Did you know it’s International Zine Month? I learned this from Toby at Bombinate Zine 🙂
There’s a growing zine scene here in Belfast. My life has been almost entirely digital for the last decade, and I think we’re all just a little fed up with micro-blogging, aren’t we? Zines are an antidote to that!
Before blogging, zines were a way to get unheard voices a platform, and give niche interests a place to flourish. Then the internet happened, and people made websites and not zines. Now that The Algorithm has taken over it’s harder for unheard voices to get a look-in and I think that is part of why people are interested in zines again. Zine-making never died out by the way, it survived on the edges.
Come along to the Belfast Zine Market
There’s a growing zine scene in Belfast, and if you want to know more, come along to the Belfast Zine Market (and Bombinate’s First Birthday.)
- When? Saturday, 21 July, 5-7pm.
- Where? At Crescent Arts Centre. Most zines are between £2-7, and they take cash!
Come to the event to say hi to me, and talk about zines, and sit down, and make a mini zine to take away. This is a kid-friendly activity ❤
Share and show your interest on Facebook, if you can!
Come to Bangor to collaborate on BangZine!
During the month of August, as a Fringe event to the Open House Fest’s Seaside Revival and Punk themed month of events, we’re collaborating on the 3rd edition of BangZine at Boom! Studios. Events are Thursday evenings in Bangor from 7-9pm. A participant’s fee covers refreshments, materials, and secures your copy of the zine.
Share and show your interest on Facebook. Sign up on Boom! Studios website.
When we’re all done, we’ll print the publication and sell it, so we can fund more zine-making Pick up your copy of the zine at the BangZine Launch with light refreshments. 27th September 7pm – 9pm at Boom! Studios.
What’s a Zine Market?
On Saturday 16th of June, Toby of Bombinate Zine ran the Belfast Zine Market alongside the Belfast Book Festival. I set up a stall talking about the upcoming Zine workshops in Bangor in August. And shared some books about making zines.
Here are the zines I got at the market.
Demand Change – Belfast Pride
Would you like to share a story? Call for submissions, deadline 22 July! Details in the pamphlet photo below.
Life Boat – Poet Publisher in Belfast
Life Boat specializes in publishing poets’ first books. Also single publications by established poets. You can buy these lovely poetry pamphlets here.
Follow The Lifeboat on Twitter for news about Poetry readings in the Sunflower, poems online and in pamphlets. I followed along after to watch a poetry reading and I was inspired to get off my butt and finish memorizing Directive by Robert Frost. If I can get organised I hope to make an event at the Sunflower bar.
I showed these to an aging punk rocker and he said Life Boat’s pamphlets weren’t “zines.” For me they tick two main boxes: cheap and niche. That is punk rock to me.
How I lost my Queer Street Cred
Lots of trigger warnings, but definitely a powerful personal zine. VERY relatable stories about gatekeeping in LGBTQ+ communities or the troubles with polyamory or male guilt, and so much more. Aaah! This is so good and I don’t have a link!
nearlythere 
Is the Belfast event 21 JUNE, as you say, or 21 July? I’d like to come (but not if it’s already happened!).
Sent from my iPad
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Thankfully it was just my typo, (fixed!) It’s July! You don’t have to time travel to attend 😉