Chicago, IL- Spudnik Press Cooperative will host Printers Ball 2015 on June 27, 2015 at the Hubbard Street Lofts (1821 W Hubbard Street) from 2pm to 10pm. Printers Ball is a daylong celebration of literary culture and printmaking, and this year the event finds inspiration from the theme Push & Pull. The festival showcases interactive programs that all respond to the central question of how communities “push and pull” physically, metaphorically, and politically.
Spudnik Press is excited to welcome Bryce McCloud as their Festival Guest and Keynote Speaker. McCloud is the mastermind behind Nashville-based Isle of Printing. Part graphic designer, part printer, part public art generator, McCloud believes in “the positive power of creativity to make our world a more interesting place to live.” McCloud will kick off the day by unveiling the “Bryce Buck”, an all-new currency that can be earned through acts of kindness and of sharing and spent on a range of affirming goods. For the keynote session, at 7pm, he will discuss his community-focused art projects, including his most recent project, Our Town, a city-wide collaborative self-portraiture project.
With eighteen unique programs taking place outdoors and throughout the Hubbard Street Lofts building, guests can anticipate a field day of hands-on experiences with printmaking, writing, and live lit, as well as partake in roundtable conversations with artists and peers. One highly anticipated program– the Steamroller Spectacular, featuring contributions from 300 local artists– will transform the parking lot into an oversize printing press and use a construction steamroller to create banner-sized collaborative prints. The Book Butcher is a deli-themed book shop, where visitors can order different “cuts” of magazines and books, contributed from revered publishers, big and small, across the nation.
Plus, Printers Ball 2015 will feature the first-ever Book Drive benefiting Open Books. Lightly used and affectionately discarded books can be contributing to a one-of-a-kind book repository created by artist Linsey Burrett.
This year, there are new and exciting ways to participate in Printers Ball 2015: Push & Pull. As always, Basic Admission is free for all! A VIP ticket ($25) includes a limited edition tote bag and poster, guaranteed entry to the keynote presentation, one free drink ticket, and five free books at our deli-themed “Book Butcher” shop. With a General Admission ticket ($5), you support Printers Ball 2015 and receive guaranteed entry to the Keynote presentation. All donations support Printers Ball and Spudnik Press!
The full event schedule is now available online at printersball.org.
Follow @printersballCHI and @spudnikpress on Instagram and Twitter and search #pushandpull #printersball to receive Printers Ball updates.
Printers Ball 2015 is presented by Spudnik Press Cooperative, in partnership with Two Brothers Coffee Roasters, Rose Paving Company and CHIRP Radio. Made possible by the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine.