BISAC Subject Headings List
Art
Use the information provided here to determine the specific codes that describe your book. An asterisk (*) denotes a new heading for the current year’s edition. Not sure how to select your code? Check out our FAQ.
If you can't find the code you're looking for after reviewing all the pages below, we recommend you use whatever codes currently best represent your book. If you want to suggest a new code for future BISAC additions, you can submit a suggestion here.
To download and incorporate this list into your databases and systems, you’ll need to purchase an End Users' License Agreement.
ART
Use subjects in this section for historical works or for works discussing technique from a fine art (as opposed to craft) viewpoint. For works about collecting art or art objects, use subjects in the ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES section. For works discussing technique from a craft viewpoint, use subjects in the CRAFTS & HOBBIES section. For works on general principles of design that can be applied to various disciplines (such as art, architecture, crafts, and technology), use subjects in the DESIGN section.
Use subjects beginning with "ART / Techniques" for works on the techniques involved within a given discipline and use subjects beginning with "ART / History" for works consisting largely of reproductions of artworks and/or works on the history of art. Be aware that some disciplines have an unsubdivided term and a related term beginning with "ART / Techniques" (e.g., "ART / Sculpture & Installation" and "ART / Techniques / Sculpting"). In these cases, the unsubdivided term should be used for pictorials and works on the history of that discipline and not for books on technique.
Subjects beginning with "ART / Subjects & Themes" are generally meant to be used for works discussing and/or illustrating the subjects and themes specified; however, these subjects can also be assigned to works on the techniques used to produce art depicting these subjects and themes. If a subject beginning with "ART / Subjects & Themes" is used in this way, it is recommended that a subject beginning with "ART / Techniques" be assigned as well.
Use "ART / Color Theory" for theoretical works on color and use "ART / Techniques / Color" for practical works on techniques for using color in art.
ART000000 ART / General
ART015010 ART / African
ART015020 ART / American / General
ART038000 ART / American / African American & Black
ART039000 ART / American / Asian American & Pacific Islander
ART040000 ART / American / Hispanic & Latino
ART069000 ART / American / Native American *
ART / Animation see PERFORMING ARTS / Animation
ART054000 ART / Annuals
ART037000 ART / Art & Politics
ART019000 ART / Asian / General
ART019040 ART / Asian / Central Asian *
ART019010 ART / Asian / Chinese
ART019020 ART / Asian / Indian & South Asian
ART019030 ART / Asian / Japanese
ART019050 ART / Asian / Korean *
ART019060 ART / Asian / Southeast Asian *
ART042000 ART / Australian & Oceanian
ART / Basic Techniques see headings under Techniques
ART055000 ART / Body Art & Tattooing
ART / Book Design see DESIGN / Book
ART043000 ART / Business Aspects
ART015040 ART / Canadian
ART044000 ART / Caribbean & Latin American
ART068000 ART / Celtic Art
ART045000 ART / Ceramics
ART006000 ART / Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions / General
ART006010 ART / Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions / Group Shows
ART006020 ART / Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions / Permanent Collections
ART007000 ART / Color Theory
ART008000 ART / Conceptual
ART056000 ART / Conservation & Preservation
ART / Costume Design see DESIGN / Textile & Costume
ART009000 ART / Criticism & Theory
ART / Design see headings under DESIGN
ART046000 ART / Digital
ART063000 ART / Environmental & Land Art
ART / Exhibitions see headings under Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions
ART015030 ART / European
ART057000 ART / Film & Video
ART013000 ART / Folk & Outsider Art
ART067000 ART / Forgeries
ART / Furniture Design see DESIGN / Furniture
ART061000 ART / Glass
ART058000 ART / Graffiti & Street Art
ART015000 ART / History / General
ART015050 ART / History / Prehistoric
ART015060 ART / History / Ancient & Classical
ART015130 ART / History / European / General *
ART015070 ART / History / European / Medieval
ART015080 ART / History / European / Renaissance
ART015090 ART / History / European / Baroque & Rococo
ART015120 ART / History / European / Romanticism
ART015140 ART / History / Indigenous *
ART015100 ART / History / Modern (late 19th Century to 1945)
ART015110 ART / History / Contemporary (1945-)
ART041000 ART / Indigenous
ART070000 ART / Indigenous Art of Turtle Island *
ART016000 ART / Individual Artists / General
ART016010 ART / Individual Artists / Artists' Books
ART016020 ART / Individual Artists / Essays
ART016030 ART / Individual Artists / Monographs
ART / Latin American see Caribbean & Latin American
ART066000 ART / LGBTQ+ Artists
ART047000 ART / Middle Eastern
ART017000 ART / Mixed Media
ART / Museum Administration & Museology see BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Museum Administration & Museology
ART059000 ART / Museum Studies
ART / Oceanian see Australian & Oceanian
ART / Oriental see headings under Asian
ART060000 ART / Performance
ART023000 ART / Popular Culture
ART048000 ART / Prints
ART / Product Design see DESIGN / Product
ART062000 ART / Public Art
ART025000 ART / Reference
ART049000 ART / Russian & Soviet
ART026000 ART / Sculpture & Installation
ART027000 ART / Study & Teaching
ART050000 ART / Subjects & Themes / General
ART050080 ART / Subjects & Themes / Buildings & Cityscapes *
ART050050 ART / Subjects & Themes / Erotica
ART050010 ART / Subjects & Themes / Human Figure
ART050020 ART / Subjects & Themes / Landscapes & Seascapes
ART050030 ART / Subjects & Themes / Plants & Animals
ART050040 ART / Subjects & Themes / Portraits
ART035000 ART / Subjects & Themes / Religious
ART050060 ART / Subjects & Themes / Science Fiction & Fantasy
ART050070 ART / Subjects & Themes / Still Life
ART028000 ART / Techniques / General
ART031000 ART / Techniques / Acrylic Painting
ART002000 ART / Techniques / Airbrush
ART071000 ART / Techniques / Basketry *
ART072000 ART / Techniques / Beadwork *
ART003000 ART / Techniques / Calligraphy
ART004000 ART / Techniques / Cartooning
ART051000 ART / Techniques / Color
ART073000 ART / Techniques / Composition *
ART010000 ART / Techniques / Drawing
ART074000 ART / Techniques / Leatherwork & Hidework *
ART052000 ART / Techniques / Life Drawing
ART018000 ART / Techniques / Oil Painting
ART020000 ART / Techniques / Painting
ART021000 ART / Techniques / Pastel Drawing
ART033000 ART / Techniques / Pen & Ink Drawing
ART034000 ART / Techniques / Pencil Drawing
ART024000 ART / Techniques / Printmaking
ART075000 ART / Techniques / Quillwork *
ART053000 ART / Techniques / Sculpting
ART076000 ART / Techniques / Textiles & Weaving *
ART029000 ART / Techniques / Watercolor Painting
ART / Textile Design see DESIGN / Textile & Costume
ART / Video see Film & Video
ART064000 ART / Video Game Art
ART065000 ART / Women Artists
If your title does not have subject content, i.e. a blank book, please use the Non-Classifiable term below. Otherwise, use the Subject/General term in the closest descriptive area. NON000000 NON-CLASSIFIABLE
© 2023, Book Industry Study Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of these lists or any attached documents may be distributed or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc.