International Print Biennale 2011

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About International Print Biennale 2011

Hi and welcome to the International Print Biennale 2011 (IPB11) flickr group. We've set this group up for all those Flickr users interested in IPB11, visitors to the festival and entrants to our competition to win a limited edition print. To enter the competition you don't need to join the group (though we'd love it if you did!). Just tag any photos of International Print Biennale with IPB11 and we will be able to find them and include your entry.

What is IPB11?

This is an exciting time for art in the North East. This autumn we will not only be welcoming the Turner Prize at BALTIC, but the whole region will play host to International Print Biennale 2011, taking place in Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham, Hexham and Barnard Castle from 17 September to 19 November. It follows the unprecedented success of the Northern Print Biennale in 2009 which was the first major printmaking festival in the UK for 20 years and attracted 95,000 visitors and participants, as well as a Journal Culture Arts Council Award for its quality and impact.

Renamed this year to reflect the truly international scale of the programme, International Print Biennale 2011 centres around the 2011 Print Awards. This year 44 artists were shortlisted from over 650 entries, and their work will be showcased in free exhibitions at Hatton Gallery, Northern Print and Laing Art Gallery. A further 12 galleries will host special print exhibitions including BALTIC, Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham and The Bowes Museum, offering culture vultures everywhere the perfect opportunity to visit their favourite venues and see something completely new.

Festival Director, Anna Wilkinson says:
“A lot of people think that printmaking is about reproductions. Nothing could be further from the truth. Artists are drawn to printmaking because it can make a mark like no other and we hope that International Print Biennale will leave a lasting impression on everyone who visits the exhibitions or takes part in the events.”

Alongside the exhibitions there will be some very special events aimed at providing fun, social and family friendly opportunities to experience the power of print. Ever thought of using a 12 tonne steamroller to make a gigantic woodblock print? Or printing around the world in 24 hours? Visit the website www.internationalprintbiennale.org.uk to find out more and to download itineraries designed to help everyone from families to fashionistas make the most of this amazing high quality festival of printmaking.

The 2011 Print Awards is the centrepiece of the International Print Biennale. This open submission prize enables a broad spectrum of artists to gain exposure and exhibit with other leading artists in their field. The 2011 selection panel includes Patrice Cotensin, Galerie Lelong, Paris; Peter Randall-Page, artist; and Mike Taylor, Paupers Press. 44 selected artists will display work in three major venues in Newcastle: Hatton Gallery, Laing Art Gallery and Northern Print from 17 September to 19 November 2011.