Discover a new perspective on heritage art form at River Fest
Published on 17 July 2025
A mobile printmaking studio in a 40-foot-long shipping container will be a temporary addition to the local arts and design scene during a special residency by the Moveable Type Studio (MTS) at River Festival 25-27 July 2025.
River Fest will be hosting the MTS residency to provide opportunities for visitors and artists to discover the heritage craft of printing using rare letterpress printing equipment, wooden and metal type from the Clint Harvey collection.
Moveable Type Studio will be bringing these historic processes to life through the work of resident artists and educators Clint Harvey and Dzintra Menesis who travel with the studio.
Delivering the Moveable Type Studio program as part of River Fest provides a wonderful opportunity to engage with a craft that has been integral to communication ever since the Guttenberg press was invented centuries ago.
MTS founder Clint Harvey said local schools, artists, designers, historians, poets and writers will be invited to participate in a range of creative workshops and masterclasses to learn about letterpress printing processes, techniques and inspirations.
“Books, newspapers, magazines, posters and brochures all used to be printed on machines like the ones we have in our studio and we want to share our enthusiasm for these traditional printing techniques with the whole community” said Mr Harvey.
“MTS will be open for the general public to come to watch free demonstrations and discover more about printing history and heritage.”
“Many artists and designers enjoy the opportunity to get away from their computer screen and get ink on their fingers and we are offering an exciting program of skills development workshops where they can discover why letterpress printing is a vibrant contemporary artform that is growing in popularity around the world.”
Housed in a custom-built shipping container the Moveable Type Studio was developed by the graphic designer and educator to share his passion for typography and printing history with regional communities.
The MTS program at River Fest will include programming Friday, Saturday and Sunday including:
- Free printing demonstrations: discover the heritage craft of printing through free demonstrations and presentations by the MTS team.
- Ink and Drink: a fun social gathering exploring the potential of printing to express ideas through text and imagery. Tickets are available at www.rockhamptonriverfestival.com.au/MTS
Moveable Type Studio is already located in the Art Link behind Rockhampton Museum of Art in preparation for River Fest.
The Moveable Type Studio residency has been made possible with funding from the Regional Arts Fund. The Regional Arts Fund is managed by Regional Arts Australia on behalf of the Australian Government and administrated by Flying Arts in Queensland.
Further information
Moveable TYPE Studio – An Australian Mobile Printmaking Studio
The Moveable TYPE Studio is a unique, mobile printmaking initiative that brings traditional letterpress equipment and techniques to communities across Australia. It offers hands-on learning experiences in heritage printing methods, fostering creativity, historical awareness, and community engagement through design and print. The portable studio was initially created by Clint Harvey following a successful crowdfunding appeal that raised the funds to convert the shipping container in a mobile studio to house some of his personal collection of heritage printing equipment and wooden and metal type fonts. The studio will be touring to a number of venues in regional Queensland in late 2025 with funding from the Regional Arts Fund supporting residencies in Rockhampton, Mackay and Toowoomba.
https://moveabletypestudio.com
About the artists
Clint Harvey
Queensland based graphic designer, educator and collector Clint Harvey is the founder of the Moveable Type Studio. Following a successful career as a graphic designer he was Head of School at the Design College of Australia for ten years. He has also taught design at the Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University and JMC Academy in Brisbane. In order to share his passion for historical printing design, typography and processes, he established the Bacon Factory and Strongarm Press in Brisbane, which later evolved into the Moveable Type Studio (MTS). Clint participates in letterpress events around the world including the Hamilton Wood Type Museum Wayzgoose and the Hatch Print Show at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville (both in USA). Since 2017 he has had a longstanding relationship with the Wimble’s Wayzgoose event at the Museum of Printing in Armidale (NSW). In 2025 he is the co-recipient (with Dzintra Menesis) of a prestigious Research Scholarship at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Dzintra Menesis
Printmaker and designer Dzintra Menesis is an active committee member of the Black Gully Printmakers group in the regional NSW city of Armidale where she volunteers at the Museum of Printing at the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM). In 2024 she was a resident artist at the Specialty Printing Activation Module (SPAM) pilot project at QUT’s Creative Industries Precinct in Kelvin Grove in association with the Festival of Type and the ATypL Brisbane international conference hosted by Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University. In 2025 she is the co-recipient (with Clint Harvey) of a prestigious Research Scholarship at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
About Rockhampton River Festival
Rockhampton River Festival
Dates: Friday 25 July – Sunday 27 July 2025
Location: Riverside Precinct, Fitzroy River (Tunuba)
Entry: FREE
The Fitzroy River (Tunuba) has been the life source for the people of Central Queensland since the time of the Dreaming. In a celebration of its glory, and its strength to support the community, Rockhampton Regional Council launched Rockhampton River Festival in 2014.
Rockhampton River Festival is the quintessential winter festival on the Central Queensland calendar, showcasing a diverse line-up of nationally recognised artists and up-and-coming talent. Held in the picturesque Rockhampton Riverside Precinct, the festival aims to create a vibrant celebration of music, art, food and culture that captivates audiences of all ages. With its commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences, Rockhampton River Festival solidifies the region as the Events Capital of Central Queensland.
Rockhampton River Festival is brought to you by Rockhampton Regional Council and presented by Advance Rockhampton with support from the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
Thank you to our generous local partners:
Artist Collective: CQUniversity
Arts on the Fringe: Stanwell
Art Installation: McDonalds Central Queensland
Volunteer Program: Frenchville Sports Club Inc.
Fireworks: Mr Real Estate Rockhampton & Mr Fireworks
Festival Links
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rockhamptonriverfestival
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rockhamptonriverfestival
Website: www.rockhamptonriverfestival.com.au
Spotify Playlist: www.rockhamptonriverfestival.com.au/Music-Lineup
Event App: Download the ‘Rockhampton Events’ app and create your timetable