Based at Acme studios in Mile End, the collective provides a wealth of hardware and expertise to help creatives put images on paper and fabrics
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The plain white walls of Acme’s Copperfield Road studios are a visual amuse bouche for the quiet riot of creativity that lies within.
Like the blank sheets of paper used by the image-wrights inside, the possibilities for what might be are limitless.
That’s all due to collaboration and cooperation.
Walk through the doors at East London Printmakers (ELP) – located on the building’s ground floor – and you’ll find a large, brightly lit space filled with presses, etching baths and paraphernalia, all waiting to be used.
Everywhere there are wire racks to store fresh prints for drying.
It’s a workshop, ready and waiting with the tools for artists to make things – to turn their imaginations into hard copies.
The facility has its origins in a group of artists who began meeting monthly at Pub On The Park in Hackney.
a bit of East London Printmakers history
“They were already calling themselves East London Printmakers when I met them,” said founding member, artist and tutor at ELP, Ann Norfield.
“At that time it was hard to find places to print.
“I’d do courses at the City Lit, but that was only three hours every now and then, so I was certainly thinking it would be great if there was a local studio in east London where I could fit making work in with everything else.
“I became a printmaker because I didn’t have a lot of spare time and it’s something you can do in small bursts.
“It started when my children were small about 33 years ago and I’ve made artwork all through my adult life.
“I was an art teacher for 40 years and I retired five years ago. Since then, I’ve been able to concentrate on my own practice.”
from London Fields to Mile End
The 10 or so people in that nascent ELP group all felt the same and, after setting up an interim space with Bow Arts, found a more solid home established through Space Studios near London Fields.
The deal was that in return for a contribution towards equipment, ELP would rent a studio and provide facilities and community access to them.
Opened in 2003, the collective effort was a success, with the facility and membership growing as well as the introduction of courses to educate local artists and designers.
“Everything had been done on the premise that we wanted to provide somewhere affordable for people to work,” said Ann.
“But then the rent suddenly shot up in 2016 and we realised that would be impossible unless we moved.
“Fortuitously, Acme in Mile End had a space recently vacated by an art gallery and we were able to take it on.
“It took us 14 weeks to move into the unit and then pull a studio together to get it up and running for the community again.
“We had about 40 people work on the project and then, after moving the presses – some of which are very heavy – we had to get specialists in to ensure they were set up and aligned properly.
“We also had to build some new walls and replumb the place – it was all done voluntarily with a huge amount of communal goodwill.”
East London Printmakers today
Today, the membership has grown to around 50, with about 200 associates using the facilities.
There’s also a wider community who attend courses, talks and events.
For printmaker and ELP member, Paul Lincoln, it’s a place where he can get his hands dirty.
“I trained at the City Lit and I’ve done courses here too – I’ve been involved for about five years,” he said.
“As an editor I’ve always worked with graphic designers and so visual communication has always been an interest for mine.
“I’ve done printmaking off and on for about 20 years, but I’ve taken it more seriously recently.
“Right now I’m doing silkscreen prints based on photography.
“I take an image, manipulate it digitally, then output it onto an acetate using a machine, scan it on a lightbox and that fixes the image as an emulsion.
“It starts as digital and then becomes entirely analogue.
“You ink up the screen and then you can select the colours and print on paper.
“Last year I also got quite excited about printing on fabric, making long hangings.
“Mainly my focus has been on buildings, such as tower blocks in the City, and the stuff I’m doing today involves maps and images imposed on them.
“I like how messy it can be and it’s nice to see things happen by chance – most of my career has been digital and precise.
“You can work quite fast, it’s about poster-making techniques, or you can do layering. I also like working with collage, making things and exhibiting them.”
crumbling shorelines…
Having made use of many printing techniques over the years, Ann is currently working on a series of etchings.
She said: “They’re images of crumbling shorelines eroded by the sea.
“I’ve made a lot of images recently about people making channel crossings and how they cross water.
“This latest series came about because of what you see as the coast comes into view and think about what kind of greeting you will get.
“For the etchings you take a metal plate and coat it with a substance that resists a corrosive solution.
“Where you remove that substance, the solution bites into the plate and they hold ink – that’s what you use to make the print.
“I think there’s an elemental quality about what we do as artists here – constant making is a human need and people really love to do things with their hands.”
showcasing the work
Paul and Ann’s stories are simply a snapshot of the kind of creative endeavours ELP enables.
To showcase the collective’s wider work, it organises a Festival Of Print, which this year is set to take place from November 21-30, 2025, at The Art Pavilion in Mile End Park.
Paul, who is one of the festival’s organisers, said: “It’s a celebration of print and we have room for 98 printmakers.
“Most people at ELP have a connection with east London, Tower Hamlets or the City, and so we’ll be pitching it as a major celebration of print to people in this area.”
The collective is also keen to branch out and make connections with other local organisations following its successful collaboraton to supply Canary Wharf’s aparthotel, Vertus Edit, with 50 works for its interior decor.
For those who fancy a go themselves, a wealth of courses are currently on offer covering everything from etching to collagraphy, wood cuts, screen printing, lithography and monotype.
Courses are open to all.
key details: East London Printmakers
East London Printmakers is located in Copperfield Road in Mile End and hosts Community Access sessions on Thursdays from 10am-2pm and 3pm-7pm and Saturdays from 10am-2pm.
These cost £25 for non-associates and £22 for associates.
Full details of all courses and memberships, including prices, are available on ELP’s website
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