Alan Birch is a printmker with over 15 years experience working in schools, galleries and creative organisations. He is the print specialist at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. He is based at Prosepct Studios in Waterfoot, Rossendale, where he runs regular printmaking workshops. In 2007 the studio won the Creative Space Award East Lancashire from Creativity Works. Over the past three years he has worked on many projects for Creative Partnerships Manchester and Salford and East Lancashire.

He offers a programme of workshops for all year groups from primary to secondary and has also worked with AS and A Level students and adult groups. He has also run inservice training days for teachers in Manchester, Salford and Liverpool. The workshops using specialist water-based printing inks and a portable printing press provise participants with the opportunity to generate drawings, explore the printmaking process, create their own plates and print their final piece. The sessions can be tailored to suit particular themes and can explore dry point printing, relief, collograph and mono printint. Session can also be linked to his personal work or can be used to explore school based themes as part of their coursework.

"The degree of engagement and enthusiasm amongst the pupils involved in Alan's project was obvious. His flexible approach -willing to listen, take risks and push his own practice forwards - was exactly what was needed to make his partnership project with one of our primary schools have genuine impact. I'd work with him again at the drop of a hat."

Chris Finn: Director of Creative Partnerships Liverpool