‘This is your own space, and you can do whatever you want in it.‘
Grrrl Zine Fair, founded by Lu Williams, started in 2015 as a way to pull together feminist self-publishing through an event. They create events, workshops, and zines and look after a queer and feminist zine library based in Southend.
Lu Williams, the visionary behind this Essex-based library, curates over 600 queer feminist zines, creating a space that defies norms. From zine-making workshops, touring festivals to their own self-publishing zine Grrrl Zine Print, Grrrl Zine Fair empowers voices often unheard. With recent funding from the Arts Council, an archivist preserves and digitises each zine for an upcoming online database.
Lu’s journey began in 2015 at Oxford, where they explored their identity through the feminist zine Cuntry Living. Relocating to Southend, Lu embraces their role as a catalyst for change. Grrrl Zine Fair challenges traditional notions of protest, promoting a tender yet mighty revolution. In their pursuit of inclusivity, Lu Williams and Grrrl Zine Fair ignite creativity and inspire a new generation of zine enthusiasts.
Featured image by Chenxuan Wang