15 YEARS OF PRINT
BYO Printmaking Collaborative Celebrates 15 Years of Printmaking
(PHILADELPHIA, PA, March 3, 2025) March 2025 marks 15 years since BYO Print opened as a humble printmaking workshop in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Co-founded in 2010 by Kate VanVliet and Lauren Fischer, both alumni of Moore College of Art & Design, the studio emerged during a boom in coworking spaces for artists and entrepreneurs. Recognizing a lack of accessible printmaking studios, the two sought to fill that gap. Inspired by the upcoming citywide conference and printmaking celebration, Philagrafika 2010, (which culminated in the Southern Graphics Council International Conference: Philagrafika), VanVliet and Fischer were surprised that there were no community printshops open in Philadelphia accessible to artists like them.
“...the city’s printshops were behind closed doors to recent graduates like us; at art schools in the city, or aspirational studios like Brandywine or the Fabric Workshop. Artist collectives that inspired us included Space 1026, which offered a shared silkscreen studio for their members … Lauren and I weren’t the only artists who noticed the disconnect of hosting a citywide celebration of printmaking in a city without community printshops. By the end of 2010, three had launched addressing the same question, ‘how do I keep making printwork after school?’” - Kate VanVliet, Exit Strategies panel, SGCI 2024, Providence, RI.
BYO Print operated from three locations in Kensington and Fishtown from 2010 until in 2024, they moved to a “forever home” as the penthouse tenant of the new Paradigm Arts Building in Old City. To prepare for this big change, BYO Print incorporated and obtained nonprofit status, becoming BYO Printmaking Collaborative, allowing them to expand their programs and cement the printshop’s position within the arts community of Philadelphia.
Over the fifteen years as an artist collective and printshop, BYO Print has supported the careers of over 50 artists by providing reliable printshop space to practice, experiment, and collaborate. Guided by our artists, the studio grew from a scrappy space with limited offerings to a professional studio supporting intaglio, relief, silkscreen, lithography, book arts, and exhibition prep. BYO Print encourages experimental use of equipment and member-driven innovations.
To celebrate this milestone, BYO Print will host a series of events from March 2025 - March 2026.
“Our 15th anniversary is more than a milestone of how far we’ve come as a studio, but an exciting celebration of the artists who collaborate together to move the printshop forward,” says Kate. “With our new home in Old City, we’re expanding our offerings to artists and the public, increasing community engagement and ensuring printmaking remains accessible in Philadelphia for years to come.”
### 15th Anniversary Events Schedule ###
**Friday, March 7**
5-8pm
BYO Print, Paradigm Arts Building
12 N. 3rd Street, 5th floor
**March 6-29**
COMMONWEAL Gallery presents: Print Making Communities
Exhibition opening March 6, 6-8pm
Commonweal Gallery, 1314 N Mascher St
**beginning April 2025**
Second Sundays Open Studio Hours, 12 - 5pm
For the first time, we will be open to the public for tours/visits, and for artists to drop-in to use the equipment
Third Mondays Intaglio Club, 5 - 9pm
Free to members and a reduced drop-in fee for guests, a work time open to artists practicing intaglio, etching, drypoint, etc to share ideas and methods of this nuanced medium
First Fridays Open Hours, 5-8pm
Featured artists, make-n-take events, and other interactive events every First Friday
**April 12, 2025**
printPHILLY! Print Fair, 10am - 4pm
Hosted by the Philadelphia Print Consortium
Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St
**March 15 - April 30, 2025**
OPEN CALL for New Members
BYO Print will be accepting applications for the Studio Artist Program, which
provides 24/7 access to the community printshop to a cohort of practicing printmakers for a monthly membership fee.
Initial program will run June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026
**May 1-25, 2025**
2025 Member Trade Portfolio & Exhibition
Exhibition opening May 4, 4-7pm
Da Vinci Art Alliance, 704 Catherine St
**June/July/August 2025**
Artist in Residence: Jillian M Rock
In partnership with Da Vinci Art Alliance, we support the Linda Dubin Garfield Fellowship offered to a Philadelphia printmaker with a summer residency to produce work for a fall exhibition.
**October 11-12, 2025**
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours
12- 6pm both days
Open to the public with tours, demos, and featuring artist members’ work for sale
**March 2026**
ALUMNI GALLERY: BYO Print Members’ Exhibition
Details to be announced
The Galleries at Moore, Moore College of Art & Design, 1916 Race St
** Additional events may be announced throughout the year **