to the event programme for this year’s Birmingham Zine Festival. This year we are supported by Arts Council England and Southside BID. We are also partnered with Eye Candy Festival of Visual Culture so it’s set to be our biggest and best year ever! BZF aims to showcase both established and emerging artists, authors and distros. Our main event is the Independent Publishing Fair on Sat 13th Oct but there is loads more stuff going on in and around Southside so please check out our timetable (and make sure you book early to events to avoid disappointment.) We hope you have a great time at BZF 2012!
Words by Annelise Francis, Illustration by Ben Javens, Design by Meeno
Make it Then Tell Everybody exhibition preview Friday 12th Oct @ 6/8 Kafe, 16:00 - 18:00
Join us at 6/8 to kick off the festival with an exhibition of images provided by the Make it Then Tell Everybody speakers. The theme is ‘the working process’ and it’s really interesting to see the artists’ before and after images.
BZF independent Publishing Fair Sat 13th Oct @ Sidewalk, Hurst Street, 12:00 - 18:00
This is BZF’s main event and a great opportunity to meet your favourite artists and authors who will be selling their books and products. You can even stay and have some lunch while you browse. Perfect for a spot of early Christmas shopping too. Make it Then Tell Everybody panel discussion Sat 13th Oct @The Patrick Centre, from 14:00
We’ve collected some of the UK’s finest comic authors and illustrators for a discussion on all things self-published. Come and see what they have to say and get some sneaky tips. Don’t miss the BZF Afterparty @ Eden, Sherlock Street from 20:00, featuring DJ Peter James, Chromatouch and Misty’s Big Adventure (£3 entry to band area)
KINO 10 Sun 14th Oct @ 6/8 Kafe, 18:00 - 20:00 Come join us for a lazy Sunday eve of coffee, cake and Finnish animated shorts in association with Kutikuti zine (£2 entry)
Our official BZF 2012 commissioned illustrator, Ben Javens, has been kind enough to provide images for an awesome t-shirt printing workshop at Get a Grip studios this Fri and Sat. Please contact us ASAP to book your place at one of these exclusive workshops. It’s just £25 per person and all materials are provided. Ben left the beloved Yorkshire town he grew up in and moved to the heart of England where he graduated with a degree in Fine Art from the University of Central England in 1997. After wandering for several years in the wilderness that is life after graduation he found his true calling as an illustrator and hasn’t looked back since. Ben’s work is colourful, fun and displays an aesthetic that reflects his love of mid century illustration and design. He has worked for clients such as Warburtons, 8th Continent, Hugo Boss, The Guardian, Timeout Magazine and is a proud member of the UNSEEN agency family. benjavens.co.uk
This Saturday at Sidewalk quirky Stratford - based animators The Brothers McLeod will be showcasing their new film by fictional character Colin T. heart. ‘The Existential Pleading of the Inner Heart’ will be accompanied by a talk so get there early to guarantee a seat! brothersmcleod.co.uk
Photo: Joachim
Zimmermann
Jeffrey Lewis Jeffrey Lewis is a New York based comic author and songwriter. Before signing to Rough Trade in 2001 Jeff was barely known outside the city but he now has a loyal fan base and is celebrated as one of America’s greatest lyricists. Jeff won’t be attending BZF this year but he has kindly sent us a box of signed ‘Fuff’ comics; make sure you arrive early to grab yours! We also will be screening a Jeffrey Lewis Documentary throughout the day on Saturday 13th Oct. thejeffreylewissite.com
Kristyna Baczynski Kristyna Baczynski is a comic book artist, illustrator and designer of Yorkshire tongue and Ukrainian blood. She won a Northern Design Award in 2008 and was the 2011 Thought Bubble Artist in Residence. kristyna.com
WJC Warwick Johnson Cadwell is a professional illustrator. Warwick’s currently working on short-form comic ‘Hunch Parsons’ and his highlyanticipated graphic novel ‘Gungle’ for Blank Slate. warwickjohnsoncadwell. blogspot.co.uk
Dan Berry Comics lecturer in north Wales, author of After We Shot the Grizzly, Cat Island and The Suitcase. Dan is also hosting our panel talks on Saturday. thingsbydan.co.uk
Luke Pearson Luke Pearson is a cartoonist, illustrator and comic book man. He is the writer and artist of the comics Everything We Miss and Hilda and The Midnight Giant. lukepearson.com
Marc Ellerby Marc Ellerby is the creator of comics such as Chloe Noonan: Monster Hunter and Ellerbisms. He has had work published by “proper publishers” but still prefers the doing it himself. marcellerby.com
Lizz Lunney BZF’s very own Lizz Lunney is a comic artist from Birmingham. She likes green tea, orange jelly and blue nail varnish. lizzlizz.com
Joe List Joe List is a comic book artist and writer from the north of England. He has published a number of comic books, most recently, Skimpy Jim. Aside from printed work, he also maintains the webcomic, Freak Leap, and weekly doodle blog, The Annotated Weekender. freakleap.co.uk
Philippa Rice Philippa Rice makes a collage comic strip called My Cardboard Life, which has been running 5 times a week online since 2008. She also draws other comics, including a 40 page science fiction romance comic called Looking Out, which will be published in November by Hic & Hoc. timothywinchester.com
Jonathan Edwards Jonathan’s work first appeared in 1993 in Deadline and Tank Girl magazine. Since then he’s worked for the Guardian, Mojo, Q, Mad, The Black Eyed Peas and lots more. Jonathan will be appearing at the BZF panel on Sat and Draw Serge on Sunday. jonathan-e.com
Felt Mistress Felt Mistress AKA Louise Evans is a UK based stitcher and prolific tea drinker who creates a range of one-off bespoke creatures with her partner, illustrator Jonathan Edwards. (see above). feltmistress.com
Karoline Rerrie Karoline creates images by hand using drawing, painting, screenprinting and Japanese Gocco printing. She designs, makes and sells a range of multiples including greetings cards, artists’ books and mini-prints.
