Programming

Exhibitions are a cornerstone of MGC Community Print Studio’s programming, which aims to provide access and visibility to artists working in a broad range of printmaking processes. Building on MGC’s legacy as a vital home for prints since 1986, we are excited that this will be our first open call print exhibition in our new home in Powerhouse Arts (PHA) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Coinciding with PHA’s second annual Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, MGC is pleased to announce our 2026 National Print Exhibition, a juried competition and exhibition devoted to fine art prints, which will be part of a series of events celebrating the 40th anniversary of MGC’s founding. 

Last year, the Fair’s inaugural, saw 7,500 visitors. Anticipating even larger crowds of print enthusiasts, collectors, curators, and journalists, the exhibition will provide expanded opportunities for professional community building, sales, as well as open dialog during the Fair’s four days, April 9–12, 2026. The MGC Community Print Studio National Juried Exhibition will become a recurring highlight of future fairs.

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Ann Shafer is an independent curator, art historian, and a leading expert on intaglio printmaking by Stanley William Hayter and Atelier 17. Formerly Shafer was associate curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art, where she curated a variety of exhibitions and hosted myriad classes and visitors. She also organized the museum’s Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair in 2012, 2015, and 2017, featuring an international array of twenty presses, publishers, and dealers. In April 2022, she mounted a new, independent print fair in Baltimore, and in 2025, she consulted Powerhouse Arts on its inaugural Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair. She hosts the podcast Platemark: prints and the printmaking ecosystem and writes a blog about favorite works of art (annshafer.com). Shafer has a BA from The College of Wooster and a MA from Williams College, both in art history. In addition to the BMA, Ann has worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Williams College Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art.

Diya Vij is the Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, NY and is committed to critically investigating the evolving role of art in politics and civic life. Most recently, she served as the Curator at Creative Time where she commissioned and stewarded large-scale public art work, launched the public programming space CTHQ, re-launched the Creative Time Summit, and initiated the R&D Fellowship for socially engaged artists. Over the past decade, she has held programming, curatorial, and communications positions at major New York City Institutions. As the Associate Curator of Public Programs at the High Line, she organized dozens of live events and performances with artists, activists, practitioners, and healers. At the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Vij launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) program. Additionally, she helped lead the Agency’s citywide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative, and played an active role in public monument efforts, as well as CreateNYC—New York City’s first strategic long-term plan for culture. She was a curatorial fellow and the communications manager at the Queens Museum from 2010–2014. She currently serves on the Boards of A Blade of Grass, the Laundromat Project and the Poetry Project and was co-curator of the Counterpublic Triennial 2023 in St. Louis, MO.

Poster House is the only museum in the United States dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters as both historic records and contemporary tools of visual communication.

The Poster House team will lead a poster pasting experience that highlights the role of posters as a public art form. Guests will learn about how wheatpaste is made and how it is used to install posters in public spaces. The activity will take no more than five minutes and will give you a hands-on introduction to the museum’s mission while demonstrating how posters transform shared spaces into places of creative expression.

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Friday, Apr 10: 12pm, 2pm, and 3pm

Saturday, Apr 11: 12pm, 2pm

Sunday, Apr 12: 12pm

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Enjoy a private tour of the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair with educator and artist Clara Lieu who will provide engaging and accessible introductions to the featured galleries, schools and organizations. The tour will include insight into the materials and process behind a wide range of printmaking techniques, collecting art today, as well as the role of printmaking in art history and contemporary art. 

Tours are free with entry, but each is limited to 15 participants and spots are first come, first served. Meet in the Grand Hall near the main lounge.

Clara Lieu is the founder of Art Prof, an online educational platform for learning visual arts.‍Artist grants include ones from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Puffin Foundation. Her work has been exhibited at the International Print Center New York, the Danforth Museum of Art, the Currier Museum of Art, and the Davis Museum and Cultural Center.‍She spent 16 years in academia teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design, Wellesley College, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and Lesley University. For 7 years she taught at RISD Project Open Door, an art program for underserved teens in Providence public schools. ‍She has written for the New York Times, and lectures widely.  Her work has been profiled on WBUR, Artsy, Hyperallergic, Inside Higher Ed, WCVB’s Chronicle, and KPCC. She provided expertise on articles for NPR Weekend Edition and The Washington Post.

Calling all print nerds! Start your Friday at the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair with a caffeine boost and great conversation.

