The fourth iteration of the burgeoning Chicago Zine Fest was held on March 8 and 9 at Columbia College’s Conaway Center.  The festival hosted a wide range of self-published works and the variety of events encouraged an artist-viewer connection and a collective environment of development and inspiration.

Chicago Zine Fest exhibition at Columbia College

The selected works varied from computer-print to handwritten texts and targeted topics as broad as politics, art, sexuality, society and criticism. The event kicked off on Friday with a panel hosted by Jami Sailor on Writing about Health, Disability, and Accessibility in Zines. The day came to an end with ZLorD (Zine, Lose or Draw), a game show hosted by comics artist Neil Brideau at Quimby’s Bookstore in Wicker Park.

Chicago Zine Fest exhibition at Columbia College

On Saturday, the actual Zine Exhibition, was the climax of the event. Booths were open to the public for both commercial and intellectual interchange. Attendees were flooded with a variety of publications and access to workshops, authors and artists.

Chicago Zine Fest exhibition at Columbia College

Organizers promoted the event as a  “safer space” — its purpose was to provide accessible and thoughtful spaces that strengthen the sense of exchange and community, highlighting the importance of respect for the individual and appreciation of creative ideas as a motor of growth in the practice.

Chicago Zine Fest main exhibition at Columbia College

Exhibition at Columbia College, “Grime Time” Zine station

Nataliya Kotlova, attendee of Chicago Zine Fest, game show night

Lose or Draw game show participant

Chicago Zine Fest, Zine, Lose or Draw game show at Quimby’s

Zine, lose or Draw game show hosted by Neil Brideau