SPD 2017

Small Press Day 2017

Scotland

Forbidden Planet Glasgow

To celebrate Small Press Day 2017, Forbidden Planet Glasgow is organising another terrific bash – this year in conjunction with the iconic Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, which is currently running a large exhibition of the comics art of Frank Quitely. A terrific place to champion creative talents and the small press. More info here.

@ Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AG

Dundee Comics Creative Space

DCCS is celebrating Small Press Day by hosting a comic and zine fair from 12pm-3pm where they will launch Volume 2 of the Comics Club Comic Strips Anthology – an anthology with lots of great stories from the young people who attend their after-school clubs. There will also be a chance to pick up some individual zine-style comics made by the DCCS Comics Clubbers. Putting the “small” in small press – come along and meet the next generation of superstar comic creators! More info here.

@ Unit 7, The Vision Building, 20 Greenmarket, Dundee, DD1 4QB

Northern Ireland

Comic Book Guys

To celebrate Small Press Day this year, Comic Book Guys will have an amazing array of small press creators signing and showcasing their comics & zines in store throughout the day including Andy Luke, Roddy McCance, Colin Langan, Dave Louden, Daniel Flanagan, Peter Duncan & more! From 11.30am – 2.30pm. More info here.

@ 130 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7BG

Ireland

Sub-City Comics

For this year’s event, Sub-City Comics are very pleased to have three amazing creators join them for a panel discussion and an-after-talk signing: CE Murphy, creator and writer of Take A Chance, Leeann Hamilton, creator and artist on Finn And Fish, and Kinga Korska creator and artist on Brain Fetish. The panel takes place at their Mary Street store and runs from 6:30 pm till 7:30 pm, with the signing from 7:30 pm till 8:30 pm. More info here.

@ 53 Mary Street, Dublin, D1

Forbidden Planet Dublin

Forbidden Planet Dublin are again taking part in SPD big-time, with a huge event in the Fumbally Exchange on July 8th, which includes a whole slew of comickers, including Leeann Hamilton, Stray Lines, Ben Hennessy, Lightning Strike, Hugo Boylan, Kerrie Smith, Sean Hogan, Kinga Korska, Sean O’Reilly (AKA Draw Boy), Anthea West, Kevin Keane, Ciaran Marcantonio, Aaron Fever, Clare Foley, Olly Cunningham, Paul Carroll, Wayne Talbot, Gareth Luby, Katie Fleming and Tracy Sayers. A terrific chance not just to pick up some very cool and unusual comics, but to support independent creators, which is always a good thing! More info here.

@ The Fumbally Exchange, 5 Dame Lane, Dublin 2

Wales

Cardiff Independent Comic Expo

CICE is a family friendly, one day, not-for-profit, annual show dedicated to providing a platform for independent and small press publishers/sequential art creators from South Wales and beyond. A selection of established UK-based comic creators will also be in attendance as Guests, contributing to panel discussions, and live art mini-events throughout the day. More info here.

@ Cardiff Masonic Hall,

England

  • North East

The PJCC Comics Encampment at Pocket Geek

The Paper Jam Comics Collective will be bringing small press comics goodness to Gateshead’s bijou comics/anime/gaming/cosplay convention, Pocket Geek. Check out some top quality locally produced comics and art from Brittany Coxon, En Gingerboom, Paul Thompson, and more – including Paper Jam’s latest team anthology “The Amazing Adventure Comics Machine …And That”. In addition to having wondrous things for sale, we’ll be demonstrating our verbosity (or just making fools of ourselves) taking on the Anime Attacks crew in another session of daft panel game ‘Just A Comics Minute’, and we’ll be running collaborative drawing games throughout the day, hoping for participation from everyone – whatever your level of experience, everyone can do comics! More info here.

@ Anime Attacks, Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead, NE8 4LN

  • North West

Nexus Art Cafe

Join a host of Manchester’s best indie creators celebrating Small Press Day 2017 with a showcase fair at Nexus Art Cafe situated in the famous Northern Quarter. With a range of styles and story tellers there’s plenty to discover. Meet the next generation of creators! From 11am – 7pm. More info here.

@ 2 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1JW

  • Yorkshire

Destination Venus

Meet self-publishing legend Terry Wiley, co-creator of the magnificent Sleaze Castle and creator of Surreal School Stories and Verity Fair, for signing, sketching and chatting from 1pm -5pm. A wonderful way to spend Small Press Day 2017.  More info here.

