Cahyati Press and its Community Riso Printer: Making Printing Accessible to Artists

Bali based small bookstore and publishing experiment, Cahyati Press, has received the Extra Nice Fund grant which they will use to set up a community riso printer for their local community of artists. Being a small bookstore and publishing house who frequently collaborates with and is attended by artists, Cahyati Press recognizes that printing costs often prevent artists from experimenting with the medium or from selling their artworks as prints. This is why their initiative of setting up Bali’s first community riso printer is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Decent Work And Economic Growth.

Cahyati Press founders Syarafina “Avi” Vidyadhana (Left) and Katyausha “Kat” Methanisa (Right) at the Cahyati Press space. Image courtesy of Cahyati Press and It’s Nice That.

The riso printer will be supported by a three tier membership. The first tier, Essential, gives creatives access to the printer with assistance, next Founding, gives members the ability to subsides membership plans for other writers and artists. And finally, for every ten paid memberships, one Essential membership will be given to an artist in need. This initiative will without doubt help to support Bali’s vibrant local art community, so that they are able to make a living through their artworks.

Photograph of the Cahyati Press space. Image courtesy of @cahyati.press/Instagram.

With their compact 14-square meter kiosk in Katu, Bali, Cahyati Press has already managed to publish two projects: Aca & Ica, a comic series from artist Ula Zuhra, and Queers Shoot Back!, an essay chapbook by Rizky Rahad which investigates queer cinema. Their project Queers Shoot Back! has also sold out, with 200 books sold within a month and copies sent to over five countries.

Photograph of the view outside the Cahyati Press space. Image courtesy of Cahyati Press and It’s Nice That.

Cahyati Press’s initiative to establish Bali’s first community riso printer is a significant step towards empowering local artists by making printing more accessible and affordable. With support from the Extra Nice Fund grant, the riso printer will offer tiered memberships, ensuring that artists of all financial backgrounds can access this valuable resource. By fostering an environment where creatives can experiment and sell their printed works, Cahyati Press is actively contributing to the growth of Bali’s art scene. Through this project, they are not only nurturing the local creative community but also enabling artists to thrive economically.

Find out more about the community riso printer and other initiatives by Cahyati Press on their website www.cahayati.press or Instagram @cahyati.press.