This workshop took particpants step-by-step through the process of making an album from scratch, sewing the pages with compensation guards to allow for the thickness of the photos and then making the covers with cloth at the spine and decorative paper.

Kate Holland is a multi-award-winning artist-bookbinder, specialising in contemporary fine bindings to commission or for exhibition. Kate uses traditional materials and techniques to produce a unique, modern binding that reflects the text, illustrations, and typeface of the book. Kate also works with individuals and private presses to produce the whole book, whether one offs or limited editions and can advise on all aspects of the book production from printing, through layout, to binding and boxes. Kate is a Fellow of Designer Bookbinders and has books in the library of Human Imagination, the British Library, Bodleian and Yale University Libraries, as well as many public and private collections internationally, and is a regular binder to the Booker Prize, and featured on BBC The One Show. Kate is a very experienced teacher and has initiated many converts to the joys of bookbinding with patience and humour with regular slots at West Dean College and Soho House amongst others.

This little long stitch journal is a great accessory for writers, artists, or anyone who wants to keep stylish notes. During this practical workshop participants learnt how to select and prepare materials, measure, and draw a pattern for a leather cover, then sew the pages into the cover before attaching a decorative fastening strap. A non-leather option was also available.

Rachel Ward-Sale studied Art, Design and Bookbinding at The University of Brighton from 1977 – 1981. After winning the Designer Bookbinders competition in 1980 and 2004 she was elected a Fellow of Designer Bookbinders in 2005 and was President from 2019-2021. From her bindery in Sussex she undertakes a wide range of work including design bindings and tuition.

Inspired by the work of Joseph Cornell and other collage artists, participants created and individually designed their own ‘Collaged’, hard bound, 192 lined-page note book from pre-prepared materials and book kit. Workshop elements included hand lettering, cutting, gluing, casing in, and pressing, along with tips and tricks.

Mark Cockram was elected Fellow of Designer Bookbinders in 2001, Brother of the Art Workers Guild in 2008 and appointed Special Researcher to the University of Shanghai Science and Technology College of Art and Design in 2019. Accredited Teacher for the Society of Bookbinders and a faculty Fellow to the New York Center for Book Arts in 2017. Mark opened his first bookbinding studio in Lincoln in 1992 and Studio 5, London, in 2003. He works in fine contemporary bookbinding, book arts, printing and box art, and is exhibited nationally and internationally. Mark teaches various aspects of bookbinding/book arts in Studio 5, the UK, France, USA, India, the Philippines, China and Japan. Once being described as the Christian Lacroix of bookbinding. Mark’s diverse work is represented in public and private collections around the world, including The National Art Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum, National Library of Congress and The Art Workers Guild. Since being elected Fellow he has been a regular Booker Prize binder.

This workshop introduced four ways of folding a single flat sheet of paper (such as an art work or map) into a three-dimensional object. Participants chose one of these techniques to make an artist’s book.

Midori Kunikata-Cockram graduated from the BA (Hons) Academy of Arts course, Joshibi University of Art and Design, Tokyo. She studied fine binding at Bookbinding Studio Livre, Tokyo and was later awarded a diploma with merit in Fine Bookbinding and Conservation, Guildford College of Technology, Surrey, UK. Since graduating Midori has given workshops and lectures and held exhibitions in the UK, USA, Europe and Japan. She opened the Jade Bookbinding Studio in London in 1997, concentrating on private tuition, commissions and personal work. Elected Fellow of Designer Bookbinders in 2007, Midori is a member of the Society of Bookbinders and Tokyo Bookbinding Club. In 2017 she was among the ‘Distinguished Winners’ in the Designer Bookbinders International Competition.