If you’ve been with us since early on, thank you! You have seen us try a lot of things in the last 500+ days, and we appreciate you sticking with us.

For 2026, our team is really focusing on simplifying and clarifying. We want to make all our processes as easy and clear for zinemakers as possible, and keep BLZF a sustainable project that we can continue for many years to come!

Save the date

The next Biggest Little Zine Fair is May 31, 2026, in Long Beach, CA!

In the spirit of simplification, we only have 1 fair planned for this year (as opposed to the 2 in-person fairs we scheduled in 2024 + 2025). Based on organizer capacity, we hope to have more social events and pop-ups later in the year.

Submit your zines!

Submissions for our 2026 fair are open now! March 14-28.

What zines are eligible?

• Physical zines (no digital zines), which will need to be shipped or dropped-off in Long Beach, CA.

• Priced $15 or under

• No full-length books (but otherwise, if you say it’s a zine, it’s a zine!)

• You can submit up to three zine titles.

• We can accept zines in any language, but keep in mind that our audience may not be able to read it (the most common languages spoken in LB are English, Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog).

Submit Your Zines!

We redesigned our website and added an extensive FAQ section, which addresses the most common questions we get (and a few things no one has asked yet but we thought they might). If you have a question we didn’t cover there, let us know!

With each answer we’ve included the name of the zinemaker as well as their website and instagram handles (if they have one), so you’ve got a host of new people to follow too!

Find zines made with these tools and resources in the Biggest Little Online Zine Fair right now! (Open until 11/22!)

Shop Zines

Are there any resources or tools that have helped you in your zinemaking and might help other zinemakers?

https://mr-matthew.itch.io/half-page-booklet >> I use this to help format my booklet zines !!

- kaden umaña | IG: @ku__wrld

Canva, Mixam and local to San Antonio small business South Texas Press

- Virtual Pulga | IG: virtualpulga

The Place Long Beach, I’m sure it’s already on the list though ; )

- Kelsey Dougherty | IG: @carlandkelsey

I learnt everything I know about zines from the “Beth and Angel Make Games” discord server, which I can only recommend: https://discord.gg/fwKcdRht

- Ether — Website: noxether.itch.io

Absolutely! I’m extremely grateful to Jesjit at Colour Code Print (@colourcodeprint) in Toronto, who has worked closely with me to bring this zine project to life and guided me through the risograph process. The Toronto Zine Library (@torontozinelibrary) graciously shared their excellent Zine Resources living document, which made it possible to distribute my work to a much wider audience than I had imagined. And of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of friends, family, faculty, and fellow scholars who encouraged and sustained me along the way.

- Abandoned Affair — Website: https://abandonedaffair.com | IG: @abandonedaffair

I print all my zines at PLACE Long Beach!

- MK Sullivan | IG: @littlelibrapoems

I use mixam for printing and the templates they provide.

- Logan Monroe — Website: https://www.xtrapulpcomix.com/cosmic-cola-1 | IG: Gokart_Genius

https://nashhigh.itch.io/zinearranger <- super useful website for creating half-page size zines. I use this all the time.

- David Olivares | IG: @yungwaveydave

Scribus (open-source publishing program), Fudenosuke for inking, Bostich booklet stapler when it doesn’t jam

- Meghan Crumley — Website: https://www.howtomeetaman.xyz/ | IG: @meghancrumley

I (Minna) mostly use mobile tools: VectorQ and Canva for layout and design, Leonardo AI for generating imagery, Grok for animating single frames, and InShot for editing.

- Bi/etterminds — Website: https://bietterminds.wordpress.com/ | IG: https://www.instagram.com/bietterminds

The artbook Zines by Liz Farelly was a great resource in discovering different formats and art styles for zine making!

- Kalei Singer | IG: hey.kalei & josie_posie_painter

Public libraries accept zines, so I recommend folks submit them since it’s free to do so!

