Centre for Print Research, UWE Bristol

What Centre for Print Research, UWE Bristol does

The Centre for Print Research (CFPR) is a multidisciplinary research centre within the University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol, founded in the late 1990s. It operates at the intersection of traditional printmaking and digital manufacturing, applying additive, subtractive, and hybrid fabrication technologies (including 3D printing) alongside research into historic photographic processes such as Woodburytype and Lippmann photography. The centre is led by Director Carinna Parraman with a research team of approximately 11 staff, including researchers with industrial backgrounds such as Susanne Klein (ex-Hewlett Packard Labs).

CFPR serves four overlapping audiences: practicing artists and makers, postgraduate and doctoral researchers, university and industry R&D partners, and cultural/heritage institutions. Its core products and outputs include Miniprints (small-format artist prints), CFPR Editions (fine-art publishing), the IMPACT multidisciplinary journal, the biennial IMPACT International Multidisciplinary Conference on Printmaking, the BABE biennial event hosted at Spike Island, short CPD courses priced between £50 and £280, PhD studentships and MA supervision, heritage accessibility projects (audio descriptions for visually impaired audiences), and physical products such as the Curio Case portable display.

The business model is academic and grant-funded: core operations are financed through UK research council grants (EPSRC, AHRC, UKRI), with secondary revenue from short course fees, print sales, editions, conference registration, and collaborative R&D partnerships with industry (Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Siltech Corp) and other universities (Leeds) and cultural venues (Arnolfini, Spike Island). No commercial revenue, ARR, or operating margin is publicly disclosed.

Name

Centre for Print Research, UWE Bristol

Legal name

Centre for Print Research, University of the West of England

Website

https://cfpr.uwe.ac.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Centre for Print Research is a UWE Bristol research centre combining traditional printmaking with digital fabrication, serving artists, students, researchers, and cultural institutions via education, publishing, conferences, and heritage accessibility projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Print Research and Education

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Books Printing (323117), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Book Printing (2732), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Textbook & Academic Print-on-Demand (Coursepacks, Monographs, Journals) (MPAJANAB)

Keywords

• Printmaking research
• Digital manufacturing
• Professional print courses
• Limited edition prints
• Artists books publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Grants and Council Funding: The centre receives substantial funding from research councils including EPSRC, AHRC, UKRI, and institutional sources for specific research projects and fellowships.
2. CPD Short Courses and Professional Development: Revenue from short course fees ranging from £50 to £280 per course, offered to individuals and corporate teams for upskilling and professional development in printmaking and related techniques.
3. Miniprints and Limited Edition Prints Sales: Sale of limited edition miniprints produced collaboratively with MA Print students. Prints are sold unframed (£20) or framed (£35) through the UWE online store.
4. Publications and Books: Sale of publications including artists' books, journals (The Blue Notebook), conference proceedings, and research monographs through the UWE store and Book Arts website.
5. CFPR Editions: Publishing studio specializing in limited edition prints by established and emerging artists. Editions are sold through the CFPR Editions website.
6. Doctoral Programme: PhD studentships funded through the College of Arts, Technology and Environment. Includes tax-exempt stipend (£20,780 per annum for 2025/26) and tuition fee coverage for three years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CFPR is a multidisciplinary research centre at UWE Bristol that combines traditional and digital printmaking techniques to deliver research outputs, education, and creative publishing. It sells limited edition Miniprints and CFPR Editions prints, offers CPD short courses and degree programmes (MA Printmaking, PhD studentships), publishes academic and artist books through IMPACT Press and The Blue Notebook journal, hosts the biennial IMPACT International Multidisciplinary Printmaking Conference, and produces the IMPACT Printmaking Journal.

Product overview

The Centre for Print Research (CFPR) at UWE Bristol operates as a multidisciplinary research centre rather than a commercial product company, offering a portfolio of educational and publishing services. The core offerings include Miniprints (annual limited edition prints), Publications (artist books, journals, and research publications), CFPR Editions (publishing studio for experimental prints), Short Courses/CPD (professional development in printmaking), PhD Studentships (doctoral research programmes), the IMPACT Printmaking Journal, IMPACT International Conference Series, and the Curio Case (portable exhibition display). These services collectively support artists, researchers, and practitioners in the field of printmaking and artists' books.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CFPR Editions: A publishing studio specialising in limited edition prints, exploring casting, robotics, construction, glass, ceramics, textiles, and installation
• IMPACT Printmaking Journal
• IMPACT International Conference Series
• IMPACT Press

