It’s time again for The Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine’s co-produced Printers’ Ball. Working with Columbia College Chicago’s Center for Book & Paper Arts and its Student Affairs Office, the sixth annual event is themed as “Print Loves Digital.”
The event will take place on Friday, July 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Columbia College’s Ludington Building (1104 S. Wabash Ave., one block west of Michigan Ave.), former home of the American Book Company. The event is free and open to all ages.
As one of the largest celebrations of print culture in the USA, the Printers’ Ball annually hosts more than 2,000 visitors. This year, with the addition of electronic participants, more than 200 local, national, and international literary organizations are involved in making it happen.
As the Ball’s first year hosting electronic publications, the event acts as a demonstration of how print and digital media can work in harmony.
Events offered at this celebration include live readings, music, and performances as well as a medley of professional DIY demonstrations, including printing techniques such as letterpress, offset, silk screening, rubber stamping, and paper making. In addition, thousands of free magazines, books, broadsides, and other takeaways will be available.
Other highlights include Printers’ Ball limited-edition Busy Beaver Buttons to the first 500 guests, red-carpet interviews with digital news editor for books at the Chicago Tribune and co-host of ChicagoNow Radio Amy Guth, PRINTERESTING.ORG’s “COPY JAM!” interactive art-print occurrence, and gallery presentations from the Printers’ Ball 2010 Art Book.
Chicago Public Radio’s Chicago Amplified will broadcast some of these events. Other major collaborators include ALARM, Chicago Printers Guild, Open Books, Sonnenzimmer, and Newcity. Sponsors include Sugarplum Catering, Founders, Milwaukee Special Reserve, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and Point.
For complete details on official lead-up events, a full schedule, and a listing of participating organizations and collaborators, visit printersball.org or E-mail editors@poetrymagazine.org.