The Gathering Press in Tipton

In August 2024, we worked with artist Laura Onions who delivered screen-printing workshops for community groups across Tipton using her mobile kit, ‘The Gathering Press’. Young people and children were invited to design, print, and hand-write postcards advocating for the preservation of green spaces, and reflect their thoughts on climate change and the natural world.

The intention was to create small yet impactful artworks that not only express personal messages but also inspire others to share theirs with the wider community, much like postcards have done for centuries as keepsakes and connections across time and geography. These workshops connect to the legacy of the Women in Print movement, specifically the 1973 ‘Women’s History Postcard Project’ initiated by the Helaine Victoria Press in the USA, which used postcards as a powerful tool to share the stories of women breaking barriers across the USA.

Working with the Bangladeshi Women’s Association and Life in Community, participants experimented with and learnt how to screen print, using images from the local area combined with more painterly approaches, whilst engaging in conversation around their local environment. For two of the workshops, we were also joined by the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, who delivered nature-themed activities, including making bird-feeders and seed-bombs, and creating leaf garlands and wands.

It was a joy to see the young people express their creativity and ideas about the environment, contributing their voices to a broader collective memory and continuing the tradition of using postcards to communicate powerful narratives.

This project has been generously funded by The Energy Saving Trust.⁠