Notts Zine Fest 2025

📅 Notts Zine Fest 2025
🕙 Saturday 8 November, 10am – 4pm
📍 Nottingham Central Library
💸 Free entry!

Now in its sixth edition, Notts Zine Fest has grown into one of the UK’s biggest celebrations of self-publishing and independent voices. This isn’t your average book fair - it’s a vibrant, inclusive gathering where illustrators, poets, designers, photographers, graffiti artists, comic creators, writers and activists all come together to share their work and passion.

What’s on

This year’s line-up is absolutely packed. With over 50 stalls, you’ll find everything from handmade comics and prints to experimental art books and radical zines. And it’s all completely free!

Here’s just a taste of what’s happening on the day:

🎨 Free workshops introducing printmaking, self-publishing and DIY creativity with local legends including Dan Wheeler (Sequence), Dizzy Ink, NTU Illustration and Arti Zine UK.

✏️ Live illustration and performances throughout the day.

🛩️ A GF Smith paper airplane competition (yes, you read that right!).

📚 Readings, signings and talks from some of the UK’s most exciting independent creators.

🎉 A special showcase celebrating 11 years of Dizzy Ink – Nottingham’s beloved print studio and creative hub.

🖼️ Exhibitions spotlighting grassroots publishing and visual culture.

Collaboration and community

The 2025 event is powered by a dream team of Nottingham creatives – Dizzy Ink, MOAN Zine and Raw Print – with support from It’s in Nottingham, who’ve helped make the whole day free and accessible for everyone.

As Alex Flint, CEO of It’s in Nottingham, puts it:

“Events like Notts Zine Fest showcase the creativity, energy and independent spirit that make Nottingham such a great place to live, work and visit. Supporting initiatives that bring people together and celebrate local talent is central to our mission, and we’re proud to play a part in making this event accessible to all.”

And Craig Proud from Dizzy Ink couldn’t be more excited:

“Notts Zine Fest is a fantastic cross section of visual creativity! It showcases outsider art of so many different disciplines, supports the makers behind it and raises the bar for creativity – an authentically wonderful event for the city. And it’s in the lush new library this year!”

Why it matters

Notts Zine Fest isn’t just about zines – it’s about independence, collaboration and amplifying voices that don’t always get heard. It’s a celebration of what happens when people come together to make, share and connect through print and creativity.

To mark the sixth Zine Fest, and 11 years of Dizzy Ink, feels like the perfect reason to celebrate Nottingham’s thriving creative scene.

So whether you’re a die-hard zinester, an art lover, or just curious about what DIY publishing is all about – come along, meet some amazing people, and maybe even make something yourself!

Follow the festival on social media: @nottszinefest