A zine (pronounced as ‘zeen’) is an independent publication made with love.

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“A zine is an independent publication, a zine is a small hand-made magazine, a zine is usually made by an individual or a small group of individuals, a zine-maker always has full creative control of their project, a zine usually sells for a low price or is free, a zine is often photocopied, a zine is often stapled, a zine is always made for love and not for profit, and a zine can break one or all of these rules and still be a zine.” - Luke Sinclair (Small Zine Volcano, Sticky Institute)

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The term 'zine', short for magazine or fanzine, was first coined by science fiction fans in the 1930s, but self-published booklets and pamphlets have existed since the invention of printing presses in the 1400s.

In the 1950s, commercial photocopiers became accessible, and during the 70s/80s/90s, zine culture became linked with the punk and grunge scene, as well as activist movements.

"The DIY format of zines lend themselves to the voices of the marginalised: you can write, print, and distribute whatever you need to say, no permission required." (source: Alanna Stapleton, A Brief History of Zines, 17 June 2021, medium.com)

You can make a zine about anything and everything you want. That's what makes zines so accessible, versatile and fun! You can make a fanzine about a subject you have a lot of knowledge about or write a perzine (personal zine) about the experience of learning something new.

What all zines have in common is that they're made with love. So if you're new to zines, the best place to start is to think about the people and places you love, things you enjoy or topics that you are passionate about.

Zine prompts:

• List your favourite things, people, music, places etc.

• Tell a joke, anecdote, fun fact or story

• Write a letter, confession, a poem or a song

• Review a film, book, concert, cafe, restaurant, noodles, birds, rocks...anything that you can score or rank

• Raise awareness about a cause you believe in

• Speak up or protest against injustices happening in the world or in your community

• Document your travels, compile childhood photos or write a journal about memorable experiences

• Take snapshots or doodle random things

• Draw or paint portraits of people or pets

• Do some sketches, left hand doodles, or experimental drawings

• Make a comic strip inspired by your friends, family , workmates or your daily life

There are no rules or restrictions, you are limited only by your imagination and sense of humour. So, think less and make zines!

The do-it-yourself nature of zines gives them their unique aesthetic and also makes it very easy to get started.

You can make a zine at no cost using any materials you have at home, school, library, office or community centre. Join your local zine club and get access to resources and materials by donation.

If making zines by hand, all you need are sheets of paper, writing or drawing materials, old magazines, scissors, glue, tape and stapler. No need to buy fancy expensive supplies. Hand-me-downs and op shop finds do the same job as brand new equipment. Try to reuse/recycle materials such as paper to reduce waste.

If you want to reproduce your zines, you can scan and copy using a desktop printer or go to your nearest library or Officeworks to get them photocopied or printed.

School of Zines have a great range of papers, art materials, and binding tools for making zines. Join our workshops to have access to all of our resources and get in-person advice from one our print and zine experts!

A typical Saturday or Sunday workshop looks like this:
12.45PM - register/check in & get your School of Zines badges
1.00PM - welcome & acknowledgement of country
1.15PM - meet your facilitator/s + group intros (zine exercise)
1.30PM - basics of zine-making, question & answer
1.45PM - get advice on your zine theme, concept or design
2.00PM - make zines!
3.45PM - zine showcase
4.00PM - class picture :)

To create space for cultural exchange and connection, our workshop is setup as an informal gathering around a communal table. Sharing of materials, skills, ideas, stories, and language is encouraged. 

School of Zines is a volunteer-run self-funded initiative & a labour of love. Workshop fees allow us to hire the space and provide materials. If price is a barrier, don’t hesitate to reach out so we can make our workshop accessible for you.

Our workshop fee per person is $15, and includes:

• School of Zines badge (exclusive to workshop participants)

• Zine-making templates and free samples

• In-person support from the School of Zines facilitator/s

• Range of papers and collage scraps (or BYO)

• In-house art supplies - Pens, markers, stamps, stickers, scissors, glue, tape, etc. (or BYO)

• Access to binding materials (cutting mat, stapler, manual guillotine/trimmer, book press, hole puncher, etc)

• Access to a scanner; B&W photocopier & printer (limited to 2 copies per person)

• Access to an analog typewriter and sewing machine

• Access to the School of Zines Library for inspiration

Register online. Pay by cash or card at the door.

Zines are generally made for love, not for profit, but selling/swapping zines is the best way to sustain your creative practice and connect with fellow zinesters.

Anyone who makes zines can sell their zines. Prices range from $1 to $15+. Some zine makers such as Small Zine Volcano makes zines to distribute for FREE (only pay for postage).

You can sell/swap your zines at local zine fairs and zine clubs or stock them with zine distros like Sticky Institute. You can also submit smaller zines to the Up In The Air Zine Dispensary - a super cool zine vending machine stationed at the Blue Mountains Cultural Center.

The best place to get zines is directly from the artists who made them. Go to zine fairs, art markets, exhibitions or community events. Zine makers are super friendly and are always keen to talk about zines!

Most zine makers have an online shop or Etsy store with affordable shipping rates, so do support them!

You can also visit these zine distros to browse and buy zines in-person and/or online:

Up In The Air Zine Dispensary(Blue Mountains, NSW)

Rosey Ravelston Books (Lawson, NSW)

Jura Books (Petersham, NSW)

Sticky Institute (Melbourne, VIC)

Geelong Zines (Geelong, VIC)

Fontella The Zine Machine (Ballarat, VIC)

Zine Map by comics artist CJ Wu has great information about the international zine community – shops, libraries, events, and zine stories. Check it out: zinemap.com

Here's a list of some zine fairs that take place annually across Australia.

• Festival of the Photocopier (Melbourne)

• Small Press Zine Fair (Hobart)

• Byron Bay Print Fest (Byron Bay)

• Blue Mountains Zine Fair (Blue Mountains)

• Other Worlds Zine Fair (Marrickville)

• Rizzeria Mini Zine Fair (Zetland)

• Northern Beaches Zine Fair (Manly)

• Mildura Art & Zine Fair (Mildura)

• Hallozeen Fair (Sydney)

• Wild Cat Fair (Marrickville)

• Strange Folds Zine Fair (Wollongong)

• Parramatta Zine Fair (Parramatta)

If you’re traveling overseas, check out these international zine fairs.

• BLTX Fair Manila

• Fanzineist Vienna

• Grafixx Fest Antwerp

• Tokyo Art Book Fair

• Singapore Art Book Fair

• Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair

• Athens Art Book Fair

• Offprint Art Book Fair

Zine Map by comics artist CJ Wu has great information about the international zine community – shops, libraries, events, and zine stories. Check it out: zinemap.com