About

The Belfast Print Workshop Archive is a vibrant collection of fine art prints produced by artists who have been working in Belfast since the establishment of the workshop in 1977 right up until the present day.

A wide range of techniques and styles are represented in the rich collection of over 1000 prints.  Notable artists whose work can be found in the archive include Basil Blackshaw, Richard Croft, Sophie Aghajanian, James Allen, Alice Maher, Neil Shawcross to name but a few. Some of the prints in the collection were created during periods of artists' residencies at BPW, other work was contributed to the archive by artists during their studio membership or while guests of the studio, as well as by honorary members.

Historically one print from every edition printed within BPW was donated to the BPW archive.  Over the past four decades the collection has grown to form an invaluable source of printmaking history within BPW and an important part of printmaking heritage on the island of Ireland as a whole.  The collection is a significant cultural and historical resource not only for researchers, curators, artists and academics alike, but also acts as an important touchstone and beacon of artistic heritage for the wider Belfast community and people of Ireland, both north and south.

The BPW Archive Development Project, which began in 2021 and is generously supported by the Esmé Mitchell Trust, seeks to build upon this unique repository of printmaking history through the development of this digital platform, thus ensuring the preservation and growth of this significant collection for generations to come.

For more information on printmaking in Belfast along with current workshops, exhibitions and events held at the Belfast Print Workshop, please visit the BPW website: http://www.bpw.org.uk

If you have questions regarding the print collection at BPW or if you would like to make an appointment to visit the archive, please contact us by email on archive@bpw.org.uk or by phone on +44 (0) 28 9023 1323.