karolinemadethis.blogspot. co.uk
Zarina Liew Zarina is a small press self-publisher based in London. She’s a freelance fashion illustrator by trade but also create her own zines and comics. cobaltcafe.co.uk
VRSO Press VRSO Press is a small independent publishing group started by Benjamin Carr. They will be selling zines and prints at the fair. benjamincarr.co.uk
Naniiebim Naniiebim is a small press artist creating a number of self published books such as the Mephistos series, and short comics such as Orange, Shika Shika, and Jellyfish Prince. naniiebim.livejournal.com
Smoo Simon Moreton is a cartoonist and academic based in Bristol, UK. He writes and draws comics and zines. His regular series, Smoo, is all about everyday life. smoo.tumblr.com
Aimee Van Hien Aimee specialises in Book Arts & Printmaking and has sold books & Zines at book fairs around the country on her own as well as apart of ABC – BIAD (Artist Book Collective). Happy-As-Aimee-Illustration (Facebook)
Tuckshop Lynn Allingham creates a diverse range of unique jewellery which she sells at shows such as Thought Bubble and other comic events. etsy.com/shop/tuckshop
AE AE is a small, independent press that produces mythical / folklore inspired, hand-printed (and bound) comics, zines, and prints.
Jamie
Mills
Jamie Mills is an artist, illustrator and bookmaker currently based in York. Making work about nature, structure and repetition he enjoys making books using high quality recycled materials. jamie-mills.com
Isabel Greenberg London - based Isabel is currently working on her first graphic novel due to be published in 2013 by Jonathan Cape. isabelnecessary.com
Pink Apple Jam Pink Apple Jam is influenced by cartoons, zombies, Japanese fashion plus everything cute. pinkapplejam.com
Timothy Winchester If you like dinosaurs getting dumped, sassy wizards or lots of weeping then you’ll love People I Know by Timothy Winchester! timothywinchester.com
Mild Peril Media Mild Peril Media started as the joint website of illustrator Colin Mayhew and graphic designer Kerry Venus, and has developed into them working collaboratively. mildperilmedia.co.uk
Sally Jane Thompson Sally creates quiet, gentle minicomics focussing on the small moments of everyday life, often with a magic realist twist. sallyjanethompson.co.uk
David O'Connell David O’Connell is the editor of ink+PAPER a chunky, full-colour, biannual comic magazine full of stories, articles and features about creative people. He is also a comic maker, author and illustrator and the creator of Tozo. inkpluspaper.com
Pippa Stewart & Josh Neal Pippa and Josh are both illustrators who produce screen printed zines. pippastewart.co.uk / joshneal.com
Inspired Comics Inspired Comics is a collective of hobbyists and professionals and has published 7 anthologies. inspiredcomics.blogspot. co.uk
Sean Azzopardi Sean is a Londonbased writer and artist. sean-azzopardi.com
First Fold Records
First Fold is an independent record label and publishing company with an aim to constantly challenge the people involved to generate exciting and relevant work. firstfoldrecords.com
Brash Skateboarding and drawing are simply compulsions for the recent Camberwell graduate which, naturally, led on to zines! Now in it’s forth issue, London- based Brash is packed to rafters with skate and creative stuff from the surrounding scene. This ‘Stockwell shred grrrl’ relishes the DIY ethos. Harriet Alana’s enthusiasm for silk screen, risograph printing and good ol’ fashioned photocopying is super ridiculously awesome! Come see for yourself! harrietalana.co.uk
Sandra Dieckmann Sandra Dieckmann lives and works as a Freelance illustrator and artist from her studio in East London, UK. Her skills have been applied to a wide array of international commissions and projects. sandradieckmann.com
A-K Laine & Princesa Pirata Distro Princesa Pirata is a small queer/anarcha feminist distro with a love for cycling and all kinds of D.I.Y. It’s run by A-K Pirata (also selling her own work) and is based in Bristol. princesapiratadistro. wordpress.com
Jane McGuinness Jane is a Scottish illustrator living in Birmingham. She enjoys creating artwork with an emotional and mysterious direction, and likes to make books by hand. janemcguiness.co.uk
Ben Javens, Kristyna Baczynski, Dan Berry, Darren Whitcombe, Chris Cove, Karoline Rerrie, Get a Grip, Footprint, Leon Trimble, Peter James, Misty’s Big Adventure, Kerry O’Coy, Dave O’coy, Julia Chance, Southside, Arts Council England, Rob Lindsay, Inky Goodness, Sidewalk, Eden, 6/8 Kafe, The Patrick Centre, Sam Groves, Oxjam Brum, our volunteers and everyone who’s taken part this year. See you next year!