The Smallprint Company
ENTRY
from £10
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Derby
What it’s like
A Derby print studio where kids press their own posters and bookmarks on real letterpress machinery.
You book a slot and a small group presses their own poster, bookmark or name tag using proper letterpress kit, ink and all. Kids can print a favourite quote, a line from a book, or a poem, and take the finished poster home. There's something satisfying about watching a machine stamp out your own words rather than just printing them off at home.
Birthday parties run on Saturdays at 10.30am or 2.30pm, or weekday evenings from 4.30pm. A small party of four to six children is £70, and it jumps to £100 for a bigger group of seven to twelve. There's no food on site, so bring your own snacks or order something in.
Adults get their own versions too. A two-hour party for four people is £84, a poster workshop is £20, a three-hour typography workshop is £105, and a full afternoon three-hour party for six to eight people runs to £240. If you fancy something more involved, there's a four-hour wedding stationery workshop for two at £295, and hen or stag groups get a £90 creative party experience.
Everything here is booked in advance by email rather than online, which is a bit old-fashioned but means you can talk through exactly what you want first. Worth noting the Creative Space itself isn't fully enclosed, so other studio staff or members of the public might be around while you're printing. It's open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, though it does sometimes close for events, so it's worth confirming your slot is still on before you set off.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No set age range, but suits children old enough to follow instructions
- Booking
- Email to book a time and date to suit
- Parties
- Children's parties on Saturdays (10.30am or 2.30pm) and weekday evenings from 4.30pm
- Booking is by email, not an online system, so allow a bit of back and forth to fix a date
- The Creative Space is shared, so don't expect total privacy for a party
- It sometimes closes for events, so confirm your slot beforehand
- A one-hour Creative Space booking on its own is £10, cheaper than a full party if you just want a go
Plan your visit
How much does a children's party cost?
£70 for four to six children, £100 for seven to twelve. Both run as either a Saturday session or a weekday evening from 4.30pm.
Do we need to book ahead?
You email to arrange a date and time rather than book online. It's worth doing early if you want a Saturday slot.
What ages is this suitable for?
The site doesn't set an age range, but the activities are printing posters, bookmarks and names, which suit children old enough to follow simple instructions.
Is there food available?
Nothing's provided on site, so bring your own snacks or order a takeaway to arrive at the right time.
What do the kids actually do?
They print a poster with a favourite quote or song lyric, or their name on a bookmark, using letterpress machinery rather than a regular printer.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. It can close for events, so it's best to confirm your booking is still going ahead.
Can adults book something too?
Plenty of options: a £20 poster workshop, £84 or £240 parties depending on group size, a £105 typography workshop, or a wedding stationery session for £295.
Is the space private for our party?
The Creative Space isn't fully enclosed, so other studio staff or visitors might be around in adjoining areas while you're there.
Do you offer bookbinding workshops?
Not currently, but there's a waiting list if you email and ask to be added.
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