Otis College to Host Inaugural La Tijera Zine Fest on November 22

The fest “is an exciting way to connect our community to this broader [zine] movement, celebrate independent publishing, and provide a platform for creators to share their work.”

On Friday, November 22, Otis College will host its inaugural La Tijera Zine Fest, a showcase for all types of handmade zines—think of them as indie magazines—as well as art and other self-published work. The event is open to Otis students, faculty, and staff and is a collaboration between Labs, Shops, and Studios and the student-run Parallax Photo Club. The event will be held in the Forum on campus from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. 

Coinciding with the zine fest from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on campus will be a panel discussion, “Queer Comics and Queer Storytelling,” featuring Tina Horn and Archie Bongiovanni, moderated by Otis faculty member Badly Licked Bear. 

“Zine fests are popular across Southern California, especially in the L.A. area, where there’s a strong DIY and independent publishing culture,” says Leslie Ross-Robertson, Laboratory Press Manager, who is helping with several workshops in the lead-up to the zine fest. “Events like L.A. Zine Fest have been well-attended for years, bringing together artists, writers, activists, and creatives from all over. Some of our own Otis technicians—Eloise Madsen Borden, Madeline Helland, and Kaela Watso—have been involved in these events, hosting panels and even organizing their own zine fests. The La Tijera Zine Fest is an exciting way to connect our community to this broader movement, celebrate independent publishing, and provide a platform for creators to share their work.” 

Zines are like DIY mini-magazines, often handmade, about anything a creator is passionate about, from art and poetry to photography and personal thoughts. “There are no rules, and you don’t need any special tools—just your creativity and a willingness to try something new,” says Ross-Robertson. 

At the La Tijera Zine Fest, zines will be available for sale, trade, or display, and creators may also share other merchandise related to their work. It’s a chance to experience a variety of creative productions in one place. Interested parties can submit their zine—be it image-based, text-driven, illustrated, graphic, collaged, or something entirely unique—for consideration by November 8.

Labs, Shops, and Studios has hosted several workshops to help interested participants learn everything they need to know to create their own zines, including binding techniques, how to use InDesign (part of the Adobe Creative Suite), and how to print pages in the Photo Lab or on a Risograph machine in the Printmaking Lab. Lab Press routinely offers workshops that cover cover how to bind with the spiral binder, wire-o, saddle stitch stapler, and corner-rounder, as well as the chance to get certified on the perfect binder and paper cutter. 

Other means of inspiration can be found at the Millard Sheets Library, which has a special zine collection, and by attending Parallax Photo Club meetings to workshop concepts and get valuable feedback. At the La Tijera Zine Fest, library staff will display a large selection of zines from the collection that people can freely browse.  

“Fittingly, ‘La Tijera’ translates to ‘the scissors,’ symbolizing the cutting, pasting, and assembling that goes into making zines. It’s the perfect backdrop for this exciting and creative event,” says Ross-Robertson. “We hope it becomes an annual event that highlights the creativity and individuality of our community. Whether you’re making a zine, attending the event, or just supporting your friends, there’s something for everyone. It’s a great opportunity to get involved, connect with others, and celebrate independent publishing in a fun, creative environment!”  

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