Saturday 22nd February
11:00-14:00

Design, carve and print your own original repeat pattern taking inspiration from the William Morris wallpaper exhibition at York Art Gallery.

In this workshop, you will learn how to create a seamless pattern design and translate it into a linocut fit for printing! You’ll come away with prints on paper ideal for endpapers, scrapbooking, gift wrapping etc!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

We will provide all equipment, step-by-step instructions and a helping hand. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Saturday 22nd March
11:00-14:00

Learn how to carve and print your very own linocut. In this workshop you will learn how to transfer your design onto a block, see demonstrations of carving tips and techniques, and discover how to make beautiful prints. You'll get to practise each stage and can choose to come up with your own design or select one from our samples. We'll experiment with colours, inking, and you'll finish the workshop with a unique souvenir and a passion for print!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

No experience is necessary: we will provide equipment, step-by-step instructions and support. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Tuesday 18th February
13.30-16.00

Calling the next generation of printers! Printer’s devils were children who worked in the printing house. This is your chance to become one of them in a fun and engaging workshop with our Director, Professor Helen Smith.

You will find out how a printing house works, and get to grips with wood and metal type. By the end of our session, you will have set a line of metal type, printed a keepsake name badge and fun souvenir, and learned the basics of letterpress printing.

This workshop is for children aged 8+. We ask that children bring a drink and snack for a short break.

Sunday 30th March
11:00-13:30

Worried you’ll make mistakes if you try learning letterpress? This lively workshop with our Director, Helen Smith, shows that error has always been a part of printing. You’ll explore some fascinating examples of where early printers got things wrong, and get hands on with metal type to find out where mistakes come from and what they can tell us.

Thursday evenings 17:00-18:00 from 27 February to 13 March

Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print is home to an impressively large collection of wood type. In this three-part workshop you'll explore the collection to design and print your very own A3 poster. Select three large letters, get to grips with our powered proofing presses, and experiment with overprinting in three colours: yellow, magenta, and cyan – the essential colours for process printing. Each week you will build your design, leaving with prints from each stage of the process.

This small group workshop will be hosted over three sessions and taught by Phil Treble of Muttons & Nuts.

Thursday 27 February 17:00-18:00
Thursday 6 March 17:00-18:00
Thursday 13 March 17:00-18:00

No experience is necessary: we will provide step-by-step instructions and support. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time of each session.

This workshop will be hosted at Thin Ice Press: the York Centre for Print, just a five minute walk from the site of Colour & Light 2025. This year the event, run by the York BID, is set to transform the iconic South Transept of York Minster from Wednesday 12 February to Sunday 2 March 18:00 to 21:00.

Saturday 26th April
10:30-14:30

Join us for a half-day linocut workshop where you’ll explore the art of relief printing and develop your personal style in a fun, supportive environment. This small group session is perfect for anyone looking to try a new medium or build their printmaking skills.

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

We will provide all equipment, step-by-step instructions, support and a variety of materials will be provided to spark initial ideas.

Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time. You are welcome to bring your own food or enjoy one of the many cafes York has to offer during a lunch break.

Saturday 5th April
11:00-13:00

Get to grips with the basics of letterpress printing in this introductory workshop. In this two-hour session, you will get the chance to set a line of metal type, see what it means to lock up a forme, and try your hand printing with a tabletop Adana press. All materials will be supplied, and you will go home with copies of your own hand-printed postcard.

The workshop will be taught by Phil Treble of Muttons & Nuts.

No previous experience is necessary and all equipment and materials will be provided. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Saturday 19th April
11:00-14:00

Learn how to carve and print your very own linocut. In this workshop you will learn how to transfer your design onto a block, see demonstrations of carving tips and techniques, and discover how to make beautiful prints. You'll get to practise each stage and can choose to come up with your own design or select one from our samples. We'll experiment with colours, inking, and you'll finish the workshop with a unique souvenir and a passion for print!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

No experience is necessary: we will provide equipment, step-by-step instructions and support. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Sunday 27th April
11:00-14:00

Design, carve and print your own original repeat pattern.

In this workshop, you will learn how to create a seamless pattern design and translate it into a linocut fit for printing. You’ll come away with prints on paper ideal for endpapers, scrapbooking, gift wrapping and more!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

We will provide all equipment, step-by-step instructions and a helping hand. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Part one: Sunday 23 March 11:00-14:00
Part two: Saturday 29 March 11:00-14:00

Learn how to create your own two colour linocut print using the reduction method. This small group workshop will be hosted over two sessions. It is suitable for anyone who has some experience with linocut, such as our introductory workshops or Lino Club, or if you are a beginner looking for a creative challenge!

The workshop will be led by Izzy Williamson, a York based printmaker specialising linocut.

We will provide all equipment, step-by-step instructions and support. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.

Thursday 3rd April
18:00-20:00

Come along to our fun evening workshop to print a one-of-a-kind poster using wood type. During the evening, you'll learn about York's fascinating history of wood type manufacture and type specimens, as well as the basics of poster printing and design. We'll experiment with colours and hand inking. You'll finish the evening with a unique souvenir and a passion for print.

The workshop will be taught by Phil Treble of Muttons & Nuts.

No experience is necessary: we will provide step-by-step instructions and support. Please arrive five minutes before the scheduled start time.