Products and services

• Miniprints Annual limited edition prints produced collaboratively with MA Print students in editions of 60 at a standard 20x25cm format. Sold unframed at £20 and framed at £35 through the UWE online store.
• Publications Range of publications including books, journals, artists' books, The Blue Notebook Journal for Artists' Books, the Artists Book Yearbook, and research monographs from IMPACT Press.
• CFPR Editions Publishing studio specialising in limited edition prints that combine digital portfolio work with experimental materials including casting, robotics, construction, glass, ceramics, textiles, and installation. Features work from artists in the residency programme exploring emerging print technologies.
• Short Courses (CPD) Professional development courses open to beginners and experienced practitioners, covering traditional printmaking (suminagashi, photopolymer gravure, screen printing, etching, monoprinting, chine-collé) and digital skills (laser cutting, digital colour palette). Includes bespoke options for companies and teams. Course fees range from £50 to £280.
• PhD Studentships Doctoral research programmes including fully funded studentships with tax-exempt stipends (£20,780 per annum for 2025/26) and full tuition fee coverage for up to three years, funded through the College of Arts, Technology and Environment.
• IMPACT Printmaking Journal Academic journal dedicated to printmaking research, part of the IMPACT International Conference Series promoting multidisciplinary printmaking scholarship.
• IMPACT International Multidisciplinary Printmaking Conference Series Biennial international multidisciplinary printmaking conferences hosted by CFPR, bringing together researchers and practitioners in printmaking from around the world.
• Curio Case Portable, interactive display case inspired by Cabinet of Curiosities, made from lightweight pine and poplar plywood with sandblasted aluminium fittings. Available to hire for schools, galleries, art clubs, and community groups for hands-on making and display activities.
• MA Multidisciplinary Printmaking Master of Arts degree programme in multidisciplinary printmaking offered by UWE Bristol, led by the Programme Leader for MA Multidisciplinary Printmaking at CFPR.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 4,861 participants from 40 countries during 2020 Summer Print and Book Festival
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• SpeedballsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Sponsor of the IMPACT 12 International Multidisciplinary Printmaking Conference hosted by CFPR. Speedball is a printmaking supplies manufacturer with over 75 years heritage.
• ArnolfinicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Collaborative partner in the 2020 Summer Print and Book Festival and annual Miniprint exhibition hosting. Arnolfini is Bristol's major contemporary arts centre.
• Siltech CorpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Industry partner in the EPSRC-funded Woodbury and Lippmann research project exploring continuous tone and full colour non-impact printing technologies for security printing applications.
• Hewlett Packard EnterprisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Project partner in research on reinventing historic printing processes (Woodburytype and Lippmann photography) for modern 2.5D non-impact printing applications.
• Physics and Astronomy Department, University of LeedscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Academic partner contributing expertise in optics and colloidal chemistry to the Woodbury and Lippmann printing research project.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Primary academic partner in the Bristol and Bath by Design research project, contributing departments of Art and Design, Film and Journalism, and Business School.
• Bath Spa UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Academic partner in the AHRC-funded Bristol and Bath by Design project undertaking comprehensive analysis of design value and impact in the region.
• West of England Design ForumsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Industry partner in Bristol and Bath by Design research project representing design professionals in the West of England region.
• Bristol MediasupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Regional industry partner supporting the Bristol and Bath by Design project focused on the digital and creative media sector.
• Creative BathsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Regional partner in the Bristol and Bath by Design project representing the creative industries cluster in Bath and surrounding area.
• The West of England Local Enterprise PartnershipsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Governmental economic partnership supporting the Bristol and Bath by Design research with focus on regional economic development through design.
• REACTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Research partnership contributing to the Bristol and Bath by Design project, focused on bridging research and creative economy applications.
• John Purcell PapersupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the annual Miniprint exhibition, supplying paper stock for participating artists. John Purcell Paper is a UK paper supplier.
• London Centre for Book Arts (LCBA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the 2020 Print and Book Festival, co-hosting the Collage Challenge 'Wish I Was Where' ahead of the Collage Colloquium.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Booklyn Artists Alliance: Booklyn is an artist-run organisation supporting artist book makers through exhibitions, education and distribution. Comparable as a niche player in the same artist books and small-press community that CFPR serves via BABE and IMPACT.

Direct peers

• London Centre for Book Arts: LCBA is an artist-led organisation offering book arts and printmaking workshops, publishing, exhibitions and collaborative projects. Directly comparable because CFPR has collaborated with LCBA on the Print and Book Festival and both serve the artist book / printmaking community with courses and publishing programmes.
• Glasgow School of Art: Glasgow School of Art's School of Fine Practice includes printmaking studio facilities, a research culture around traditional and digital print, and annual degree shows featuring limited-edition prints. Comparable as a Scottish university with a research-led printmaking environment producing similar courses and exhibition outputs.
• Royal College of Art: Royal College of Art hosts a Print programme covering similar multidisciplinary printmaking and research outputs, including artist books, editions and exhibitions. Comparable as a UK-based academic institution offering postgraduate print research and practice at the intersection of fine art and design.
• Center for Book Arts (New York): Center for Book Arts runs workshops, residencies and exhibitions on letterpress, bookbinding and fine printing, with an active publishing programme. Comparable as a peer-sized arts organisation combining education, publishing and community events for the print and book arts field.

Broad incumbents

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD operates one of the most established printmaking departments in North America, with research, teaching and publishing of editions. Comparable as a much larger international art school running parallel postgraduate printmaking and artist book activity.
• University of the Arts London (UAL) - LCC: UAL's London College of Communication runs printmaking, graphic design and media programmes with associated publishing and research activity. Comparable as a much larger UK university offering overlapping print-related teaching, research and short courses across multiple colleges.

Others

• Speedball Art Products: Speedball is a long-established manufacturer of printmaking supplies and a sponsor of IMPACT 12. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant that supplies CFPR's artist community and signals commercial alignment with print education and research.

Regional players

• Arnolfini: Arnolfini is Bristol's contemporary arts centre hosting exhibitions, live events and bookshop sales, and partners with CFPR on the annual Miniprint exhibition. Comparable as a regional Bristol arts venue that channels audience access and retail reach for print-related products.
• Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig: HGB Leipzig is a leading European art academy specialising in book arts, graphic design and printmaking with a strong research tradition. Comparable as a non-UK academic peer with overlapping focus on artists' books, print research and edition-based publishing.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFPRresearch
• Instagraminstagram.com/CFPR_Research
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-print-research-uwe-bristol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Print Research, UWE Bristol