KL Zine Etc festival returns with a call for peace through ‘ceasefire zones’

KL Zine Etc returns this weekend with more than 50 participants, bringing together voices from across the region and beyond to celebrate zine and indie print culture. Photo: KLZE

A growing fixture on Kuala Lumpur’s independent arts calendar, KL Zine Etc (KLZE) returns to the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) on Jalan Maharajalela from Aug 7-9.

Taking over the first floor of the heritage trade hall, the second edition of KLZE brings together zine culture, indie print, self-published works and DIY makers, spotlighting a creative ecosystem that continues to flourish beyond mainstream publishing.

Building on a successful debut last year, the festival – embracing the merdeka (independent) spirit that has long defined zine culture – has expanded from more than 30 vendors to over 50, filling the venue with zinesters, artists, writers, independent publishers and printmakers showcasing everything from handmade zines and artist books to experimental publications and small-batch editions.

KL Zine Etc festival returns to the KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall this weekend. Photo: The Star/Low Boon Tat

Across the three-day festival, visitors can look forward to zine-focused programmes, hands-on workshops, film screenings and music sessions. An anti-war-themed exhibition serves a lead programme, while a mix of returning favourites and new exhibitors adds fresh perspectives to this year’s line-up.

According to the KLZE organising committee, the anti-war theme was conceived in response to ongoing conflicts around the world, while also reflecting on the internal “wars” shaped by mental states, identity and ideology.

"We hope to create a space for discussion and reconciliation, and encourage vendors and participants to build their own 'ceasefire zones' for reading and sharing space,” read a KLZE statement.

The festival features a three-day programme of readings, poetry sessions and zine-related activities. Photo: KLZE

KLZE’s line-up offers a wide-ranging selection of works exploring contemporary fanzines, punk culture, folk narratives, indigenous activism, comics, environmental concerns, feminism and role-playing games.

Participating vendors include Otter Is Reading, Tokosue, Paulitical Art, Gerimis Art, Bah Saluji, Sunda Shelves, Munkao, Kawak Buku, Lost Prints Community Studio, Cari Gadoh, Bang Bang Zines, Tofu Stand, Zine Coop and The Story­­teller’s Caravan, among others.

The festival also has a distinctly national reach, bringing together independent publishers and creators from across Malaysia. Among them are Kedai Hitam Putih (Kelantan), Pipit Press (Melaka), Shuren Press (Johor), Olivia JD (Sarawak) and Borneo Komrad (Sabah), highlighting the diversity of the country’s independent publishing landscape.

This year’s edition also highlights KLZE's emergence as a regional meeting point, welcoming creators from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Myanmar and Taiwan.

As an independently organised event, KLZE has curated a strong programme and vendor line-up that celebrates the diversity of zine and print culture. Photo: KLZE

When asked about how KLZE envisions the festival growing, the group said it simply wanted to create spaces for local and regional zinemakers to meet, and for alternative stories to be seen, shared and celebrated.

We also hope that meaningful friendships and exchanges can take place during the event, and foster possible future collaborations.

The festival’s multilingual offerings mirror the diversity of the regional independent publishing scene, with printed works in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese and other languages.

Entry to KLZE is RM10, which includes a RM5 voucher redeemable towards the purchase of zines.