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A Magazine for Sheffield

Meet Sheffield's only public printmaking studio

Carousel Print makes itself at home in Exchange Place Studios, opening up access to specialist facilities through membership and inclusive workshops for anyone.

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Olivia Bliss is a visual artist who specialises in printmaking, and she is also director of Carousel Print Studio. Since opening their doors for the first time in September, Carousel have been sharing their facilities and workshops with the community, and this is just the beginning. I chatted to Olivia to find out more.

You've just re-launched but Carousel began back in 2019. Can you tell us a bit about its history and who's involved?

Carousel Print Studio began in 2019 with a group of local creatives who identified the need for Sheffield to have a public printmaking facility. It was the only large city in the UK without such a space. Continuing the legacy of the late David Gasi who co-directed Sheffield Print Club, Carousel is a community-led initiative and became a registered charity (CIO) in February this year.

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Your beautiful new space is in Exchange Place Studios. Who is it for, and what can folks expect to find there?

Our new studio is based on the ground floor of an Art Deco building called Exchange Place Studios, run by Yorkshire Artspace who have been very supportive in helping Carousel establish itself. The bright, warm, accessible and fully equipped space is right opposite the beautiful planting of the Grey to Green, situated in the re-emerging Castlegate area. Carousel Print Studio runs inclusive workshops in printmaking for adults, from beginners to intermediate levels in a range of techniques.

Carousel also provides access to specialist facilities through membership, for those with previous experience. Membership helps to bring creative communities together but also provides access to facilities that would otherwise be inaccessible for individuals.

You've got an amazing line-up of events happening in the coming months. Can you tell us more about these?

Yes, we have some fantastic courses for adults coming up including Block Printing with found objects (Sat 15 Oct), Refresher in Photo Screenprint (22 Oct), Intro to Drypoint (12 Nov) and more! Groups are small, inclusive and led by experienced workshop leaders. You can find more info and book here.

We’re also running a short demo at Sheffield Print Fair (12 Nov, free) and participating in the Exchange Place Open Studios (19 and 20 Nov, also free).

Recent events have included a cyanotype printmaking workshop at Pollen Market, and Urban Futures held in the Cultural Industries Quarter.

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How can people get involved? Is it possible to become a Carousel member?

The best way of getting involved is to come along to one of our events, book onto a course or even by giving us a follow.

People looking to become a member should have previous experience in their chosen field(s) and be able to work independently. It is possible to build up this experience through doing courses at Carousel first.

We are always looking for print enthusiasts to join the fantastic team of volunteers and freelance workshop leaders. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can email us.

What are your hopes for the future of Carousel?

We hope to become a sustainable printmaking facility and to provide opportunities and events for the good people of Sheffield, well into the future. We want to continue our charitable aims of promoting education in the visual arts and bringing communities together in Sheffield. We’re strong believers in the visual arts and that particularly printmaking can help to combat loneliness and improve peoples’ mental health.

by Felicity Jackson (she/her)

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