London Centre For Book Arts' new Kickstarter supports the return of shared workspaces in post-Covid life

Established in 2012, the London Centre for Book Arts is an open-access studio for bookmaking and designing, with education and community at its core. The studio welcomes all creatives, regardless of their background or experience, and provides them with resources and workshops to help their creative visions come to life – making the space one-of-a-kind in the UK.

Written By: Harry Bennett

28 September 2021

Along with so many other businesses, LCBA, unfortunately, took a brutal hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, having all studio funding almost instantly cut to zero. Now looking to fully reopen to the public for the first time since early 2020, LCBA has launched a crowdfunding campaign to improve their studio to accommodate the post-Covid-19 logistics of shared workspaces.

Brick building facade with green doorway featuring colourful geometric panels, wooden bench, potted plant and various graffiti tags on surrounding walls

Bright studio workspace at the London Centre for Book Arts filled with bookmaking equipment, printing presses, a bicycle, and shelving units stacked with materials near large windows

LCBA co-founder Ira Yonemura tells us, "the new layout of the studios means that there will be more workspaces, better access to equipment, and a chance to share the work of our community with the public," he adds, "it's an opportunity to grow and strengthen our community and establish LCBA as a place that fosters talent and forges new possibilities for the art, design, and craft of making books."

The rebuild of the studio will enable LCBA to safely accommodate workshop attendees, studio users, and visitors daily, meaning the space can once again be used to provide resources and education on bookbinding, supporting beginners and experts alike.

Wooden wall-mounted storage rack holding rolled sheets of coloured paper in various shades including green, white, orange, yellow and cream

Hands holding a teal book cover above a cutting mat surrounded by bookbinding tools and materials in a creative studio workspace

Close-up of a letterpress printing machine with metal type arranged in the bed and a large roller positioned above it, at the London Centre for Book Arts

LCBA's reopening will not only bring about changes to the studio's layout but crowdfunding will also be put towards building a new exhibition space solely dedicated to all things books. "One thing we're excited about is our new exhibition space," Yonemura adds. "We're looking forward to showcasing the work of our community and more broadly other artists, designers, publishers, and makers that inspire us," becoming one of the UK's only spaces dedicated to artist's books. "It's a way not just to support our community with material support, but to champion their work in a wider cultural context," concludes Yonemura.

Support LCBA's campaign on Kickstarter here. Rewards for a donation include a new LCBA book, Books: Art, Craft & Community, items with artwork by Jay Cover and Gabriel Alcala, as well as a series of specialised workshops and membership deals.