Denim jackets plastered with ironic badges, woollen caps, untrimmed beards and endless sales prices scrawled in handwriting – these are all essential elements to a zine fair.
Zines are self-made publications by keen artists and writers alike. No censorship, no editor and mostly self-funded, it’s whatever you want it to be. I once bought a zine full of comics and articles about a woman who wouldn’t share her pizza – just share the pizza! There’s eight slices! Unless you have a web store or don’t mind selling your product on the street like a dirty drug dealer, zine fairs act as a way for people to put themselves and their work out there to the public. And in Sydney, no zine fair is more important than the Other Worlds Zine Fair.
With the discovery of the connection between the MCA Zine Fair and mandatory detention through the sponsorship of Transfield, three friends thought it was essential to start their own zine fair in critical response. As a result, the Other Worlds Zine Fair was born. Embodying the spirit of DIY culture and progressive protest, it has since gotten bigger and bigger every year.
So support your damn locals with that money you’re spending on some glossy, soulless copy of Marie Clare. Actually, is it good? My bad if you’re a fan. Still, give those dollars to someone out there hustling! Shout outs to Other Worlds and every single one of you sweaty vendors, you guys are the real MVPs!