“Arion Press produces some of the most beautiful limited-edition, handprinted books in the world. It carries on a grand legacy of San Francisco printers and bookmakers.”
Arion Press pairs great artists with great literature to create beautiful books by hand. We publish several limited editions every year, each conceptually unique and printed from metal types cast on site. Our production facility includes a letterpress shop with a one-of-a-kind collection of historic metal typefaces, a type foundry now in continuous operation for over 100 years, and a complete hand book bindery, all housed in a 14,000 square foot industrial building in San Francisco’s Presidio National Park. The Press is supported by the 501(c)(3) non-profit Grabhorn Institute, designated an “irreplaceable cultural treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Institute sponsors apprenticeships, tours, public talks, and gallery exhibitions at the Press.
Announcing the Arion Press King Residency with inaugural artist Vincent Valdez
Today the Arion Press is announcing the launch of the King Artist in Residency—a new initiative in honor of the Grabhorn Institute’s late board chair Kevin King. The King Residency will bring visual artists to Arion’s historic facility to create and conceive book and print projects alongside the Press’s team of expert craftspeople. Artists will have the opportunity for hands-on training and collaboration with Arion’s foundry, pressroom, and bindery and enjoy access to unique printmaking equipment, archives, and resources located at the historic press. The King Residency has committed funding for three years and has assembled a Steering Committee of community leaders to guide the program. Each residency will be for up to six weeks, with studio and living space provided for the artist.
Announcing the Arion Artist Talks Sponsored by Agnes Gund
The Grabhorn Institute and Arion Press are thrilled to announce a major contribution from philanthropist and president emerita of the Museum of Modern Art Agnes Gund. This pivotal gift will launch a new series of quarterly talks in 2022 designed to bring artists and writers face to face in public dialogue. The Arion Artist Talks will pair leading visual artists with authors and musicians in conversation about the key ideas animating the world of art today. Each talk will be hosted as a live event free to the public, and viewers can also participate virtually on YouTube.
Historic gift launches new speaker and exhibition series
The Grabhorn Institute and Arion Press are thrilled to announce a $400,000, three-year gift from Denver philanthropist and book collector Taylor Kirkpatrick. This major gift—one of the three largest donations in the Institute’s history—will sponsor an ambitious series of pilot programs designed to democratize letterpress printing and foster compelling dialogue about the evolving place of books in civic life. The pledge will launch a slate of initiatives including a literary speaker series, a bookmaking apprenticeship, and a quarterly exhibition series.
Take a Tour of the “Living Museum”
First Thursday of each month at 3-4:30pm. This in-depth tour takes you through Arion’s hot metal type foundry, letterpress room, and bookbindery – one of the last facilities of its kind. Listed in 111 Places in San Francisco That You Must Not Miss. Featured on Raw Craft with Anthony Bourdain and on Business Insider's Still Standing. Arrive early to peruse the gallery and store. Only 12 spots available.
Order Now: Handel’s Messiah
Paulo Maiora Canamus–“lift our voices to a higher level,” a communion that we may not rise to alone–Arion Press is honored to present a unique edition of Messiah, George Frideric Handel’s masterful oratorio in three parts. Handel spent nearly a decade on Messiah, resulting in multiple versions of the same piece. Here, Arion Press offers an adapted, complete vocal score by legendary conductor Nicholas McGegan, OBE, presented in its most popular version used in performance today.
Recent Release: Morte de Smudgie
Arion Press’s latest collaboration with Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid's Tale) and Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler's Wife), Morte de Smudgie, is a short story about Nell facing the loss of her black cat, Smudgie, by imagining him as King Arthur.
#ReadingTheMap
People around the globe are so moved by Chun Yu’s “The Map 地圖” that they are recording themselves reading it. Hear voices from NY to Australia, and add your own – whether it be in English, Chinese, or another language.
Learn more about #ReadingTheMap
Featured by Business Insider: How books are handmade letter by letter at one of the last printing presses in the US
Business Insider series Still Standing features Arion Press. Each letter of an Arion Press book is handmade from molten lead, and a single book can take years to complete. Go to the Business Insider article.