Festival of Calligraphy
Welcome to the 31st Festival of Calligraphy
This is our 31st Festival of Calligraphy and our fifth at Warwick University, based in the heart of the UK and easily accessible from across Great Britain, and the world. We are thrilled to have internationally renowned and exciting tutors coming from Slovenia and the United States and of course, the UK.
The Scarman Conference Centre is located at the University of Warwick which lies on the outskirts of Coventry, three mile from the city centre. Easily accessible from many major routes: M1, M6, M5, M42, A5 and A14. Coventry is on the West Coast Mainline, serviced by regular trains, seven days a week. Birmingham International Airport is approximately 20 minutes away.
Registration will be on Sunday afternoon. Session 1 workshops are from Monday morning until Wednesday lunchtime and Session 2 runs from Wednesday lunchtime to Friday afternoon.There will be a gala dinner on Friday night and delegates leave on Saturday morning after breakfast.
Festival Tutors
Gaynor Goffe
Suzie Beringer
Josie Brown
Judith Porch
Loredana Zega
Gaynor Goffe
Gaynor is an Honoured CLAS Fellow, a Fellow of the SSI, and recipient of the CLAS Lifetime Achievement Award for her work as a calligrapher and teacher of calligraphy. She has taught calligraphy at the Roehampton Institute, Reigate School of Art and Design, The King’s Foundation and West Dean College, as well as internationally.
Gaynor has also written two books on calligraphy. Along with participating in numerous group exhibitions, she works to commission and particularly enjoys exploring letterform variations and working on themes about the natural world, including collages of calligraphy and stone.
Session 1
Italic: Form, Refinement and Flow
Italic is one of the key scripts in the calligrapher’s repertoire. Beautiful in its own right when written with sensitivity and flow, it also provides the basis for much individual further exploration. Learning/refinement of basic Italic minuscule will be covered, and tutor-led exercises demonstrated and practiced to encourage development of sensitivity and flow to the script, which will be used in the layout and design of short texts. Writing Italic at different nib sizes and an introduction to simple flourishes will also be included. Course material is adapted to each student, with regular individual as well as group demonstrations. Flourished Italic capitals may be covered, depending on individual requirements and time!
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Session 2
Italic: Flourish Design and Joined Italic Variations
Well-designed flourishes can enhance Italic on occasions when a more decorative look is sought. Practicing flourishes with suitable arm movement encourages flow and rhythm in writing Italic, while joined Italic also encourages rhythmical writing and gives access to a variety of possibilities exploring joined Italic variations.
Tutor-led exercises develop flow with simple flourishes, leading to further exercises exploring a wide variety of flourish possibilities which can then be selectively incorporated in the layout and design of short texts. After this, basic joined Italic and a range of variations will be explored through tutor-led demonstrations and exercises, and a selection of these variations used in short texts.
This workshop is suitable for intermediate and advanced levels, and beginners with proficiency in Italic.
Suzie Beringer
Suzie Beringer is a lettering artist who makes her home in the USA’s Pacific Northwest. With a degree in commercial art with a lifetime passion for calligraphy and mark-making, she is constantly exploring new possibilities and pushing herself creatively.
Her work has been published in Letter Arts Review as well as other publications. As a teacher, she loves to share her passion for mark-making and design with others. As an artist, Suzie loves the challenge and discovery that lettering on different surfaces brings. It has been said that, if something around her doesn’t move quickly enough, it may end up with letters on it!
Session 1
Cascading Capitals
Creating tiny, delicate Roman Capitals and allowing their placement to become a major part of the design is the focus of this workshop.
First we’ll look at monoline Roman Capitals, working through their basic shapes and proportions. Next we’ll dress them up with delicate serifs, and create lovely waisted strokes. As we begin using the pointed pen, we will talk about scaling down our letterforms as we breathe life into them.
With a series of carefully planned exercises, we will let these capitals fly! By carefully thinking about the axis of each letterform, you’ll create a visual texture of cascading, trickling and thoughtful scattering of letters, also using colour and mica in your designs. At the end of this workshop you will have a great resource booklet, recording all of your ideas and notes.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Session 2
Journalling Explorations
Just how does one go about creating a beautiful and interesting journal? Have you always wanted to create one but didn’t know quite how to go about it, or been afraid to put a mark in that beautiful blank book? If so, this is the workshop for you!
Suzie will show you step-by-step how to begin your journals with confidence, eliminating the fear of the blank page. With carefully thought-out exercises, you will discover how to get jump-started on the first page. Layout and design will be addressed, along with capturing the essence of a photo or scene you want to recreate, and mixing images with text in an interesting way; and finally, how lettering plays a very important part in any journal.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Josie Brown
Josie Brown is a professional lettering and heraldic artist, illuminator and book binder, and has taught calligraphy and related arts for 40 years.
