EDUCATION – Bookbinding, book art, marbling, gilding, letterpress…
One of our society’s core issues revolves around education and the cultural heritage within the art of handbound books.
We have collected links to longer educations, shorter courses and ways to become an apprentice, journeyman or master in our Nordic countries. We also wish to promote courses that are held by our members. This is an ongoing project.
We encourage you to contact us if you have other or new information about education opportunities! info@nordicbookbindingsociety.com
FINLAND
In Finland there is no possibility to study bookbinding as a profession at the moment. An education
reform discontinued a bunch of rare profession titles, bookbinders among them, and it is no longer
possible to have bookbinding education leading to a degree. The last master course ended 2018.
But luckily there is a large network of open adult education centres, non-profit, government and/or
city funded organizations. There are very many long weekly evening courses and also short
weekend and summer courses with varied subjects, traditional and creative bookbinding.
Most courses are taught in Finnish, a few in Swedish and many can be supplemented by English.
From outside Finland it might be best to contact the administrative staff beforehand. Also, you can ask the teacher for more information by email.
LONGER EDUCATIONS
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COURSES HELD BY MEMBERS OF NBS
Tutor: Tarja Rajakangas, teaching language Finnish and English. More information: https://kirjatar.fi/kirjansidontakurssit/
Espoo
Tutor: Pii Topio. Languages: swedish, (finnish and english when needed).
Valamon opisto, Valamo monastery, Heinävesi (accommodation possible).
Tutor: Claudia Wegmann. Language Finnish, English and German when needed.
Contact: kirjansitomo(at)clabbok.com
You can also search Ilmonet – Adult education institutes in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa. https://ilmonet.fi
or the search engine for courses in open adult education centres in Finland. https://linnunrata.fi/fi/search?q=kirjansidonta
JOURNEYMAN’S AND MASTER CERTIFICATE
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NORWAY
LONGER EDUCATIONS
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SHORTER COURSES
Workshops for Further education & open access printing
Verkstedet https://www.verkstedet.org
Tou Trykk https://www.toutrykk.no
Trykkeriet i Bergen https://www.trykkerietbergen.no/no/
Fellesverkstedet https://www.fellesverkstedet.no/no
Bookworks Halden https://www.haldenbookworks.no
Apen Apen (marbling courses) https://www.apenapen.org
Pamflett https://pamflett.no
Journeyman’s and Master Certificate
After one year Art & Craft + 3 years in a workshop you can make the Svenneprøvning, Journeyman’s Certificate. The test will reflect the work done in the work-shop with an extra unknown assignment.
Societies
Organization for Artists Books :
Codex Polaris https://www.codexpolaris.com
OTHER
Publishers & bookshops for artistic publishing:
Mondo Books https://mondobooks.no
Torpedo Books https://torpedobok.no
SWEDEN
LONGER EDUCATIONS
BOOKBINDING At Leksand Folkhögskola, folk high school, you can study tree years. Application date in mid April with start in the end of August. https://leksand.fhsk.se. Study with CSN. Read more about folk high school here and here
Learn as an apprentice with a master at his workshop for 2,5 years at a higher vocational education programme, yrkeshögskoleutbildning. Stiftelsen Hantverk och Utbildning, Leksand, https://hantverkslarling.se/ or Hantverksakademin, Stockholm https://hantverksakademin.se/
Study with CSN and your master receives a sum per month. A supervisor from the educational organisation comes to the workshop for follow-ups.
ARTISTS’ BOOKS At Grafikskolan, Stockholm, a so called förberedande konstskola, preparatory art school. Basic courses in graphic printing methods as well as letterpress, book binding and digital image. Also the course Artists’ Books (one year). Study with CSN, there are a fee of SEK 20 000/term. https://www.grafikskolan.se/
SHORTER COURSES
Bookbinding summer courses in Leksand, Sweden. More info: https://leksand.fhsk.se/utbildningstyp/sommarkurs/
Some of the study associations below may have short courses in bookbinding.
ABF, Studiefrämjandet, Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan, NBV, Medborgarskolan, Sensus, Bilda, Folkuniversitetet are all eligible to receive grants from the Swedish National Council of Adult Education.
You can also search www.kurser.se https://www.kurser.se/kurs/bokbinderi
COURSES HELD BY MEMBERS OF NBS
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Journeyman’s and Master Certificate
Sweden’s Hantverksråd provides certifiate and have all the information you’ll need: https://hantverksrad.se/gesallbrev-och-mastarbrev/
- Bokbindarmästareföreningen and Sveriges Hantverksråd, is the associations were you apply for the test for Journeyman’s Certificate. The journeyman exam can be taken after at least 4,500 hours of documented education and/or professional experience or equivalent skills validated by BMF.
https://bokbindarmastareforeningen.se/gesallprov/ - Master Certificate: Sweden’s Hantverksråd provides online course, with some physical meetings, in economic/business. This can be done after 10,000 working hours in the trade (6 years). The course is a online course with some meetings in Leksand.