Join Miranda Metcalf (Hello, Print Friend) and Ann Shafer (Platemark) for an informal BYO-coffee meetup at 10:00 am before the doors open at 11:00. It’s the perfect chance to talk shop about the printmaking ecosystem with fellow print people before heading into the fair!

Grabando Oaxaca
2024, 20 mins

This documentary takes viewers on a captivating exploration of Oaxaca, Mexico, a globally recognized hot spot for the art of printmaking.

The film delves into the region’s deep-rooted traditions, tracing the development of printmaking from its historical origins to its rise in global prominence and the key role of the APPO movement in this evolution. Through interviews with contemporary influential figures, we uncover how Oaxaca became a world-renowned epicenter for the art form.

The documentary showcases the current vibrant scene, highlighting the work of contemporary artists and their contributions to the evolving medium. As we journey through studios, galleries, archives, and collectives, the film reflects on the hopes and aspirations of artists for the future of printmaking in Oaxaca, emphasizing the importance of preserving its rich cultural heritage while embracing innovation. Through stunning visuals and personal stories, Grabando Oaxaca offers a comprehensive look at the past, present, and future of this celebrated artistic tradition.

Produced with support from The Institute for Electronic Arts at Alfred University, The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council on the Arts, The Schein-Joseph Endowment, Gonzaga University, and Hello Print Friend Studios.

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Stay tuned for more information on the featured panelists.

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Please note seating is first-come, first-served. Plan to arrive early to secure your seat(s).
We provide live-captioning services and ASL interpreters at every conversation over the weekend.

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Join artist Takuji Hamanaka for a hands-on look at traditional Japanese woodcut printing. This demonstration introduces the core elements of mokuhanga—printing with a baren, using kento marks for precise registration, and creating subtle bokashi color gradients. Visitors will see woodblocks, brushes, pigments, and examples of both historic ukiyo-e prints and contemporary artworks. Whether you're new to printmaking or an experienced maker, this is an approachable glimpse into a centuries-old craft that continues to inspire.

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Takuji Hamanaka is an artist and printmaker living in Brooklyn, New York. He apprenticed in traditional woodcut printmaking in Tokyo, Japan and has worked in studios both in Japan and the US, collaborating with many artists for editions. His work has been exhibited internationally, including the International Print Center, NY; Whitman College, Washington; National Academy of Fine Arts, India; and the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a recipient of the NYFA fellowships, a Pollock-Krasner Grant, The Gottlieb Foundation Individual Support Grant and a Macdowell Colony fellow. He is represented by Kristen Lorello Gallery in NY.

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Demystify the print industry with Clara Lieu (Art Prof) and Ann Shafer (Platemark) as they map out a "who’s who" of curators, gallerists, academics, and publishers. Learn how to approach these gatekeepers with confidence through a series of professional insights and tips designed to help artists find their place in the printmaking ecosystem.

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Clara Lieu is the founder of Art Prof, an online educational platform for learning visual arts.
Artist grants include ones from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Puffin Foundation. Her work has been exhibited at the International Print Center New York, the Danforth Museum of Art, the Currier Museum of Art, and the Davis Museum and Cultural Center.
She spent 16 years in academia teaching at the Rhode Island School of Design, Wellesley College, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and Lesley University. For 7 years she taught at RISD Project Open Door, an art program for underserved teens in Providence public schools.
She has written for the New York Times, and lectures widely.  Her work has been profiled on WBUR, Artsy, Hyperallergic, Inside Higher Ed, WCVB’s Chronicle, and KPCC. She provided expertise on articles for NPR Weekend Edition and The Washington Post.

‍Ann Shafer is an independent curator, organizer of the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, and creator and host of Platemark, the popular podcast dedicated to the world of prints and the printmaking ecosystem. A former curator at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Ann has spent her career immersed in the print ecosystem, organizing major exhibitions and building significant collections. She is currently editing a definitive multi-author volume on the history and legacy of Atelier 17, bridging the gap between mid-century modernism and contemporary practice. Through her scholarship and her insightful interviews on Platemark, Ann has become a vital connector for artists, curators, and collectors, offering a rare 360-degree view of how the print world functions from the inside out.

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Please note seating is first-come, first-served. Plan to arrive early to secure your seat(s).
We provide live-captioning services and ASL interpreters at every conversation over the weekend.

