The organizers of Richmond Zine Fest are committed to prioritizing and encouraging marginalized groups seeking participation in independent media. If zines and zine culture historically have been about making space for those of us on the fringe of mainstream society and media, what sense does that make if cis hetero white men who don’t live with a disability dominate the scene? It makes no sense, so we knew we had to take direct actions. In 2016, we created the print stipend to be awarded to creators who are black, non-black POC, LGBTQIA+, and/or have visible/invisible disabilities in an effort to make zines and zine fest more accessible. Several zine fests in the U.S. later reached out to us, so they could offer similar scholarships to their applicants and communities. 2019 will mark our fourth year rewarding zine stipends.
The print stipend is funded by Richmond Zine Fest merchandise sales, donations from local businesses, and the occasional benefit show. Thanks to the generosity of several donors, we’ve also been able to waive tabling fees by request for marginalized zine-makers as well.
Applications for the stipend will be within the application to table at Richmond Zine Fest.
If you’re interested in donating funds or sponsoring a zine-maker, email us at zine.fest@richmondzinefest.info.
Richmond Zine Fest 