- Jessica Lin | IG: SoCalZineFest

We actually discovered zines because of, and made our first zines using, the Zine Idea Generator: https://zcmag.xyz/zine-idea-generator . We’re also huge fans of Electric Zine Maker and the other tools on this list: https://itch.io/c/6136209/zine-making-resources . The Canva templates are ours :D

- Beth and Angel Make Games - Beth Jackson and Angelique Drummond — Website: https://beth-and-angel-make-games.itch.io/ | IG: unbirthdayangel

Minuteman Press in Durham (https://share.google/C7WN2gSnQFh0Uzoqz)

- Chaz — Website: https://chazsart.weebly.com/ | IG: www.instagram.com/cee.dee.three

My favorite new discovery is the repositionable glue stick.

- Little Bites Canto Club — Website: https://ko-fi.com/littlebites_cantoclub

zinemap.com - a collaborative map that helps people discover, share, and distribute zines through shops, libraries, and events worldwide.

- CJ Wu — Website: cjwucomics.com | IG: @cjmakescomics

Stencils, cutting mats, exacto knifes, and washi tape from Dollar Tree are all really good for zinemaking!

- Purest Revolution Zine — Website: https://forms.gle/8WNTmet2SAwhqSZ38 | IG: @purestrevolutionzine

Alco Printing in Glendale! https://alcoprinting.com/

- Girl In Trouble Stories — Website: https://girlintroublestories.substack.com/

There was a digital magazine called “Rookie” that is now defunct, but each month they used to have a collage challenge with printable sheets of objects and backgrounds, and they are archived on the Rookie Mag website. I’ve used them many times for zines! They’re quirky, cool, and have all kinds of themes.

- Monday SE — Website: https://thirdtenetzines.etsy.com/

Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) summer workshops, Sequential Artists Workshop’s (SAW) workshops and network, and participating in the community however you can.

- s.k.durbin — Website: shannondurbin.com | IG: https://www.instagram.com/s.k.durbin/

Canva is a great resource to create and plan zines with lots of tools and images to use, and you can easily find zine templates for the app online if you search. I also enjoy using Mixam.com for printing as they have really good turn around, you can find promo codes to use, they’re pretty cheap, and has by the far the easiest user interface to upload your zines to be printed. They also fixed my mirror bleed which I don’t know how to do haha.

- Eileen Ramos — Website: eileenramos.com | IG: @wordsiheld

https://itch.io/c/4733748/zine-resources My personal itch.io resource list

- CJ (@manmadezines) | IG: manmadezines

https://substack.com/@commonplacezines; https://stolensharpierevolution.org; Etsy zinemakers!

- Maggie Slater — Website: maggieslater.com | IG: @maggiedot_writes

https://www.elliereis.com/workshops Ellie Reis helped me start my journey into Zine Making!!! <3

- _kristinie13 | IG: @_kristinie13

I make downloadable templates so you can make your own zettes at xenonfossil.games/zettemakers !

- Xenon Zyn — Website: freshhotflavors.com/zynzine | IG: freshhotflavors

I think every zine maker should invest in a an Olfa Snap-Off Knife and buy the Ultra-Sharp Black blades for it... much better and longer lasting than an Xacto (though having one on hand as well for more detailed cuts is nice) and you can snap off the blades so you can always have a sharp cut. – Another resource for anyone local to Chicago is The WasteShed, a creative re-use center with 2 locations, I always find a lot of great collage materials and paper every time I go there, you can even buy packs of resources online at: https://www.thewasteshed.com/store

- It’s Weird Now Press | IG: @its.weird.now

Biggest Little Zine Fair zine template https://share.google/7W5dVjfJbl6Q39UD9

- Garnet Springwater | IG: @springwaterstudiosco

Canva, Scrivener. My local library (offers ten pages of free printing a day!). Creative Reuse Stores (particularly the Crafty Krab in Wilmington NC, and The Scrap Exchange in Durham NC), where I source my paper, crafting and art supplies.

