About LAZF

L.A. Zine Fest is organized by a collective of zine-enthusiasts dedicated to promoting zine culture as a means to connect the pre-exisiting communities in L.A.–artistic or otherwise. We aim to create opportunities for people to share self-published works and host events that encourage ideas to spill out onto paper in pictures and words. We believe that by embracing the urge to create and sharing ideas there can be a more robust and formidable local zine community that extends beyond bookstores and bedrooms. L.A. Zine Fest is an opportunity for So-Cal zinesters to come together en masse and meet and exchange ideas with those from all over the country.

The inaugural year of L.A. Zine Fest featured over 100 exhibitors selling their zines and comics, and over 1,500 attendees. With workshops on topics such as how to run your own DIY music venue, and keynote speakers Henry Rollins and V. Vale, L.A. Zine Fest has established itself as the event for zinesters, comic lovers, bibliophiles and DIY enthusiasts alike.

Join us this year on February 17, 2013, when LAZF welcomes 100+ exhibitors of zines and small press publications to the Ukrainian Cultural Center for a gathering that provides creators of independent publications to come together to share their work with each other and with the public at large. For more information on events and exhibitors, use the tabs above to navigate. Don’t forget to RSVP for L.A. Zine Fest 2013 on Facebook!

L.A. ZINE FEST ORGANIZERS

Meredith Wallace has been an active member of the zine community for 12 years. She started her first zine distro at 13 and hasn’t stopped creating, selling and promoting zines ever since. Her most recent zine distro was False Start, an online storefront that sold zines and comics with an artistic bent. When she’s not daydreaming about zinesters taking over the world, Meredith digitizes rare books and manuscripts for the Getty Research Institute for preservation and public access.	Bianca Barragan has been making zines since 2010. She decided to make one in order to show it at the San Francisco Zine Fest that year, and it was hands-down the most fun she’s ever had. She loves to write creative non-fiction. She also finds herself writing a lot of fictional stories that always end up having a weird dog in them. She is currently writing a zine called “Problem? Solution!” with fellow LAZF organizer Simon Sotelo and trying to finish a short story about the giant cricket that lives in (and rules?) the building where she works.
Rhea Tepplim first discovered zines in her late teens, while visiting friends in Olympia, Washington, near her hometown of Seattle. She has lived in Los Angeles for the past ten years where she is an active participant in the local diy music scene. The community supporting zine culture is as important to her as the actual zine itself, a fact that can be attributed to her desire to help organize L.A. Zine Fest. Her most recent zine, Quick Fix, is a 5 issue series of mini comix solving all of life’s problems.	Simon Sotelo was born and raised in and around central Los Angeles. Simon’s parents raised her to value the importance of humor and trivial nonsense. Simon also grew up with an affinity for macabre art and natural sciences. Simon is a professional illustrator and designer who’s greater hobbies include making short illustrated books with her friends in the A Book A Week collective. (A.B.A.W) Simon is part of an online radio show with fellow organizer Rhea known as Family Dinner Radio, on Poobah.com Simon is grateful for the opportunity to write in the third person.
Eryca Sender has been making per-zines since she was in middle school. She has lived in LA her whole life except when she briefly lived in Chicago and got involved with the first Chicago Zine Fest. Going to and tabling at zine fests in Chicago and Portland, inspired her to connect with LA zinesters and help create a real live zine fest in LA.