Call out - Zines: Celebrating 25 Years of Community Partnerships and the People of Leeds
Leeds Museums and Galleries are celebrating 25 years of working with communities across Leeds. The culmination of this celebration will be a major exhibition at Leeds City Museum in October 2026. Several smaller projects will compliment this exhibition, including Zines: Celebrating 25 Years of Community Partnerships and the People of Leeds.
We have 10 community groups lined up for this project and are recruiting 5 artists to work with the groups. We envisage each artist will support 2 groups.
Leeds Museums & Galleries are seeking artists to co-create with community partners a zine that showcases the voice and story of one of our long-standing community groups. The community groups reflect a diverse range of the people of Leeds and include individuals with protected characteristics.
The selected artists will work with community group participants and their staff to select an object that is meaningful to them. The object could be a symbol of what is important to the group, stand for their identity, their lived experiences and the community they represent. The object and Zine will be displayed together as part of a new Special Exhibition.
We encourage applications from underrepresented communities, diverse backgrounds and individuals with specific protected characteristics.
Project Description
We are looking to recruit artists, zine makers, photographers, poets, illustrators, printmakers and changemakers to share their practice with community partners. We want this project to champion how zines foster connections through shared identity and showcase grassroots activism and a love of Leeds.
We would love to support our community partners to create zines from a variety of mediums and encourage applications through different art forms. This will also ensure we can hold fulfilling workshops for our community partners as well as showcasing artistic talent.
Final zines can be in a printed or handmade format, but we will need a digital copy of the zines so we can print copies to be given out for the duration of the Specialist Exhibition.
What is a Zine?
Derived from "fanzine," these DIY publications cover niche topics—including art, music, politics, and personal narratives—and are used for creative self-expression, usually with fewer than 1,000 copies circulated.
Key Characteristics of Zines
• DIY Ethos: Zines are rarely produced for profit and focus on personal, artistic, or political expression rather than commercial success.
• Physical Format: Often handmade, they may include collages, drawings, poetry, and, in many cases, are simply photocopied.
• No Strict Rules: There are no rules on content, size, or structure; if the creator calls it a zine, it is one.
• Niche Topics: Subjects range from personal diaries ("perzines") to, fan fiction, punk subculture, and social justice activism.
History and Purpose
Originating as fanzines in the 1930s-40s for science fiction fans, they grew in popularity during the 1970s punk scene and 1990s feminist "riot grrrl" movements. They are used to amplify marginalized voices, challenge mainstream media, and share personal, raw, or artistic work.
How to apply
The deadline for return of responses is Monday 19 March at 9am.
Please submit the following in your response:
• An outline of your creative approach to the project
• An outline of your logistical approach to the project
• Examples of relevant previous work. Relevant work might include, but is not limited to, projects involving workshop facilitation, zine making and working with community groups.
• Background information on yourself or your organisation and team – for example if you have experience working with individuals with support /access needs, marginalised communities and other specialist characteristics.
• Confirmation of your availability to undertake the work
You should demonstrate:
• That you can meet deadlines and work to a brief: For example, by telling us about previous projects where you have worked to a brief on time. This could be a brief for a BTEC/A Level or University project or a commercial brief
• Good communication
Your response can be provided in any of the following formats:
• A written application of up to 1000 words
• A film of up to seven minutes in length
• An audio recording of up to seven minutes in length
Please send an electronic version of your response via email to: sapphia.cunninghamtate@leeds.gov.uk with the subject Community Zine Workshop.
For questions about the project please contact sapphia.cunninghamtate@leeds.gov.uk
The responses will be scored on a combination of experience and quality.
We are committed to diversity and want to hear from practitioners that reflect the population of Leeds.
Leeds City Museum Needs Your Zines
To continue our celebration of 25 years working with communities across Leeds, we are also looking for individuals and groups to share their stories in zine format to be a part of a new Special Exhibition.
This is an open call for artists, zine makers, photographers, poets, illustrators, printmakers and changemakers to share who they are. We want this project to champion how zines foster connections through shared identity and showcase grassroots activism and a love of Leeds.
To submit your zines, please pop along to Leeds City Museum or get in touch via our community curator, sapphia.cunningham-tate@leeds.gov.uk