@ Westminster Arcade, Parliament Street, Harrogate HG1 2RN

  • Midlands

Nostalgia & Comics

Celebrating SPD 2017 with a fantastic line up – including Sammy Borras, Matt Garvey, Sarah Gordon, Angus Medford, Laura Watton-Davis, Dave Evans, Steven D Quirke, Russell Hillman, Rees Finlay, Jack Devereaux, and Tom Guilfoyle. From 10.30am – 4.15pm. More info here.

@ 14-16 Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham B5 4EN

Forbidden Planet Nottingham

Nottingham Comic Con will be at Forbidden Planet Nottingham for Small Press Day 2017 along with comic creators Reckless Hero and Sally Jane Thompson – make sure you stop by and pick up some indy comics! More info here.

@ 19-23 Friar Lane, Nottingham, NG1 6DA

Magic Kingdom Comics

Celebrating Small Press Day with amazing comic book writers and artists in residence – including Chris Sides, Jon Scrivens, Paul B Rainey, Rachel Nutkins, and Brett Uren. From 10am. More info here.

@ 22-23 Kingston Quarter, Milton Keynes, MK10 0BA

  • East

Grrrl Zine Fair @ Village Green

Grrrl Zine Fair is SUPER excited to be bringing small press to the Village Green Festival. Swapping London pubs for a beautiful park overlooking the seaside, this inclusive Grrrl event will bring workshops, zines, a sculpture garden, art exhibition, bands and an immersive zine library to Essex. From 11am to 8pm. More info here.

@ Chalkwell Park, London Road, Southend-on-Sea, SS0 8NB

  • London

Gosh! Comics

Celebrating the world of small press again this Saturday July 8th, from 12pm-6pm, with an afternoon filled with workshops to mark Small Press Day 2o17!

Have you ever wanted to tell your own story using comics but didn’t know where to start? Well then don’t miss this opportunity to come down and sit with some of the UK’s top small press creators as they work on new material at upstairs at Gosh! Watch them work, ask questions you may have about the process, and even get started on your own projects. The day is broken into one hour slots with different creators working to loose themes, so if a particular genre holds your interest, check out the schedule below:

12-1pm All Ages: Ramzee / Paul Shinn / Dan White
1-2pm Sci Fi/Fantasy: Lando / Emix Regulus / Crom / Korinna Veropolou
2-3pm Humour: John Riordan / Josh Hicks / Sajan Rai
3-4pm Autobiography: Olivia Sullivan / Ellie Crewes / Danny Noble
4-5pm Meditations: Anja Uhren / John Cei Douglas / Kat Chapman
5-6pm One Pound Poems: Amber Hsu / Gareth Brooks / Alexis Deacon

During the day Gosh! will also be producing their own comic in collaboration with neighbours over at Orbital Comics. Artists in both stores will be working on the comic across the event, with the pages going back and forth between the shops, and by the end of the day they will have a entire comic ready to be printed and handed out for free in both stores. Excting! More info here.

And that’s not all, Small Press Day at Gosh! will end with the launch of the Broken Frontier 2017 Yearbook, spotlighting the best of upcoming talent! Details here.

@ 1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR

Orbital Comics

Celebrating self-publishing and DIY culture, Orbital will have an amazing array of small press creators signing and showcasing their beautiful and varied works in-store throughout the day – with: Clara Saetiz, Cliodhna Ztoical, Elizabeth Querstret, Ellie Egleton, Gareth A Hopkins, Jason Browne, Joe Jinks, Julia Madrigal, Lydia Butz, Matthew Dooley, Owen Michael Johnson, Sean Azzopardi, Tim Bird, Tom Ward, Will Humberstone, and Yoyo the Ricecorpse.

If that wasn’t enough, Orbital will also be producing a comic on the day in collaboration with their neighbours at Gosh! More info here.

@ 8 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JA

Housmans Bookshop

Long time champions of the small press, indie presses, radical mags and zines, Housmans Bookshop will be celebrating Small Press Day 2017 with a dedicated display showcasing some of the titles they stock – highlighting the importance and in honour of those who self and micro publish. From 10am-6pm. More info here.

@ 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX

Artists Self-Publishers’ Fair (ASP3) @ ICA

One long year after ASP2: The Sequel, ASP and the ICA are hosting ASP3: The Third.

