Graphic Studio Dublin published sponsors’ portfolios from the 1960s to the 1980s. These portfolios consisted of six prints presented in a portfolio and in later publications a poem was also added. These works were produced to raise funds for the running of the studio and were a great success. In 2010 Graphic Studio relaunched the Sponsors' Portfolios as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. Over ten years, they will publish 10 portfolios (one per year). Each year an edition of 75 bespoke folders is made, each of which contains four prints by Graphic Studio printmakers and invited artists and one piece of writing. Writers have included Jennifer Johnston, John Banville and Colm Toibín.
The commissioned artists and writer in 2017 are: Cliona Doyle, Gwen O'Dowd, Aoife Scott, Elke Thönnes, and the writer Colm Toibín.
This letterpress is by Colm Toibin, an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, journalist, critic and poet. Tóibín is currently Irene and Sidney B. Silverman Professor of the Humanities at Columbia University and succeeded Martin Amis as professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester. He was appointed Chancellor of the University of Liverpool in 2017.