London Centre for Book Arts

London Centre for Book Arts
Name	London Centre for Book Arts
Formation	2010s
Type	Arts organisation
Location	London, United Kingdom
Focus	Book arts, printmaking, artists' books

London Centre for Book Arts

The London Centre for Book Arts is an arts organisation in London dedicated to the practice, teaching, and exhibition of artists' books, printmaking, and bookbinding. Founded in the 2010s, it operates within the cultural ecology of Tate Modern, British Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, and Chelsea College of Arts, while maintaining links with international institutions such as The New School, Cooper Union, and CalArts. The centre functions as a studio, exhibition space, and archive that engages practitioners, students, and curators from across United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, and other countries.

History

The organisation emerged during a period of renewed interest in handcraft and print culture associated with initiatives like Artranspennine, London College of Communication, and artist-led spaces such as Spike Island and Raven Row. Early collaborators included practitioners from Central Saint Martins, alumni of Royal College of Art, and members of collectives linked to Print Club Ltd and Tower Press. The centre’s chronology intersects with events at D&AD, the revitalisation of Serpentine Galleries programming, and municipal arts strategies influenced by the Mayor of London cultural agenda. Its growth was shaped by partnerships with publishers and presses including Would Be Goods, Hato Press, and exchanges with curators from Whitechapel Gallery and Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Mission and Activities

The centre’s mission aligns with the practices of artists such as Ed Ruscha, Jenny Holzer, Ben Nicholson, and Barbara Kruger in foregrounding the book as an artistic medium, while also reflecting pedagogies from MFA programs at Goldsmiths, University of London and residency models found at Serpentine Pavilion projects. Activities encompass studio access, residency residencies modelled after Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation fellowships, and collaborative projects with institutions like Southbank Centre and British Council. The organisation promotes skills in letterpress, lithography, and bookbinding, drawing on traditions exemplified by historic workshops such as Kelmscott Press and modern presses including Folio Society.

Facilities and Collections

Facilities include letterpress workshops outfitted with presses inspired by designs from Adana, cylinder and platen presses similar to those used at Cambridge University Press workshops, etching studios reminiscent of Royal Academy of Arts printrooms, and bindery equipment comparable to that at Bodleian Library conservation labs. The centre maintains a reference library and artists' book archive with holdings that evoke collections at MOMA and Bibliothèque nationale de France, and hosts donations and exchanges with publishers like Do You Read Me?! and galleries such as Tate Britain and Frieze Projects. Storage and conservation practices reference standards employed by National Trust conservation teams and archival guidelines used at V&A Conservation.

Programs and Workshops

Programs include short courses, intensive workshops, and accredited modules paralleling curricula at Camberwell College of Arts and University of the Arts London. Workshops cover letterpress typesetting influenced by William Morris traditions, etching techniques akin to those taught at Slade School of Fine Art, and case binding practised in conservation departments at British Museum and Natural History Museum. Residency programs invite artists with profiles similar to those who have held residencies at Grizedale Arts and Henry Moore Foundation, and student collaborations have been undertaken with Ravensbourne University London and City, University of London.

Exhibitions and Events

Exhibitions feature artists' books, multiples, and printed ephemera showcased in formats comparable to shows at Tate Modern, Whitechapel Gallery, and Serpentine Galleries. The centre curates talks and panels with contributors from Hay Festival, printer-publisher collaborations resembling those at Offprint Paris, and market events inspired by London Art Book Fair and Publish And Be Damned. It participates in city-wide events such as Open House London and collaborates with festivals including London Design Festival and Frieze London.

Governance and Funding

Governance follows models used by UK arts charities registered with Charity Commission for England and Wales and community interest companies similar to Space Arts. Boards comprise professionals with links to Arts Council England, university departments at University College London, and independent curators who have worked with institutions such as Hayward Gallery and Barbican Centre. Funding streams mirror those of peer organisations receiving grants from Arts Council England, project partnerships with British Council, philanthropic support from trusts like Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and earned income from workshop fees and sales at book fairs.

Category:Art organisations based in London Category:Printmaking