ASP3 will, like its predecessors, feature over seventy British and international independent artist self-publishers for the one-day fair. As with the 2015 and 2016 editions, the fair will show artist self-publishers only and will continue to avoid the restrictions and market dominance that affects much of contemporary arts culture. The publications are still the art works: affordable and available, free from the fetters of the institution or gallery, the ideas, images and text are produced and published by artists who understand the restrictions and freedoms of the printed page. From 11am. More info here.

@ The Mall, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5AH

Achilles! Fanzine Launch Party

Achilles! is a fanzine about the Achilles Street area in New Cross, South-East London, which is under threat of regeneration by Lewisham council. 4 blocks of houses and 2 rows of shops face potential regeneration, a euphemism for total demolition.

The zine is a space celebrating the existing area and people of Achilles Street. It is a time capsule, a love-letter, a plea for a conversation around regeneration. Featured are profiles on residents of Achilles Street, emphasising their personal histories in addition to local creatives’ contributions. The fanzine itself was designed and made by project director Lilah Francis with two residents: Jacqueline Utley and Christian Codjoe.

Join us on Saturday 8th July at Vinyl Deptford for the official Achilles Fanzine Launch Party. The zine will be available to purchase for £2 with 50% percent of proceeds going to the Achilles Stop and Listen Campaign. From 7pm – 10pm. More info here.

@ Vinyl Deptford, 4 Tanners Hill, London, SE8 4PJ

  • South East

Dave’s Comics

A mini version of May’s ComicPopUp selling the most local and the most unusual small press titles Brighton has to offer. Join Simon Russell and other local creators just outside Dave’s Comics and celebrate Small Press Day from 10am – 5pm. More info here.

@ 5 Sydney Street, Brighton and Hove, BN1 4EN

  • South

Frog Bros Comics And Books

Hosting independent local comic book creators – conducting signings and selling amazing creations! With Andrew Pawley; Jay Frettingham & Dave Jones; and Mike Garley. From 12pm – 3pm. More info here.

@ Unit 3, Sovereign Centre, Bournemouth, BH1 4SX

  • South West

Gnash Comics

July for Gnash Comics is small press month! Join them on 8th July in honour of Small Press Day and for discounts on all small press comics, and then again on the 26th for a beer and browse event. More info here.

@ 9A West Street, Ashburton, Devon, TQ13 7DT

And because we can’t get enough Small Press… events post-SPD 2017

  • South London Comic and Zine Fair

South London Comic and Zine Fair is a brand new comic and zine event taking place at Stanley Halls South Norwood on Saturday 15th July focusing on London based self & micro publishing.

There will be over 30 artists and independent publishers selling their publications on the day, including local heros such as children’s cartoonist Gary Northfeild, illustrator Cat Sims, micro publisher Avery Hill and artist and activist Darren Cullen. Other stalls include OOMK zine, Centrala, Broken Frontier, Clod Magazine, Danny Noble, Breakdown Press and Foxhole Zine.

There will also be a communal table, open to budding comics creators and zinesters to leave their work to be sold free of charge. The fair will be open from 12 noon to 6pm. There will be a kids drawing area and a bar open all day. More info here.

@ Stanley Halls, 12 South Norwood Hill, London, SE25

  • Weirdo Zine Fest

Weirdo Zine Fest is a self-publishing fair celebrating DIY cultural production by radical and marginalised people. Preference for tables goes to women, queers, POC, disabled people, trans people, fat people, sex workers and anyone who is otherwise marginalised.

The first fair was last year at DIY Space for London and it’s back for a second year in collaboration with Sutton House and Breaker’s Yard in Hackney. This year’s fair on Saturday 15th July will include 20+ stallholders and an afterparty!

From 12pm to 5pm, with the afterparty starting at 8pm. More info here.

@ Sutton House, 2 Homerton High Street, London, E9 6JQ

  • The Incredible Comic Shop

Seven top UK indie creators (writers and artists) are heading to Swindon’s Incredible Comic Shop on Saturday 15th July.

Celebrating the UK small press scene hot on the heels of Small Press Day, the event featuring Matt Garvey, Sara Dunkerton, Matt Gibbs, Vince Hunt, Gavin Mitchell, Emily B. Owen, and Nick Prolix will also see the store launch a small press section with other titles as well as ones by the visiting creators. From 1pm – 4pm. More info here.

@ 21 Brunel Plaza, Brunel Center, Swindon, SN1 1LF