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Impresión de Resistencia

2026, 26 mins

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This documentary explores printmaking in Puerto Rico as a living practice shaped by education, resistance, and daily life under an ongoing colonial condition. 

It centers the pivotal role of the División de Educación de la Comunidad (DIVEDCO), whose artists transformed printmaking into a powerful tool for public education, cultural affirmation, and collective memory in the mid-twentieth century.

Through the voices of contemporary Puerto Rican printmakers, the film addresses precarity, migration, and institutional neglect, while examining why printmaking—accessible, reproducible, and deeply rooted in community—continues to matter on the island.

Drawing on archival materials from the Museo de Antropología, Historia y Arte and the Lazaro Library of la Universidad de Puerto Rico, the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Rio Piedras campus), the Library of Congress, and the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, alongside interviews with artists including Poli Marichal and Fernando Santiago, the documentary traces an active, ongoing dialogue between past, present, and future.

Produced with support from Print Austin, Speedball Art Products, Southern Graphic Council International, Hello Print Friend Studios, and the generous donations of people around the world.

Miranda K. Metcalf holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a master's degree in art history with a focus on printmaking. She has held the directorship of arts organizations in Australia, Thailand, and the United States in both commercial and non-profit institutions and serves on the board of Print Austin. She is the director and founder of Hello, Print Friend Studios. 

Reinaldo Gil Zambrano is an award-winning printmaking artist from Caracas, Venezuela, in Spokane, WA. Reinaldo is currently an associate professor of Printmaking at Gonzaga University, Co-founder of the Spokane Print & Publishing Center, and former Art Commissioner for the state of Washington.

Fraíxa Albizu Rodríguez was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, on December 20, 1996. She completed her bachelor's degree at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico in 2020 and is currently doing a master's degree in cultural administration at the University of Puerto Rico. She is the founder of Ciclos Gráficos, a non-profit organization that aims to promote the exchange of prints with artists of all backgrounds through the creation of exchange portfolios.

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Please note seating is first-come, first-served. Plan to arrive early to secure your seat(s).
We provide live-captioning services and ASL interpreters at every conversation over the weekend.

In conjunction with the exhibition Felipe Baeza: Anima at Print Center New York, participants are invited to create prints inspired by Baeza’s layered imagery and material processes. Participants will explore texture, abstraction, and collage using watercolor monotype and chine collé techniques. Led by artist-educators Megan Duffy, Alejandra Arias Sevilla, and Cecilia Cano-Daly, this open-ended workshop emphasizes experimentation and creative discovery to engage with the visual language of Baeza’s work. Felipe Baeza: Anima is on view through May 23 at Print Center New York. 

This workshop is free with entry, but is limited to 25 participants and spots are first come, first served. No experience is necessary. Recommended for ages 12 and over. All materials provided. 

Megan Duffy is an arts administrator and art educator based in Brooklyn, NY. She currently serves as Project Manager for the NYC Department of Transportation Art Program, managing temporary art installations throughout the five boroughs in partnership with professional artists and community organizations. Previously, Megan was Artist Programs Manager at Print Center New York, overseeing the New Prints juried exhibition series among other initiatives. She has also worked as a museum educator at the Newark Museum of Art. Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Studio Art from Skidmore College, focusing on printmaking and textiles.  

Alejandra Arias Sevilla is a visual artist, collaborator, and printmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Through research-based and intuitive methodologies, her work investigates the semantics and pragmatics of the color blue, as well as translation and shadows. Arias Sevilla earned her BFA at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. In 2021, she was awarded the Undergrowth Educational Print Fund at Mullowney Printing. After completing the apprenticeship, she joined the team, becoming the Lead Printer (2022-2023). In 2024, Arias Sevilla had two solo exhibitions, Borderings Print Center New York, and Translation as Deformation at the Jordan Schnitzer Gallery at Dieu Donné after completing the Marabeth Cohen-Tyler Print/Paper Fellowship.

Cecilia Cano-Daly is a printmaker based in Queens, NY. She primarily explores material processes, thinking of her creation as a collaboration between herself and the techniques she employs. She embraces the process and experimentation intrinsic to printmaking, often playing with the balance between control and chance. Cecilia completed a studio internship at Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in May 2024, and is set to begin apprenticing at Mullowney Printing through the Undergrowth Educational Print Fund in April 2026.