She particularly enjoys taking traditional materials and techniques and applying them in contemporary ways. Josie is passionate about enabling people to develop their personal creativity by offering clear methods and techniques for achievable goals, without being prescriptive about how each individual should use them.
Enter the wondrous world of historical methods and materials, demystifying the techniques and thoroughly enjoying the sheer pleasure of writing with a quill and painting on vellum, which is so forgiving and a dream to work on. Any specialist materials will be provided at cost.
You can attend one or the other of these sessions but if you do both, you can opt to submit your work, along with homework, for the CLAS Specialist Skills Award in Traditional Skills. Submission for the SSA will be in November 2026.
Session 1
Vellum and Quills
This session begins with an overview of possible skins and a range of techniques for preparing the surface to take writing, painting and gilding. We will cover three alternative ways to stretch vellum and then make calligraphic trials with a number of tools and mediums. We will also ensure we’re confident in making erasures and re-surfacing the vellum, so there’s no pressure when writing a piece.
You will carry out two methods of curing feathers, and cut them to make efficient quills, also modifying the cuts for specific scripts or laying gesso. Troubleshooting of inevitable problems means that everyone will gain good quality, crisp lettering with their quills. Josie will bring ready-sealed boards, vellum and feathers for the first session, which are available at cost price.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Session 2
Egg Tempera and Design
This session will see us preparing our own paints using powdered pigments or ground pastels with egg yolk and glair as binding mediums. We’ll also add these to gouache for a waterproof and glossy effect. You will learn different methods of applying the paint and how to gain particular effects.
In considering historical manuscript page design, we will explore how their techniques may be used to best effect in a contemporary manner, bringing together recently gained skills and introducing suitable decorative processes as well, to offer an entire range of traditional skills for today’s use.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Judith Porch
Judith is a Fellow of CLAS and of the SSI with a passion for painting, colour and sparkle. Trained at Reigate School of Art & Design in Calligraphy, Heraldry and Illumination, she has been teaching for more than 35 years.
She works to commission creating elaborate and unique Freedom of the City Scrolls for royalty, presidents, sporting heroes and Hollywood celebrities.
In her personal work Judith enjoys pushing the boundaries to delight the viewer with magical effects such as using thermochromic paper which is opaque until heated revealing the lettering beneath.
Session 1
Fun with Finetec and Colour-Changing Paint
Discover the joy of using Finetec Pearlescent Watercolour paint in a number of exciting ways. Their opacity and shine make them an ideal alternative to gold powder. We will combine them with colour-changing paints for a magical experience.
In this workshop, Judith will show you the basics such as mixing Finetec correctly—which can make a big difference to your finished result—how to blend your colours together seamlessly and how to use a combination of Finetec and gouache to create three-dimensional looking objects.
There will be a variety of projects suitable for all abilities, even if you have never picked up a paint brush before. Skills of mixing, blending and brush techniques are transferable to many other projects. Judith will bring colour-changing paint cards for purchase at cost price.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Session 2
Trompe l’Oeil for Calligraphers
Learn how to create dazzling effects which “trick the eye” in this fun and rewarding workshop, based on historical examples given a modern twist.
By following step-by-step instructions you will learn to create simple, yet exciting visual effects using a variety of media. These will include graphite, coloured pencil, gouache, Finetec (Coliro) and colour-changing paint. You will learn how to represent light and shade convincingly, discover how to mix colours, learn how to use Finetec for the best results and develop brush skills to achieve the most accurate results. Whether you are a complete novice or a confident artist, this workshop will inspire you to expand your repertoire and try new techniques.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Loredana Zega
Loredana Zega is a professional artist-calligrapher from Slovenia. She completed the CLAS Diploma in Calligraphy with distinction and soon after became a CLAS Fellow.
Since then, she has been teaching all over the world in English, Italian and French. For her art performances and exhibitions she has received numerous awards. Her works can be found in many collections around the world, most notably in the San Francisco Library’s Collection of Calligraphy.
Session 1
Artistic Collage with the Foundational Hand
In this workshop, we will start with a brief introduction to the basics of the Foundational hand, which is based on the 15th century humanist script created by Edward Johnston in the early 20th century. The workshop is not only about learning the correct size of letters, but also how to handle the pen to create beautiful and elegant letters. The next step will be creating a small composition artwork using the Foundational hand along with newspaper clippings to create a vibrant collage artwork.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Session 2
Dry Brush Foundational & Colours
We will start our dry brush exploration of the Foundational hand by learning about brush sensitivity and colour consistency, and move on to lowercase letters, spacing, and proportions. The refined lines and soft brush strokes will change your perspective on how calligraphy exercises should be: light, soft, and easy on your hand. In the second part, we will begin to explore textures and layering, which will create beautiful results using vibrant colours!
