Looking for: local zine scene reports?

Mailbox at the Salford Zine Library in Manchester

I’m really curious about local zine scenes anywhere in the world, what they are like, which kind of zines are written, who is writing them, how are those zines distributed, what is the response, are there zine fests / workshops / shops / libraries / distros or other projects, are they linked to subcultures / political movements / art scenes / certain spaces, a little bit of local zine herstory/history…

Please send me your local* zine scene reports and I will publish them on this blog! I’m especially interested in a focus on feminist / poc / queer / trans / grrrl / per – zines but anything is welcome!

Mail me at flapper_grrrl@yahoo.co.uk

*You can decide on how you define “local”. It can be a city/town, country, or other geographical region.

Interesting stuff on the web: zines about making zines

Always wanted to make a zine but don’t know how and where to start? If you can’t catch a zine workshop somewhere, there exist plenty of books on this subject, but also lots of(downloadable) zines that can help you start out.

Doesn’t this prove that zinesters and zine-making are all about encouraging participation and creativity? Yes, zines really are the best! 🙂

• Igor made a mini-zine in French about making zines called Zineception and you can download it here along with their other zines.
• Olivia’s Let’s Make a Zine can be downloaded and printed on her blog.
• Penfight distro has an inspiring zine with ideas of themes about which you can make zines.
• Cherry Styles of the Salford Zine Library made this zine which is a handy guide for beginners.
• “How to make this very zine” and other tutorials are available on the website of the Barnard Zine Library
• My own meta-mini-zines in three languages (English, Dutch, French) can be found here.

Probably there’s lots more out there than what I included on this list. Let me know if there’s anything I should add.

International Zine Month 2017 round-up

International Zine Month ended yesterday. Even though I didn’t follow the activities this year, it was still a busy month. Things I did:

• I read zines
• wrote zine reviews
• traded for some excellent zines
• decorated envelopes (to send out my zines)
• helped organise a zine event: 24 hour (fan)zine workshop at Le Space in Brussels
• made a zine in 24 (and a bit) hours (called “From Spice Girls to Riot Grrrls“) during that event
• made 24 hour zine buttons
• went to Weirdo Zine Fest in London
• bought lots of zines
• sold zines to a bookshop: Housmans in London
• donated zines to the UK zine libraries project
• tidied/organised my zine collection
• registered to the new WeMakeZines
• made a new flyer

Phew!

What did you do for zine month?

Postcards at Halesworth Library, zines at Housmans and Black Cat

My postcards are now for sale in the public library in Halesworth, Suffolk, in the UK! Thanks to the librarians and volunteers, especially Alison!

The library is well worth a visit, with a brandnew junior section, a great collection of books and films, and beautiful children’s book-themed painting-games in the back garden.

If you would like to buy a postcard, mail me at flapper_grrrl@yahoo.co.uk. They are 1 euro per card + postage. Specify which design you’d like (reading cats, fireworks, or wind).

I’m currently in the process of making new designs so more news about that soon hopefully.

 

Some of my zines are currently for sale at the radical bookshop Housmans (Same Heartbeats, From Spice Girls to Riot Grrrls) and the vegan co-op café Black Cat (Letter Soup – thanks to Active Distribution), both in London. Check out these places if you’re in London and want some great food and brainfood!

Here are some other shops, distros, and libraries where you can find my zines. If you would like to stock my postcards or zines, let me know.

 

New zine – From Spice Girls to Riot Grrrls

During the recent 24 hour (fan)zine workshop at Le Space I made another 24 hour zine (although, as usual, it took me a bit longer than 24 hours to finish it).

It’s called From Spice Girls to Riot Grrrls!

In a nostalgic mood I decided to track back my musical fandom journey during my teenage years in the mid-end 90s, evolving from pop bands to female-fronted punk and metal. The zine also delves into curiosities from the 2000s, (lack of) diversity in representation, and gender troubles while growing older. Even Chainsaw Bunny has an appearance!

Want to read this zine? Mail me at flapper_grrrl@yahoo.co.uk

The zine costs 1 euro + postage. Zine trades are welcomed.

The first 10 orders of this zine will receive a free 24 hour zine button (1 per order)!

The zine is printed with an oldschool copy machine in an oldschool copy center on white recycled paper, cover pages are printed on hot pink paper, tied with black cotton yarn.

Check out all of my 24 hour zines (and 24 hour zine events), and other zines.

 

24 hour (fan)zine workshop at Le Space – short report

Three years ago we organised the first 24 hour zine event in Belgium. It took place in Ghent, with 5 zine enthousiasts, some of which had never met before. Since then we have organised 5 other of such zine-making gatherings, alternating between Ghent and Brussels.

The idea of these events is that anyone can participate and make their own zine in 24 hours (or work on a zine during the event – it doesn’t have to be finished, nor do participants have to be there for the entire 24 hours). The results are always wonderful, and so different and creative!

At each next 24 hour zine event more and more people showed up. The local / DIY / queer-feminist zine scene is still small but it exists! This time, on July 7-8th, we were about 12-15 zinesters who participated and some more curious people hanging around. The event took place in the activist cultural café Le Space, probably my favourite place in Brussels.

I had a great time again, hanging out with such inspiring and enthusiastic people and working on my zine called “From Spice Girls to Riot Grrrls”. We didn’t get to print our zines during the 24 hours, so I haven’t seen (all) the final results yet, but I’m sure they will be true treasures again! I already read two of the zines that were made and was amazed again! Can’t wait for the next 24hz edition!

(PS. If anyone is up for regular zine-making or other creative writing/crafting/drawing sessions, in Ghent or Brussels, for example at Le Space, let me know!)

Zines I read in 2017 (part II: April – June)

I received lots of nice zine mail these last few months and then there was Zine Happening and Alternatieve Boekenbeurs happening in my town. So lots more fresh reading materials. I also spent more time on reading books but I’ll review those books elsewhere, like here and here. Click here for previous reviews of zines I read in 2017. So I guess this is also the international zine month’s edition of my reviews. 🙂