For almost thirty years artist Glenn Ligon and master printer Luther Davis have collaborated on some of Ligon’s largest works including two of his series Come Out (2014-2015) and Debris Field (2018– ). Most recently Ligon produced a body of work titled Blue (for JB); the foundation of these monumental works on paper start with a silkscreened image based off of Ligon’s rubbings on top of one of the paintings from his Stranger series. In order to create the ideal ground or working surface for Ligon, he and Davis developed various iterations until the screened image resonated. 

Glenn Ligon is an artist living and working in New York. Throughout his career, Ligon has pursued an incisive exploration of American history, literature, and society across bodies of work that build critically on the legacies of modern painting and conceptual art.

He is best known for his landmark text-based paintings, made since the late 1980s, which draw on the influential writings and speech of 20th-century cultural figures including James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Jean Genet, and Richard Pryor. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and attended the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program. In 2011, the Whitney Museum of American Art held a mid-career retrospective, AMERICA, organized by Scott Rothkopf, that traveled nationally. Important solo exhibitions include Break It Down, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen, CO (2025); All Over the Place, The Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge, England (2024); Post-Noir, Carre d’Art, Nîmes (2022); Call and Response, Camden Arts Centre, London (2014); and Some Changes, The Power Plant Center for Contemporary Art, Toronto (traveled internationally) (2005). Select curatorial projects include Grief and Grievance, New Museum, New York (2021); Blue Black, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, St. Louis (2017); and Encounters and Collisions, Nottingham Contemporary and Tate Liverpool (2015). Ligon’s work has been shown in major international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale (2015, 1997), Berlin Biennial (2014), Istanbul Biennial (2019, 2011), and Documenta XI (2002).

Luther Davis has been the Master Printer and Director of the Powerhouse Arts Print Program since 2016. Luther teaches printmaking at Parsons School of Design and The Cooper Union. He was the co-founder of Forth Estate, a fine art publisher focused on producing limited editions with emerging artists, and from 1999-2016 he was the Master Printer and Director of Axelle Editions, a fine art print atelier specializing in screen printing that produced over 300 editions a year with more than 100 artists.

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Please note seating is first-come, first-served. Plan to arrive early to secure your seat(s).
We provide live-captioning services and ASL interpreters at every conversation over the weekend.

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Artisan Erik Savage and team will demonstrate a printing technique used by The Alpha Workshops in the production of some of their catalogue of award-winning wallpaper patterns. The team will demo intaglio carving using lightweight foam blocks and will print and embellish a signature Alpha wallpaper. Participants will take away a gorgeous hand-painted greeting card exemplifying these techniques.

Dedicated to creating beauty and changing lives, The Alpha Workshops is the nation’s first nonprofit organization to provide decorative arts education and employment to adults with visible or invisible disabilities and/or other vulnerabilities. It was founded in 1995 in the Chelsea area of Manhattan and modeled on the famed Omega Workshops, the Wiener Werkstätte, the Bauhaus, and the American Arts & Crafts movement. The multi-faceted organization encompasses The Alpha Workshops Studios, an award-winning professional design and decorative arts atelier.

‍Erik Savage joined The Alpha Workshops wallpaper artisan staff in 2012 and became the Production Manager in 2015. He designed many papers in the current collection and has taught the techniques of Alpha's signature folded papers and the traditional stamped patterns of our first collections in our Studio School.

Bringing together Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. and Josh MacPhee, their conversation will center print as a democratic force that is portable, accessible, and unapologetically political. From Kennedy’s bold, type-driven calls for justice to MacPhee’s collaborative social movement archives, the conversation challenges the myth of art’s neutrality and individual authorship. Drawing from Black printing traditions, social movements, and grassroots distribution, Kennedy and MacPhee explore how printed matter circulates beyond elite art systems and spaces. Together, prints are positioned not as an artifact, but as action, a tool to agitate, educate, and move people toward change. 

I am negro! - Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. 

Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. is a letterpress printer and artist renowned for bold typography and socially engaged messages. After discovering letterpress printing in the late 1980s, he left a career as a systems analyst and earned an MFA in graphic design from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Hyperallergic, and The Economist, and is held by institutions including the Library of Congress, MoMA, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Josh MacPhee is a founding member of the Justseeds Artists’ Cooperative (Justseeds.org) and Interference Archive, a public collection of cultural materials produced by social movements (InterferenceArchive.org).

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Please note seating is first-come, first-served. Plan to arrive early to secure your seat(s).
We provide live-captioning services and ASL interpreters at every conversation over the weekend.