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Booking Information
Workshops
The workshops take place during two 2 1/2 day sessions – Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning, then Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday. Registration is on Sunday afternoon from 3-5pm with a Welcome Reception at 6.30pm.
Tuition starts 9am on Monday morning. There may be short illustrated talks or demonstrations in the evening. There will be an opportunity to purchase calligraphic materials and papers on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. Details will be sent out nearer the time.
Accommodation
Accommodation consists of conference hotel, standard double rooms with ensuite facilities. Lifts are available for access to upper floors. Dietary and mobility requests will be completed on the Scarman Registration Form.
Donna Deeks, Director and Janice McClelland, Assistant Director can both be contacted at: festival@clas.co.uk.
Booking is subject to Terms and Conditions. Please read the Terms and Conditions here.
Bookings
Early booking is recommended to secure your first choice. All bookings received before 22 November 2025 will be dealt with together. A draw will take place for any workshops that are oversubscribed.
After selecting Deposit as the Payment Type and adding it to your basket, go to your Basket page. When you are ready, click “Proceed to Checkout.” You will then be directed to the Checkout page, where you can indicate your first, second, and third choices for each session. Please ensure all selections are clearly marked before completing your booking.
Please indicate your second and third choices, as we cannot always guarantee a place in your first choice.
Festival Fees
Package Description
CLAS members’ fees are discounted as shown in the table below.
Full Board includes six nights accommodation from Sunday 9 August 2026, tuition, all meals, teas and coffees and ends with breakfast on Saturday 15th August.
Non-resident includes dinner on Sunday 9 August 2026, lunches, teas and coffees and dinner on Friday 14 August 2026.
Non-participating full Festival delegate, including all meals and accommodation, pay £628.00 inclusive VAT directly to Scarman.
Cancellations
If you notify us on or before 1 May 2026, we will refund your payment, minus the £70 deposit. Unfortunately, after this date, refunds cannot be issued.
If you must cancel, please inform us as soon as possible so we can offer your place to someone else. Thank you for your understanding.
Three-stage Payment
Payment can be made in three stages, as outlined below. Please follow these instructions carefully to ensure a smooth booking process:
1. A non-refundable deposit of £70 per person is required upon booking, to be paid directly to CLAS.
2. Between 1 April and 1 May 2026, please make your payment to Scarman directly: https://kxregistration.warwick.ac.uk/CLAS2026. This payment must be made using a debit or credit card only.
3. The final balance is to be paid to CLAS by 1 May 2026.
When making payments via PayPal or BACS, please use your name as it appears on the registration form as a reference. For international payments, we kindly ask that you use PayPal. If you have any questions about how to use PayPal, don’t hesitate to contact Donna Deeks at festival@clas.co.uk.
Festival FAQs
At what skill level do I need to be to participate?
The Festival is open to all but complete beginners in calligraphy. If you have taken a class or workshop that has covered writing on a slant board, drawing guidelines, posture, how to hold your pen and clean the nib, spacing and other basic skills, and have been practicing calligraphy for at least three months, you will be ready to make the most of your Festival workshops. The skill levels for each workshop are shown on the workshop descriptions in the brochure.
If I have a question for one of the tutors, how do I get in touch?
Send an email to festival@clas.co.uk with your question, and we will forward your email to the particular tutor. Once the tutor has responded, we will forward the answer back to you.
Are supplies included, or do I need to bring my own?
No, supplies are not included. About two months before the Festival, we will send you the materials lists for each workshop that you have registered for. Occasionally workshops may have specialised requirements and the tutor may have extra supplies to purchase at the workshop, but this situation is infrequent. We’ll let you know if this is the case with your workshops.
I am coeliac/vegan/have food allergies. Will my dietary restrictions be catered for?
When you register with the Scarman Conference Centre for your accommodation, you will be able to specify your dietary restrictions and discuss with them if necessary.
Can my partner come and stay with me at the venue, but not take the workshops?
Yes, there is a special rate for non-participating partners. Please refer to the Festival registration brochure.
Do I have to share a room?
No, all rooms are double en-suite for single occupancy, unless otherwise requested and available at Scarman.
Do I need to bring a drawing board for a script workshop?
Yes, that would be ideal. We have a limited number of drawing boards for delegates
coming via public transport or long-distance / international to use. Please let us know in advance if you need to reserve one.
Join Our Community
Become a CLAS member and enjoy a wealth of benefits — from receiving The Edge magazine and CLASnews updates, to reduced fees for courses and competitions. Members also gain exclusive access to our diploma, free entry to the annual exhibition, and opportunities to exhibit their work.