Radical printshop collectives of the 1970s and 80s (video) - Jess Baines

Inspired by French general strike of 1968, radical print co-ops came together all over Britain and, for a time, created a sustained alternative design and print scene based off a combination of paid commercial work from broad left groups such as unions, "red" labour councils and radical working class organisations, alongside a commitment to pushing radical messages as often as possible.

The groups involved often came from a strong DIY background, and were heavily influenced by anachist thinking, working on a non-hierarchical basis. Several were, or would become, women-only spaces and ended up offering a near-unique feminist voice with significant influence on the progressive movement as a result.

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Baines was a relative latecomer to the process when she got involved in the scene in the 1980s, but managed a lengthy stint at one of the few co-ops to have survived into the 2010s, Bethal Green-based Calverts.