At one time dismissed by many as inaccessible, elitist or even facile, contemporary art has since entered the realm of popular culture and is enjoyed by millions of gallery visitors every year. This accessible and beautifully produced up-to-date guide pinpoints key artists and events, and so helps demystify a generation of rapid change in the art world. The A-Z listing (by artist's name) will feature 200 of the most widely exhibited and remarkable artists who have made substantial contributions over the past 40 years; with biographies, insights into their key works and cross-referencing to linked artists, themes and movements.

Charlotte Bonham-Carter writes for a variety of international arts publications, including Flash Art, Contemporary, Untitled, Art Press and CIRCA; and was contributor to The Portrait Now, published by the National Portrait Gallery. Formerly assistant curator at Barbican Art Gallery, London and she is now assistant curator at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London and editor of ROLAND, the magazine of the ICA's visual arts programme. David Hodge has a Bachelor or Arts degree in Art History from Warwick University. He is a writer and researcher with a specialised interest in the relationship between art and politics. Richard Cork is an award-winning art critic, historian, broadcaster and exhibition curator. He has been Art Critic for a number of newspapers and magazines including London Evening Standard, The Listener and The New Statesman, and was Chief Art Critic of The Times. He now writes for The Financial Times and The Guardian and is a frequent contributor to BBC radio and television programmes. He has acted as a judge for many leading art prizes and commissions, among them the Turner Prize.