Private Workshops

MCBA offers private,
hands-on workshops in three studio areas: Letterpress printing, suminagashi, and zine making!

These workshops are perfect for college classes in various disciplines, community organizations, and corporate teams.

Led by an experienced teaching artist, each workshop begins with a brief tour of MCBA’s studios before we dive into making. The letterpress printing workshop is collaborative, while the suminagashi and zine workshops are more independent activities.  

Each workshop is two hours long. Maximum capacity depends on studio size, listed below in the workshop description.

Letterpress Poster Workshop

Learn about the history of the printing press as a tool for sharing information, then use a printing press to print a message in this collaborative workshop. 

First, choose words for your print as a group: decide together on a short phrase or a few words to print (five words maximum). This could be a protest poster, a quote, poetic fragment, inside joke, etc. Prompts and ideas will be shared to support this collaborative process.

The teaching artist will work with your group to set the phrase with wood type and will demonstrate locking up the form on a Vandercook press. Each participant will apply ink and print at least one copy of their print to take home.

15 participants, maximum

Suminagashi

Explore the process of suminagashi (“floating ink”) paper marbling! First, learn about the history of paper marbling across cultures—from its origins in 12th-century Japan and China to its development in Turkey to the present day. 

Then, the teaching artist will demonstrate the basic techniques and patterns of creating marbled paper. Come away with unique marbled paper that you can use to make cards, books, collage, and more. There will be ample time for individual experimentation and each participant will make several sheets of marbled paper.

12 participants, maximum

Zine Workshop

Unleash your inner activist, fan, or teacher and share your ideas in the quick and informal format popularized by punks, sci-fi fans, and independent publishers.

Learn about the history of zines and then make your own using collage, drawing, stamping, and other lo-fi methods. Publish a small edition using the photocopier, and exchange them with classmates or distribute as you please.

The teaching artist will demonstrate a variety of mark-making techniques and how to create a book from a single sheet of paper and basic layout. Each participant will have time to develop their zines and will have the option to make a small edition using the photocopier. Exchanging zines is encouraged!

12 participants, maximum

Interested in a tour?

Guided educational tours of MCBA studios are available to community organizations, college groups, corporate retreats, and everyone!

Learn More on our Studio Tours Page

Looking for school field trips?

MCBA offers free virtual lessons to support teachers, students, and community groups in any location. Fill out the form below if you would like to be contacted for new youth opportunities at MCBA.

Private Youth Workshop Inquiry Form

  • “Super informative, really easy to follow, fun—and instructor was great and super knowledgeable.”

  • “A great combination of information, and introduction to the center, to the work of printmaking, a brief history, and a hands-on project.”