A Chat with Josh Williams - Hull Print Fair
Hull's annual print fair starts this weekend with creators from across the north bringing their art to the Jubilee church on King Edward Street.
The event is a celebration of the physical print medium, featuring a full range of artistic styles and print media, including screen printing, linocuts, and etchings. It'll let you support independent artists by grabbing yourself a one-off piece of decor from one of over 20 different stalls and sellers.
In a world of rapidly changing AI landscapes and mass-manufactured Temu, this print fair gives the people of Hull a chance to get a piece of original and handcrafted art.
Listen to our interview with Josh, the organiser, below
What is the Hull print fair for those who might not know about it?
“The Hull print fair is an annual celebration of print with a lot of graphic design, writers, screen print and illustration. It's an opportunity for artists and creatives to showcase their work and make it accessible for the general public, for everyone to go pick up a piece of art, across all different ranges. So I think a key thing for us is making sure it's a good, accessible price level, so nothing's too over the top.”
What makes the print fair different from ordering prints online?
“The artists they've generally spent time and made prints through analogue processes, using screen printing, using collage or using micrograph or lino, all these different processes that are maybe not as vast as they once were. And you know, it's important to highlight that.”
How important is it to spotlight the independent creatives involved with the fair?
“It's so hard for artists to have that platform or space to showcase what they're doing. That's something that's really important for us, is to give access and let all different levels of Artists take part in the fair, not just someone that's not really well off or established”
“Also giving opportunities to new, upcoming creatives. This year, we've got Wyke Art Foundation coming to host a stall. So that's, like, really exciting for me, and something, I think in the future, we'll try and get more of things like that, like getting young creatives and allowing them to be kind of next to all different levels of professionals in the field.”
The event and workshops are completely free, giving anyone the chance to attend and participate. The event is running from 10am-4pm on Saturday at the Jubilee church in Hull. If you fancy something new to bring a room together or grab something special before the Christmas period starts, support your local artists and buy a print.
Words Tom Whittleton
