With the British Art Show open, it’s time to get excited about the other arts festival hitting Plymouth this month! We’ve got all the info on printmaking extravaganza, Print In Action.
22-23 October 2022 10am onwards
Ocean Studios, Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP
Day tickets: Adult £10, Child £5. Day and evening Saturday: £15.
Buy tickets at realideas.org/print-in-action-festival
On 22 and 23 October, Ocean Studios will open its doors for the first-ever Print In Action festival. Celebrating printmaking in all its forms, the festival includes exhibitions, workshops, music, food, talks and masterclasses.
You can meet international artists from across the disciplines of linocut, screen printing, letterpress, intaglio, monoprint, collagraph, digital and much more, enjoy their inspiring artwork and learn or brush up on your own technique!
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So, what can you expect when you visit? At Ocean Studios, you’ll be greeted by The Truth Wall, letterpress artist Alan Qualtrough’s public statement of what’s important, covering the hoardings. Alan is encouraging participants “to make visual what they feel is important to speak up about in the world” – you can even make your piece in advance at a range of workshops between now and then.
In Ocean Studios’ print facilities, and across the site, there will be talks, demonstrations and workshops from artists including Jemma Gunning, Sarah Gillespie, Anita Reynolds, Peter Ursem, and many more. Partners like Exeter’s Double Elephant Print Workshop will be discussing their research project ‘Mapping the South West’, traveling printmaker Nick Hand will be talking about his portable bicycle press, and you can find out what’s important about collective working from Bristol Print Collective.
Little ones can take part in “Mini Maker” sessions, older kids can make their mark using everything from linoleum to their own bodies, and everyone can learn about techniques from screen printing to monoprint with more than fifteen experienced, enthusiastic practitioners as their guides.
Outside of Royal William Yard, the festival will also be spreading across the city – as well as an on-site pop-up shop, Plymouth’s The Printery will be exhibiting at The Craft House and opening their Mutley Plain doors for you to look around. There’s even an immersive digital exhibition of prints at the Market Hall dome.
On the Saturday evening, there’ll also be a late line-up of music from artists like Mad Dog McRea to accompany your printmaking ponderings. With food, art and a magnificent location, we’re really looking forward to taking it all in while dancing the evening away.
Check out the full line-up for Saturday here, and for Sunday, here.
If you’ve caught the printmaking bug and would like to know more about opportunities in Plymouth, don’t forget to check out our previous piece here.
