, especially of Hispanic civil rights, women’s issues and history. It publishes thirty-six literary books each year, ninety percent of which are published in English and the rest in Spanish.

This information can be found here

Guidelines for illustration submissions, for the most part, remain the same as stipulated above for Arte Público Press’ and Piñata Books with the following exceptions: we will not return any submissions; so please do NOT send originals. All artworks, photos, slides, etc. will be kept in separate illustrator files for future consideration. These files may be updated by submitting new art samples. Our Managing Editor will contact you once it is determined that your work is suitable for our publishing needs; so please be sure to include your current address, phone number(s) and e-mail address.

Call 1-800-633-ARTE or click here to email your request.

To order books directly from Arte Público Press, please call 1-800-633-ARTE. You may also order by mail, fax or email:

Sales Office
Arte Público Press
University of Houston
452 Cullen Performance Hall
Houston, TX 77204-2004

Fax: 713-743-2847
Email: bkorders@uh.edu

Please refer to our permissions guidelines here.

To request review copies or author information, you may send a fax or letter with your contact information at your organization. Please send the request to:

Publictiy Request
Arte Público Press
University of Houston
452 Cullen Performance Hall
Houston, TX 77204-2004


Fax: 713-743-3080

Please send 2 copies of tear sheets after the article/review is run to:

Marketing Department
Arte Público Press
University of Houston
452 Cullen Performance Hall
Houston, TX 77204-2004


Fax: 713-743-3080

Founded in 1979 by Dr. Nicolás Kanellos, Arte Público Press is the oldest and most established publisher of Hispanic literature in the United States.

Dr. Kanellos, the founder and director of Arte Público, aspired to provide a national forum for Hispanic literature as well as to provide a voice for writers of Hispanic descent and heritage. The press showcases Hispanic literary creativity, arts and culture to facilitate entrance into mainstream publishing and media for Hispanic authors and the people and the events they write about.

Arte Público Press's mission is the publication, promotion and dissemination of Latino literature for a variety of national and regional audiences, from early childhood to adult, through the complete gamut of delivery systems, including personal performance as well as print and electronic media. In its publication and dissemination of Hispanic literature and cultural information, Arte Público Press is committed to reforming the national culture to more accurately include, value and reflect Hispanic historical and contemporary contributions.

The year following the establishment of the Press, Kanellos was offered a position at the University of Houston, and he was invited to bring the press with him.

In 1991, Arte Público Press initiated Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage, a project dedicated to researching and locating U.S. Hispanic literature from the colonial period to 1960. In collaboration with other U.S. and foreign publishers, Arte Público Press is currently publishing these recovered works and making them available to scholars of all ages.

As part of the ever-expanding efforts to bring Hispanic literature to mainstream audiences, Arte Público Press launched the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage project in 1992. The Recovery project represents the first nationally coordinated attempt to recover, index and publish lost Latino writings that date from the American colonial period through 1960.

Launched in 1994, Piñata Books was the first imprint devoted to providing literary materials for children and young adults that authentically and realistically portray themes, characters and customs unique to U.S. Hispanic culture.

The notion of an imprint dedicated to the publication of literature for children and young adults was planted by an urgent public demand for books that accurately portray U.S. Hispanic culture. With its bilingual books for children and its entertaining novels for young adults, Piñata Books has made giant strides toward filling the void in the literary market created by an increased awareness of diverse cultures.

Authors published by Arte Público Press include Obie-award-winning playwright and filmmaker Luis Valdez; the "dean" of Mexican-American literature Rolando Hinojosa; playwright Miguel Piñero, winner of the New York Drama Critic's Award for Best American Plays; and best-selling authors Victor Villaseñor and Nicholasa Mohr.