About

Based in Trinidad and Tobago, Melanie Archer is an award-winning book designer and partner/editor at Robert & Christopher Publishers. Melanie also writes on art, design, and culture and her articles have appeared in PRINT magazine, The Caribbean Review of BooksCaribbean BeatSmall Axe online, and ARC Magazine, among others.

She has been director of engagement at Unqueue (2020–2024), a part-time lecturer at UWI St Augustine (2019–2022), art director of the trinidad+tobago film festival (2010–2015) and co-curator of its New Media programme of experimental works (2012-2015; 2021–2023). Melanie’s other curatorial experience includes the exhibitions “Public Spaces” (2012, Port of Spain, based on the work of architect Colin Laird) and “Pictures from Paradise” (2014, Toronto, a survey of contemporary Caribbean photography).

Her awards include two 2024 Gold and two 2024 Silver ADDYs for Book Design (Manifestations of Faith and Masman), a 2023 Silver ADDY for Book Design (Growing Up Woodbrook), and a 2022 Gold ADDY for Book Design (Port of Spain: An Architectural Record).

Read more about Melanie’s practice in this Design Week interview with the late Jon Daniel.