Pilsen and Bridgeport hosts 14th Grabadolandia printmaking festival

The National Museum of Mexican Art will host its 14th annual Grabadolandia festival from November 20 to 22, 2026.

The free event is organized by the Instituto Gráfico de Chicago, a Latinx artist collective based in the city. The festival includes exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, and a film screening. Programming takes place in Pilsen and Bridgeport.

The event began in 2013 as a way to make printmaking accessible. Ricardo Xavier Serment, one of the collective's founders, recalled that the first gathering drew about 75 friends and family members. The idea originated while the group organized a print portfolio for the hundred-year anniversary of José Guadalupe Posada's death. The collective wanted to showcase art and provide hands-on demonstrations for visitors.

The Instituto Gráfico de Chicago was formed in 2009 by artists who worked in the education department at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Founders include José Luis Gutiérrez, Antonio Pazaran, and Vanessa A. Sanchez. The group cites René Arceo, Carlos Cortéz, and Hector Duarte as key influences in Chicago's history of Latinx printmaking and activism. Arceo provided direct support and advice to the collective.

The festival runs over three days with varying locations. It typically opens on Friday evening at Pilsen Arts & Community House. Saturday activities include a lithography demonstration at Hoofprint, a printmaking studio in Bridgeport. Printers Liz Born and Gabe Hoare coach the presenting artist weeks or months in advance. The schedule then moves to the museum for afternoon lectures and demos. An evening screening of the documentary Impresiones de Resistencia will take place at 18th Street Casa de Cultura. The festival concludes on Sunday with a print fair at the museum.

This year marks a specific milestone for the collective. The Instituto Gráfico de Chicago is being honored with an exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art. The show, titled "¡Tinta Ardiente!: Igniting Community Through Collective Action," runs through February 21, 2027. The exhibition is located at 1852 W. 19th St. and is free to the public.

Members of the collective are involved in every aspect of the festival logistics. Carlos Barberena noted that the group handles everything from panel presentations to moving tables for sales. The collective currently has ten members, including Atlan Arceo-Witzl, Carlos Barberena, Eric J. García, Eric Gasca, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, CHema Skandal!, and Alex Velázquez Brightbill. Their work often intersects with community activism and political themes.

Alex Velázquez Brightbill, whose prints address the experiences of women immigrants, describes activism as the binding force of the group. She stated that being active in their communities is what members bring to the collective. In recent years, themes of immigration and Palestine have appeared in the festival's programming and materials. The group has a history of creating prints for protests and wheatpasting in the city.

Despite the strong community response, some members express concern about the future of printmaking. Carlos Barberena pointed to the closure of printmaking spaces in Chicago and the rise of generative AI as challenges. Velázquez Brightbill focused on the younger audience engaging with the work. She identified inspiring the next generation as the primary goal of the collective.

Grabadolandia is free and open to all ages. More information is available at institutograficodechicago.org. The associated exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM.