This year I attended the ever-growing annual Festival of the Photocopier at Melbourne Town Hall, and wow, was it something else!

The expansive hall was packed with tabling creatives and once again, thanks to the efforts of the volunteers/organizers of Sticky Institute, it was a great event.

I had an enthusiastic assistant with me this year; my eldest child Bastian asked if they could help for the day. This decision resulted in me making hot chocolate and sushi runs so Bas could remain seated and chat to neighboring artists about Pokemon and Power Rangers. Conveniently, it also freed me up to say a quick couple of rounds of ‘hellos’ and take some time to explore the exhibition of YOU – celebrating its 800th issue!

While I was stoked to see so many familiar local creators and interstate makers-turned-friends that had traveled especially for the occasion (commitment!) I was overwhelmed by the amount of fresh faces and titles that I met – and I didn’t even get around to seeing half the stalls!

It never ceases to amaze me how very diverse the range of interests and topics and formats and styles of zine projects are being published – all these different perspectives are being documented and shared and treasured.. zines are truly a marvelous medium.

It is a given, that whenever I table at a zine fair I meet interesting people; this year was no exception.

I even managed to make a new friend and add a pen-pal to my list of wonderful people I exchange words with occasionally. My pen pals are very dear to me, and those who I have met through zines have become special links in my life. The zine community is such an eclectic, unique and fluid tribe and I am proud to consider myself a part of it.

Thank you to everyone who attended, purchased, stumbled upon, asked questions, tabled, promoted, discovered something new, traded their work, shared their stories with me, made a zine for the first time, traveled at length especially for, smiled at an artist or in any other way supported this event and zine culture in general – thank you!