We're not letting a pandemic stop us!
(But we're also staying safe.)
This year MZF continued to support our vendors, the zine community, and the people that love them by pivoting our annual in-person fest to a virtual, tangible, and curbside experience April 17th and 18th. Miss it? Don't worry: we'll be back in person *knock wood* in 2022. Stay tuned!
2021
Click here to see the whole fest schedule in one big comprehensive view! There's so much to do!
Our zine scholars
Each season MZF runs an Emerging Voices Scholarship aimed at highlighting marginalized communities and fresh new contributors to the zine scene. A $50 stipend goes to each zinester to produce the work they have applied to create. Typically scholars then get to table for free at our in-person event and we showcase their new work day-of. This season we celebrate them here.
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(Info on how to apply for 2022 scholarships will come out in autumn.)
We've partnered up with our wonderful friends at Woodland Pattern Book Center to offer virtual vendor "tabling" this season through their online store! 100% of profit goes to the zinester so your dollars really count toward supporting our vendors.
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You can pick up your zine purchase curbside at WP, or opt to have them sent right to you at home! Easy and safe for everyone (please be sure to wear a mask if picking up)!
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MZF sales will be live April 17th and 18th: click and scroll!
Our long-time partner, Milwaukee Public Library is usually our in-person host site, but this season we're switching it up by offering free take-and-make kits to keep the tangibility of zines alive. This kit is good for all ages but geared toward zine-newbies as an introduction to the craft and culture.
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This kit includes information about zines, a mini-zine folding guide, a zine of collage imagery to cut up for some make-your-own zine inspiration, plus a marker, scissors, and glue!
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Kits will be available for walk-in pick up across Milwaukee starting on April 12th.
Click the button below for branch hours: kits are available at all 13 main branches
(not the express or braille library).
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All you have to do is walk in--in your mask, of course--and ask a librarian
for an MZF take-and-make kit. Easy! 100% Free!
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Since supplies are limited, the printable elements of the kit are available digitally in a shared drive below. This includes different formats of several things to accommodate your home printing needs.
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Work on your kit solo, or wait for Zine Fest to work on it virtually with others across the city our virtual meet up Saturday the 17th. See the full schedule for details.
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We'll miss you in person this year, but we'd love to see you on screen! MZF 2021 will feature several virtual offerings throughout the weekend. We're hosting several free panels, plus creating digital space for sharing, and creating together.
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The full virtual fest program schedule is posted below. Links will be live day-of!
UWM Print Club joins MZF for safe, outdoors, in-person fun this season. Printmaking students will offer a live make-a-print, take-a-print pop up in the courtyard of The Bindery.
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Join us and learn how to screenprint an “abecedarium” (alphabet) zine from a single piece of paper. Print, cut and fold it into a boustrophedon book (known as a snake book or ox-plow structure.) Come sling some ink all afternoon!
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Free: Saturday, April 17th
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Drop by anytime between 1pm and 4pm!
The Bindery || 347 E. Ward Street
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** Masks required: please keep a safe distance **
We know MZF is a little different this year: we've created a spectrum of programs and offerings to keep the zine-love alive in Milwaukee, while also keeping folks safe.
Be sure to look at the details above pertaining to each awesome component, be it virtual, curbside, or in person! Below is the overarching schedule for MZF 2021 (and general information about our fest and vision is always available at on our homepage.)
**NOTE: STARTING MONDAY APRIL 12TH:
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In the run-up to MZF weekend, free zine take and make kits will be available through all Milwaukee Public Library branches. (Work on your kit solo or hang on to it until fest weekend to work virtually together on Saturday afternoon!)
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Supplies are limited so grab one fast. Miss out? Don't worry: the components are posted digitally above so you can print them at home!
SATURDAY, APRIL 17
ALL MILWAUKEE ZINE FEST EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND!
all
DAy
ONLINE & CURBSIDE
SHOP & SUPPORT
"Attend" MZF vendor tabling online via our friends at Woodland Pattern. Support zinesters with your purchase: 100% of sales goes right to their bedazzled purse.
