Leeds Print Festival is back for another year and we’ve sent Leanne Buchan off to try to banish her winter blues with printed delights.
It is a war often raged on a slow news day: Is Print Dead? No, nor will it ever be so please stop asking the same boring question and find something else worth writing about.
For example we could talk about the role of print in a modern world of integrated marketing strategies, or we could debate the most appropriate use for print, or we could host a self-indulgent trawl through some of the most beautiful, creative and inspiring examples of print from the last year. Or we could just get ourselves down to Leeds Print Festival and do all of these things.
In 2012 the festival was created by an elusive group of graphic designers led by Amber Smith, graphic design tutor at Leeds College of Art, (I like to think of them as design bandits seeking out rich design fodder and sharing this with the inspiration-poor, but that could just be me) decided to stop talking and start doing. A combined love of print and a geeky obsession with foil blocking, letterpresses, type, graphics and paper stock drove them to distraction so they poured their love for the art of print into a festival.
Featuring the likes of Generation Press, Anthony Burrill, and Si Scott last year’s festival brought together artists, designers, printers and admirers for a series of workshops, open studios, talks, exhibitions and a print fair. But there’s no rest for this merry band of designers and they spent all last year planning for Leeds Print Festival 2013.
Taking place from 18th-27th January the festival’s main hub will be Leeds Gallery. The festival kicks off with and exhibition from Dan Mather, Marc Ross/Prefab 77, Robbie Porter, Sarah Milton and Seb Koseda from 10am-6pm followed by a geeky indulgence of a celebration event with Paper Cut Bindery and The Print Project (the latter by RSVP only).
Continuing the opening weekend the exhibition, which will be in place until 27th January, is accompanied by a print fair on Saturday 19th January open to all from 10am-6pm, profiling some of the best local artists and designers at Leeds Gallery. While you’re there why not stop off at Colours May Vary and munch on some goodness at Café 164 – sounds like a great day all round to me.
The weekend of print is rounded off with talks from Alan Kitching, Matthew The Horse and The Print Project from 11am. Tickets for the talks and more information about the festival can be found at www.leedsprintfestival.com
Print is certainly not dead and will never die. Its certainly not as popular as it used to be with the advent of the net.
I think all things go in cycles – wehn the internet is saturated then buisness will go back to print.
I sent out a letterhead the other day to a client and he was amazed at it – especiallat the feel and finish of the paper – it was only 110 gsm mellotext smoooth paper but he was so impressed.
The information provided was worth reading. Looking forward for more to read from you.