What are zines?

Let’s start with this fair question… Zines (pronounced “zeen”) are do-it-yourself personal or collective booklets made of drawings, poems, texts, collages, photographs, more texts, or more drawings… (the list does not end there). They are a way to express what you think in an unfiltered personal self-publication and share it directly with other people (or to keep for yourself). Their open approach allows a diversity of valued experiences to be shared, in multiple ways.

Historically, zines have been used as a social action tool. They represent an alternative media, conveying the reality of less represented groups and individuals who may experience stigma from the dominant culture, and advocating for social change. Health-related zines became popular over the last few years, aiming at putting health conditions expertise back into the hands of the people who live them.

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How do you make a Zine?

Zines exist under many sizes and shapes. The most commonly used ones are simply made from an A4 page, folded into a small booklet. From here, all expressional mediums are allowed: collages, drawings, words, stamps, glitters, etc. This open format makes zines inclusive, there is no need to be an artist to share our experiences and make a zine powerful.

Basic tool kit:

–          A blank A4 page

–          Scissors

–          1 Pen

To this, add anything else you have available and want to use to express yourself: magazines, glue, colour pencil, stamps, glitters, etc.