A New future for Heritage Print in York

Will you help to save an endangered craft, build a community, and support a unique creative centre with big ambitions? Donate today to build a new future for old-fashioned print.

Traditional printing is on the red list of endangered crafts. Without our help, these skills won’t survive to the next generation.

So far, we've secured more than £185,000 in funding. Building on our successful letterpress printing studio Thin Ice Press, and groundbreaking StreetLife project, we have established a working pressroom, museum and gallery in the centre of York to preserve an ancient craft, create volunteering and employment opportunities, and build community.  Along with our members and supporters, we're securing the future of traditional printing, not just preserving the past but bringing it to life.

In our current soft launch phase, our well-equipped workspace is welcoming its first members: artists, writers and printers, who are supported by an expert team. We're building a programme of free, family-friendly activities, exhibitions, and demos. And we're showing how heritage techniques can offer new opportunities for modern creatives, opening up the mysteries of printing to diverse audiences and a new generation.

But our current landlords have broken our lease. From the beginning of December, our vibrant, well-equipped printing workshop won't have a home. We have the chance to move into a beautiful historic building and build a long term future, but we're in a race against time. £30,000 will pay for specialist movers to take us out of our current premises and into a superb new venue that will delight visitors and be a haven for members.

Please will you make a donation today to help secure the future of heritage print in York?

We have a huge amount to do, but we know with the help of committed supporters like you, we can overcome the challenges we face and create a secure future for traditional print in York. Your support will allow us to fulfil our ambitions of delivering a top secret, very exciting collaboration that is lined up to help the centre build contingency funds, increase technician time, and expand our capacity to support print and printers locally and globally.

With your support, our working pressroom, gallery and museum will sustain this ancient craft, celebrate the best of contemporary printing, and become a place of pilgrimage for visitors with a passion for print, both locally and from across the globe.

Our ambitions don’t stop here. We will continue to seek support from businesses and individuals to allow the centre to begin its ambitious printing and sales plans ahead of schedule by supporting the purchase of crucial materials and contributing to the cost of rent and services for the coming year.

The craft of printing has shaped nearly six hundred years of history. I hope you will help us to save this extraordinary heritage, and make a new future for print, creativity and craft. Every penny of your donation will be used to directly support the Centre, with no administrative charges or hidden costs, and you will be given the option to select a reward to say thank you for your incredible support.

Help us create a lasting impression.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Helen Smith