PRINTFEST has announced its line-up for the 2017 event, with more exhibiting artists than ever before.

The renowned Ulverston festival will return in April after a year out, with a larger guest list and more awards for its artists.

The UK’s foremost artist-led printmaking has had a record number of applications submitted this year, with the list of names now confirmed.

Appearing in the 2017 line-up will be: Printmaker of the Year Jason Hicklin, Printmakers’ Printmaker Fouzia Zafar, Debby Akam, Ruth Allen, Diana Ashdown, Sinclair Ashman, Jamie Barnes, Laura Boswell, Joanna Bourne, Georgina Bown, Cath Brooke, Diane Connell, Hester Cox, Clare Cutts, Annwyn Dean, Katie Edwards, Lucy Gell, James Green, Emma Grover, Sarah Harris, John Hatton, Raymond Higgs, Glenn Ibbitson, Gail Kelly, Faisal Khouja, Marion Kuit, Suzie MacKenzie, Sarah Mander, Flora McLachlan, Julian Milner, Martin Mitchell, Stef Mitchell, New Light artists including Neil Bousfield and Emma Lawrenson, Tricia Newell, Jane Ormes, Carol Pairaudeau with Paula Gamble-Schwarz, Mark Pearce, Anja Percival, Helen Peyton, Anthony Ratcliffe, Diane Rickerby, Chris Salmon, Jay Seabrook, Rose Seber, Rahil Sheikh, Kelly Stewart, Glenn Tomkinson, and Beverley White.
Raymond Higgs

Artists will be coming from all over the UK, as far afield as Bristol and Brighton, County Down and Carmarthen, with one from Amsterdam, and many more Cumbrian artists.

This year’s line-up brings a balance of new names and returning artists to Printfest, with a wide range of printmaking techniques on show for visitors to find out about, to meet the artists and to purchase artworks.

Printfest chair 2017 Sally Bamber says: "Printmaking is a form of alchemy, a celebration of ink on paper, the joy of looking at the world back-to-front.

"Printing plates are created with cutting and marking, altering the block by erosion on zinc or copper, or bringing elements together to make a collagraph plate, or mixing grease and water on a stone plate, with numerous more methods used to give you an impression.
Diane Rickerby

“It is a democratic way to spread an image, to make multiples that make it affordable, it’s about each impression being hand-made and unique. It’s about good quality art made available for everyone."

Founded in 2001, Printfest is dedicated to the exhibition and sale of contemporary prints.

It offers the opportunity to view and purchase art works, meet the artists and find out more about printmaking.

The event will open on Thursday April 27 with a talk, presented by the event's headline name, Printfest's Printmaker of the Year, Jason Hicklin, and the Printmakers' Printmaker, Fouzia Zafar. Though the event is free, booking's must be made in advance by emailing printfest@gmail.com

A private viewing for friends of Printfest will be held at the Coronation Hall on Friday 28, and then the main event runs at the venue all day Saturday and Sunday, with the final afternoon also including the presentation of this year's Printfest awards.

For more information, visit www.printfest.uk