10Press – Commoners Press

The Commoners Press is an experimental printing press cooperative, formed in 2017, which works with artists and designers on small to medium volume print projects, tailored to the specific needs of the print project. The Press aims to provide access to thoughtful and sustainable print production to the community of Coburg and Melbourne. It owns three letterpress machines, the oldest of these, a 1927 Chandler and Price foot-peddle operated letterpress machine along with two Heidelberg Platen presses from the 1950s.

For the Flourish: Arts Recovery Grants Program, Commoners Press initiated the project 10Press project. 11 new letterpress works from Merri-bek designers and artists during the transition of name from Moreland to Merri-bek. During 2022, 1200 impressions of these works were printed, to be shared with the designers and artists for their part in the project and collected into 26 folios. The works were launched and exhibited at the Coburg Court House on 17 November 2022. Each work reveals a personal and individual focus and understanding of an aspect of Merri-bek. Together they come together to form the 10Press project, revealing the new city of Merri-bek through collaborative creative community practice.