MCBA 25th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit Art Mart
Friday, June 25; 6-9 p.m.
- Cocktails, appetizers and live music by Parisota Hot Club accompany an exciting evening celebrating Minnesota Center for Book Arts' 25th anniversary.
- Mix and mingle with artists and art lovers in one of the most inspiring creative hotbeds in the Cities, and raise a glass to MCBA's next 25 years.
- Revel in a one-night-only Art Mart: over a hundred book and print works by local and national artists, each work priced at only $25, $50, $75 or $100.
- Witness the unveiling of MCBA's commemorative print portfolio From Start To Here: 25 Years of Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
- Meet honored guest Claire Van Vliet, internationally acclaimed book artist and founder/proprietor of The Janus Press. Experience a display of work from The Janus Press' 55 years of artistic excellence, and bid for a chance to take home one of three Van Vliet originals by competitive silent auction. (Visit our website to view images of the works and read more.)
Tickets to this evening’s festivities are $25. You can purchase tickets at the door.
Target presents A Day To Discover: MCBA Free Community Open House
Saturday, June 26; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Feed your curiosity, stretch your creativity and get your hands dirty at this day full of discoveries! Celebrate MCBA’s 25th birthday with hands-on artmaking activities and interactive demonstrations of book arts YOU can do—letterpress printing, papermaking and marbling, hand bookbinding and even antique book repair.
Drop-in activities, ongoing throughout the day:
- Letterpress print a commemorative "pressure print" on the Vandercook press. Then use the print as the cover of your own handmade pamphlet-stitch book! (all ages)
- Make your own sheet of handmade paper, in fun shapes like a fish, a lizard or even your own hand! (all ages)
- Print your own commemorative bookmark with wood and metal type on the Vandercook letterpress (all ages)
- Check out professional artists demonstrating some of the fun and amazing things you can learn to do in MCBA's studios, like paper marbling! (all ages)
- Take a guided tour of MCBA’s home, the beautiful Open Book building, a century-old warehouse with many secrets and surprises still intact!
- Art exhibits, incredible sales and specials at The Shop, and of course birthday cake!
Scheduled events:
- 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Read a birthday story together, then construct a birthday cake book! Storytimes: 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15. (for preschoolers and families)
- 10 a.m.-12:45 p.m.: Learn about book repair and conservation of books and family documents (for adults)
- 1-4 p.m.: Make your own mini-comic with artists from the International Cartoonist Conspiracy, and get a personalized caricature! (for tweens and teens)
- 3 p.m.: Join MCBA Artistic Director Jeff Rathermel for a trip back in time--25 Years of MCBA Publications, a hands-on look at publications and artists' books created at MCBA. The presentation will include Winter Books, collaborative broadsides, work by past Jerome artists and other treasures from the archives.
