Join members of Designer Bookbinders for an exclusive insight into their craft, as they showcase a selection of their work on display in the Flora Twort Gallery as part of our Bound Together: Modern British Bookbinding exhibition.
Explore the stories behind each binding as the artists discuss their creative process, from the construction and materials used to the decorative techniques that bring each piece to life. You'll learn how design ideas evolve and take shape in these stunning, handcrafted works.
Get hands-on with samples of materials and techniques, giving you a closer look—and feel—of the artistry behind modern bookbinding.
This event takes place during normal opening hours but spaces are limited so booking is essential.
Ticket includes admission to Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery.
About Designer Bookbinders
The Designer Bookbinders society evolved from The Hampstead Guild of Scribes and Bookbinders, which was founded in 1951. Its name was changed in 1955 to The Guild of Contemporary Bookbinders.
Initially, the Guild was an informal group of about a dozen practicing bookbinders, but gradually an increasing number of people with an interest in bookbinding wished to be associated with the Guild’s activities and so, in 1968, a formal constitution was drawn up and the present name, Designer Bookbinders, was adopted. In 1981 the society was accorded charitable status.
Designer Bookbinders’ history can be traced back to 1951, when the Festival of Britain attempted to revive the spirits of the British people after the austerity of the 1940s. The festival inspired many groups of people to take a positive view of the future and promote various art forms.
Bookbinding was no exception, as at that time it was in great need of a new approach and ideas to move it on from its traditional origins, where the output from most workshops, and particularly ‘the trade’, was still mired in the 19th Century.
As the society moves forward into the 21st Century it continues to pursue its fundamental objectives to promote, maintain and improve the standards of design and craft in hand bookbinding by means of exhibitions, teaching and publications.
