The People Powered Press
Print · Self-Initiated · Typography
Built by JKN OilTools in Batley, the People Powered Press was originally created for These Northern Types and is the largest letterpress printing press of it’s kind in the world.
As of 2020, the People Powered Press CIC was established as a separate non-profit organisation, set up to amplify local voices and words worth spreading. It works with community groups through writing and printing workshops, to create prints that are then displayed in the heart of the groups’ communities – outdoors and in. To express an interest in working with The People Powered Press CIC, and to check out their private workshop programme that helps support the work, visit the People Powered Press website here.
A Guinness World Record!
On 15 April 2019, with the help of some friends, Split and JKN OilTools set a new Guinness World Record! The People Powered Press was recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest letterpress printing press of its kind in the world.
Graft
The first type made for the press is named Graft in honour of the team at JKN OilTools, the type is cut from solid steel at 60em (720pt), accompanied by a set of giant feature numerals that come in at 3480pt.
Selected Works
Featuring some seriously giant numerals, the first series of prints from the People Powered Press was We Are The Makers of the World, written by Helen Shay and Bee Smith for These Northern Types.
As part of 2019’s Hear My Voice festival in Barnsley, the press was invited to run writing and printing workshops with local community groups, creating a series of collaborative poems and prints.
The works were displayed in an exhibition at Elsecar Heritage Centre’s Ironworks, alongside the first piece by the People Powered Press’ soon-to-be Poet in Residence, Antony Dunn.
Led by poet Peter Spafford and in collaboration with East Leeds FM, a group of young writers from East Leeds created a series of phrases around the theme of ‘being heard’.
The participants visited us in the studio over two weeks to print their posters on the People Powered Press. The posters were then displayed in East Leeds, and in two locations in the heart of the city. Articulate Your Silence was created as a four-part piece, fading from almost nothing to solid silver.
With thanks to Pop Art Media Group.
Work With the PPP
The People Powered Press has worked with a wide range of groups, charities, not-for-profits and venues from, and in, all kinds of communities to amplify their voices and make prints using their own words. If there’s a group you think would get a lot out of working with the People Powered Press get in touch via the People Powered Press website: www.thepeoplepoweredpress.org