Zines are self-published, low-budget short works that are meant to circulate within a particular community. They frequently focus on topics that may not be taken up by mainstream publications but are important to the community they are intended for.
Zines are a creative form of self-expression. They can combine disparate elements such as critical essays, poetry, drawings, or collage to communicate their message. Zines could be made and bound by hand (with handwritten notes interspersed with photos, cutouts, found objects, etc) or printed in an inexpensive format. Today they are also made digitally.
The Mississippi Zine Fest
The Mississippi Zine Fest highlights zines on Mississippi related topics or produced by zine creators located in Mississippi. The first Mississippi Zine Fest was held by Dr. Dhanashree Thorat’s American Literature class in December 2019. The annual showcase has scaled up since then. In 2022, the Starkville Public Library hosted the zine fest and provided a public venue for community members to access and read student projects. And in May 2023, the Starkville Area Arts Council held an opening reception and showcase for the Mississippi Zine Fest in their downtown location. This last iteration of the Mississippi Zine Fest was also opened up for community members to submit their own zines.
Mississippi Zine Fest 