The 15th annual Portland Zine Symposium is happening on Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th at the Ambridge Event Center. Both days run from 11am-5pm and are free to attend! 

There will also be a kick-off event Friday, July 17th and a Saturday night after-party, both happening at the Independent Publishing Resource Center.

About: The Portland Zine Symposium is a free conference and zine social exploring facets of independent publishing and DIY culture. It consists of two days of workshops, panels, discussions, games, and over 150 tablers from around the world selling their zines and handmade wares.

*****EVENTS***** 

Friday, July 17th @ IPRC, 7pm, Free
PZS Kick-Off with guest speaker Cindy Crabb!
www.facebook.com/events/604803356289303/

Saturday, July 18th @ Ambridge Event Center, 11am-5pm, Free
All day tabling and workshops!

Saturday, July 18th @ IPRC, 7-11pm, $3-5 Suggested Donation
PZS Saturday Afterparty w/ readings from Dave Roche, Blair Bogin, Vicky Lim, and Jim Joyce and music from Golden Hour and Freeform Portland DJs.
www.facebook.com/events/1631060113827366/

Sunday, July 19th @ Ambridge Event Center, 11am-5pm, Free
All day tabling and workshops!

Sunday, July 19th @ Turn! Turn! Turn!, 5pm-7pm
Cool Down Cocktail Hour
Chill out after a long weekend of zine trading with some cold beverages, an in-house zine collection, and record shopping at this eclectic spot. And stick around after for a free show from Grand Style Orchestra.

*****WORKSHOP SCHEDULE*****

SATURDAY

12-1pm: How to Write a Novel in a Month

Jayna Ostler

Come learn the basics of hashing out bare-bone outlines and character building for writing your book ideas out in the span of a month. We’ll discuss different tactics for planning and different ways to pace yourself in order to accomplish this challenge.

2-3pm: Making QPOC Space in Zine-ing and Art (and Life)

Anna Vo, Nia King

Where certain identities are de-legitimized in mainstream media and alternative media; how do we make spaces for QUEER PEOPLE OF COLOR to survive and thrive, and be supported in their craft? Hosted by Anna Vo of Fix My Head zine and Nia King of Queer and Trans Artists of Color.

3-4pm: Creative Nonfiction for Zinesters

Joshua James Amberson

Looking to take your writing further? Join us as we play with techniques from personal essay, hybrid nonfiction, and experimental memoir to find new ways to tell our stories. Led by zinester and Portland Community College writing instructor Joshua James Amberson.

3-4:30pm: Podcasting 101

Julie Sabatier

Julie Sabatier, host of Rendered (formerly Destination DIY) and author of the How to Make Radio zine series talks about what it takes to start and sustain your own podcast, plays some clips, and takes your questions!

4-5pm: Mending Your Dress:Coping with Trauma through Writing

Neelybat Chestnut

Presentation on sharing, oversharing, and not sharing. Host NeelyBat Chestnut (Mend My Dress Press) will offer her insights on the formidable task of writing about deeply personal and vulnerable topics, such as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as the balance between sharing and oversharing.

SUNDAY

12-1pm: Writing as a Tool to Strengthen Critical Consciousness

Cindy Crabb

Cindy Crabb, the author of long-running Doris zine, and editor of Support, Learning Good Consent, Filling the Void, and Masculinities, will be hosting a writing workshop led by on using personal/autobiographical writing as a tool for strengthening critical consciousness.

1-2pm: Art and Trauma Through Exploration of 90’s Riot Grrrl Zine Movement

Amber Dawn

Art and Trauma: An examination of the Riot Grrrl ’90s confessional zine movement. This panel discussion offers a rare glimpse at marginalized zine makers addressing issues of race, transgendered identity, and parental violence.

2-3pm: Essential Tools for Coping with Sadness, Anxiety, Stress, and Depression

Sage Liskey

The Rad Cat Press and Sage Liskey, author of The Happiest Choice: Essential Tools for Everyone’s Brain Feelings will present the best techniques for coping with and preventing mental forms of suffering such as anxiety, sadness, stress, and depression… With pictures of cats!

2-3pm: Books: Publishing and Self Publishing

Alex Wrekk, Martha Grover, Adam Gnade, Sage Adderley, moderated by Joshua James Amberson

Join a panel of publishers talking about publishing books from zinester perspectives. Representatives from Pioneers Press and Sweet Candy Press plus zinesters that have self published and had their work published by others. What does the process look like? What does the press expect from you and what does the author expect from the publisher are only a few of the topics that will be covered.

3-4pm: Comic Jam 101

Katy O’Brien

Cartoonists of any age and skill level are invited to join us for an exploration of jam comics – improvisational comics made in collaboration with multiple artists. We will take a look at some finished jam comics, discuss different approaches to collaborating and then break out the pens & pencils and make some jam comics on the spot!

4-5pm: ZOE (Zine Event Organizers) Support Group

Alex Wrekk

Do you work on a zine event? Do you sometimes struggle with things like fundraising and promotion? Do you have questions to ask or great ideas to share? Come to this workshop and share you joys and woes of event organizing whether you host zine readings, teach zine workshops, or organize a zine fest. Let’s talk!