Third Space Art Collective holds second annual Print & Zine Fest

Artists from around Davis, Sacramento and the Bay Area showcased their visual works

On May 2, Third Space Art Collective hosted their second Print & Zine Fest in Davis. Featuring more than 25 vendors, the event featured artist’s work and the collective’s frequent activities. A zine-making station and a zine donation box invited attendees to participate and add to the collective’s library.

This year’s event established the Print & Zine Fest as an annual one. Organizer Sophia Simon discussed Third Space’s planning process, carried out by the collective’s team of volunteers.

“I think it’s easy to plan something when you have so many people that are invested,” Simon said. “It’s not an uphill battle. Everyone just gets excited and is like, ‘Oh, I’ll take on this thing.’”

Simon described how Third Space created events to facilitate creativity in preparation of the festival.

“This year, we did some workshops leading up to this event for the whole month of April,” Simon said. “That helped to really get everyone excited and know about the event.”

For the organizers, providing a space for people to share and learn new ways of making art was a central motivator for the establishment of the event, especially after witnessing the success of the first Print & Zine Fest last year.

“It was so inspiring to see what everyone else was making, and also just how your own art is received when you share it with people,” Simon said. “It’s really motivating to share it, instead of just having it be something private that you just do on your own. When you see someone connect with [your art], it just [feels] electric.”

Organizer Josh Redman shared the collective’s reasoning behind the fest’s specific focus on print and zines.

“Zines have been around forever, but it feels like more and more people want a way to be working with each other that’s not social media,” Redman said. “Having it be a regular event — something that people can count on or work towards over the next year, if they’re just getting into it or starting to write — is creating opportunities for people to make and share things.”

Artist vendors came from Davis, Sacramento and the Bay Area, but some traveled from as far away as Seattle, Wash. Among those tabling were also members of local organizations such as The Creek Protectors Alliance and the UC Davis Mask Bloc.

True to the creative bent of the event, each artist brought unique takes on zine-making and creation. Artist Elijah Bennett shared his techniques for creating engaging material.

“I know a lot of people write about themselves, about their experiences, but it just didn’t feel right for me,” Bennett said. “What really ended up sparking it was deciding to write zines focused on the reader, giving them things like activities to do. A lot of my zines are foraging themed as well, so there’s a little educating in there.”

Zines can also serve as a unique way to share thoughts on art with others, according to artist Jazel Muñoz.

“My latest [zine] is about comic books that I’ve read,” Muñoz said. “A lot are by authors that are genderfluid, queer [or] femme, talking about identity and immigration. I really thought it was important to put something together so some folks can get excited to read and explore that.”

Having the physical space to distribute work and talk to others about creating art is an important aspect of the event and Third Space’s ideals, as shared by artist Carrie Ziser.

“After I [left social media], I suddenly was like ‘I have to make zines,’” Ziser said. “I do have something I want to share and say, but I don’t have that platform anymore to do it.”

Artists and attendees alike admired the way the event fostered community through the diverse array of knowledge surrounding zine topics and print methods.

“I love people freely publishing their thoughts and their creativity,” artist Shinyoung Park said. “I’m really enjoying it and I love the community.”

Outside of the event, Third Space Art Collective has worked to make artistic community possible year-round, allowing Alex Clark, who also was a vendor at the event, to further his craft.

“I started this as a fun hobby, and it’s been really cool to find community here in Davis,” Clark said. “Third Space provides such a cool spot, and you get to meet cool people, too.”

The materials and support offered by Third Space, such as a free art pantry, workshops and open hours, allowed local artists to take part in the event and sell their print media. Artist Alyx Land described the impact the collective has made upon his creative pursuits.

“Third Space makes it possible for me to actually self-publish my own zines and comics,” Land said. “There’s the free art pantry, where people donate lots of paper, lots of materials. There’s a printer. I highly recommend people check Third Space out.”

For those who missed this year’s Print & Zine Fest, or want to get involved in creating for the next one, Third Space Art Collective will continue to hold workshops and open hours throughout the year. More information about their upcoming events and the space can be found at thirdspacedavis.org.

Written by: Hannah Osborn— arts@theaggie.org