London Centre for Book Arts (LCBA)

Last week, I was lucky enough to visit the London Centre for Book Arts (LCBA) based in East London. The LCBA has been set up by Simon Goode and is an open-access educational and resource centre dedicated to book arts. Firstly I should say that this is a fabulous space - light and airy, not a dark and dingy corner. This centre offers access to letterpress printing, hot foil blocking and binding facilities, processes which many practising designers and artists wish to utilise but where, until now, it has been difficult to access.  

There is a wide range of machinery available: a Vandercook proofing press, a F.A.G proofing press, a Korrex Berlin proof press, a Farley 25 galley proofing press, three Adana 8x5” platen presses, an Autovic platen press plus six bookbinding nipping presses, guillotine and two foil blocking presses, plus a whole range of bookbinding equipment which I couldn't even begin to describe!



The LCBA is the brainchild of Simon Goode. He has collected, paid for, stored and maintained all the equipment at the centre. After leaving university, Simon was frustrated by the fact that he couldn't continue to produce his own publications, because there wasn't a facility that he could use (not in the same way that Printclub serves the silkscreen community, for example). That frustration lead to the establishment of this new centre which is absolutely FANTASTIC!

Simon Goode - LCBA Founder and director

The LCBA ecourages collaboration and dialogue. 'Book Arts' will mean different things to different people - but the important thing is that here is centre where the skills and equipment which all contribute to the creation and production of printed objects can be experienced and learnt. There is a programme of teaching workshops which you can see here: http://londonbookarts.eventbrite.co.uk/
and an exhibition programme highlighting work being done regionally and beyond.

I suggest you have a look at the centre, make a visit, or even a group visit with friends or colleagues from work - I'm sure they'll even arrange company excursions (...I'm not a shareholder, I just think it's great!)

Details as follows: London Centre for Book Arts (LCBA) Unit 18, Ground Floor Britannia Works, Dace Road, London E3 2NQ
www.londonbookarts.org
http://londonbookarts.eventbrite.co.uk/

Posted by Justin Hobson 06.12.2013