Supplies are limited: order from home all day long and opt to get your zines mailed, or pick up same-day curbside!
all
DAy
ONLINE: DISCORD
Share & mingle
Discord is an online platform that's a little more focused and private than standard social media. Hop into our Discord all fest long to share your work and ideas through images, links, live chat, and just browsing what others have shared.
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MZF will be keeping an eye on this communal space all weekend to ensure posts adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy but otherwise it is casual, non-moderated, and up to the community to build together throughout the fest.
11am to
12:30pm
VIRTUAL:
ZOOM & LIVE STREAM
Creating Zines in Pandemic Times: A spotlight on MZF vendor practice.
Join us for a casual, moderated conversation with some of this season's vendors as they discuss how the pandemic played a role in their zine work (and how the experience will now shape their future thinking and goals for their practice.)
2pm to
4pm
VIRTUAL: ZOOM
Drop-in Safe Space: BIPOC Zinesters Forum
A drop-in zoom session to create a space for BIPOC Zinesters only, to share work, ideas, experiences and network with one another. An informal place to connect: BIPOC Zinesters pop in any time between 2 and 4pm.
Link will go live at 2pm, day-of. This space is private and will not be streamed.
2pm to
4pm
VIRTUAL: ZOOM
COMMUNITY ZINE MAKING DROP IN & MINI WORKSHOP
Join us for casual time to create zines together (while safely apart).
The first half hour (2 to 2:30pm) will be a guided mini-zine demonstration you can follow along with at home with just a sheet of paper and some scissors!
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2:30 to 4 will be a causal maker session without guided instruction, but with the MZF team on hand to answer questions and offer tips. Drop in any time. Zoom from home with your own supplies or use your Take and Make Kit that you grabbed from MPL (or can download and print here!)
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Be sure to share anything you create on social using #MZF2021: we'll be showcasing community makers on Sunday!
SUNDAY, APRIL 18
ALL MILWAUKEE ZINE FEST EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND!
all
DAy
ONLINE & CURBSIDE
SHOP & SUPPORT
"Attend" MZF vendor tabling online via our friends at Woodland Pattern. Support zinesters with your purchase: 100% of sales goes right to their bedazzled purse.
Supplies are limited: order from home all day long and opt to get your zines mailed, or pick up same-day curbside!
all
DAy
ONLINE: DISCORD
Share & mingle
Discord is an online platform that's a little more focused and private than standard social media. Hop into our Discord all fest long to share your work and ideas through images, links, live chat, and just browsing what others have shared.
​
MZF will be keeping an eye on this communal space all weekend to ensure posts adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy but otherwise it is casual, non-moderated, and up to the community to build together throughout the fest.
noon to
1:30 pm
VIRTUAL:
ZOOM & LIVE STREAM
Getting your Zines Sold:
A panel and Q&A with various sellers
You've made your zines, and now you want to sell them through a store or distro--but how? We've gathered some friendly local, regional and national sellers to help demystify the process and explain how zine selling works for them (and you)!
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Featuring: Woodland Pattern Book Center (MKE), Lion's Tooth Books (MKE), Quimby's Books (CHI), and Brown Recluse Zine Distro (Oakland, CA)
3pm to
5pm
VIRTUAL:
ZOOM & LIVE STREAM
Emerging Voices: New and Non-white Narratives in Zine Creation
A spotlight on our BIPOC scholars and vendors! Join us to learn what a few of our incredible makers have been up to. Each guest artist will be introducing themselves, showing their work, and speaking about their experience. A Q&A will follow: bring your [respectful] questions for an MZF-moderated talk-back session.
We hope to see you at MZF 2021!
Thanks for supporting our vendors!
Questions about something not answered above or in our FAQ section?
Please feel free to reach out to our Zine Programs Director, Quinn:
quinn[at]binderymke.com