- Inkpyre Press — Website: https://inkpyre-press.my.canva.site/ | IG: @inkpyre.press

brattyxbre‘s youtube channel!! she is a wonderful resource and has been a huge inspiration for how I approach my zine making practice.

- That’s Ki | IG: @thats.ki

Adobe Indesign, Illustrator, Scanner

- Paz LoveCrew — Website: Lovecrewonline.com | IG: @pazlovecrew

Mine favorite resources are linked at: https://sarahshotts.com/2025/09/make/

- Sarah Shotts (they/them) — Website: www.sarahshotts.com | IG: @sarahdshotts

The LA library has free printing that’s how I make my mini zines

- anthony james harmer — Website: anthonyjamesharmer.com | IG: promshark

Zine workshops are really fun and lots of skill sharing happens there! I learned how to make a mini zine at a free workshop and met other creative zinemakers there.

- Shar Bea

I absolutely 100% recommend “brattyxbre”’s videos on zine making on YouTube and TikTok, as well as “cat moth crow”. I also love using the Electric Zine Maker by alienmelon on itch.io as a fun tool for making zines.

- Sunseeker Zines by Rain — Website: https://ko-fi.com/sunseekerzines | IG: @sunseekerzines

Share

Got tools & resources to add? Leave a comment!

Because of the Southern California rain storm, we’re canceling tomorrow’s outdoor Holiday Fair. It’s honestly heartbreaking to cancel after everything everyone has put into this, but the storm just isn’t on the side of paper goods.

Even though the in-person event can’t happen, we’re still celebrating zines!

⭐ The Online Fair Is Live

The online fair is happening from November 16 to 22 at BLZF.shop.

All the zines we would have been showcasing at the in-person fair are included in the catalog! More than 100 zines, from around the world (and all $20 or less!). We’re grateful to be able to share the work of these incredible makers and to keep a space open for people who want to discover what they’ve made.

Thank you for your creativity, your trust, and for being part of this community. Even with the rain, we’re excited to uplift these zines online.

In gratitude,

Evan, James, Josh, and Ra
Team BLZF

Introducing… The Local Brief

For the past few months, along side preparing for our November 16th Holiday Fair we’ve also been working on a local magazine!

We wanted a way to highlight the arts, culture, and activism that make Long Beach so special and connect with our neighbors in a new way.

Copies are slowly making their way into the world (we’ve distributed about 100 of our initial print run of 1,000!). If you want to take a look for yourself, we suggest checking out Recreational Coffee in Downtown Long Beach, or Page Against the Machine on 4th Street—we’ll be restocking both regularly.

Thank you to the local businesses who supported our first edition: Gusto Bread, Seeket, Page Against the Machine, and Recreational Coffee.

Upcoming Events

We’ve got a lot going on in the next month! Come say hi!

• October 31st, 3:30-8:30pm - Recreational Coffee is celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a Halloween market, and we’ll be there running a free button making station! Expect spooky drinks and a costume contest!

• November 1st, 11-8pm - One of our organizers, Evan, will be tabling at Over Here Claremont Zine Fest. They’ll have many goodies on offer, including their (tiny) mini zine earrings!

• November 3rd, 4pm - Organizers Ra & Evan will be talking to the LA Public Library zine club at their monthly online meeting, talking about starting & running a zine fest. Register here: bit.ly/laplzineclub

• November 8, 2-8pm - We’ll be running a zine making station at the Museum of Latin American Art as part of a free community event organized by the City of Long Beach!

• November 16, 11-4pm - Our second annual holiday fair! We’ll have more than 100 different zines from all across the world, as well as nearly 30 different vendors & community resource tables!

• November 17-22nd - Our virtual holiday fair! Shop zines online and have them delivered anywhere in the world! Perfect for gifting!

We’re looking for all kinds of work: mini zines, perzines, artbooks, comics, and more. If you make it, we’d love to see it.

Reminders:

• You can submit up to three titles (each title needs its own form).

• Deadline: 9/27 → Responses go out by 10/4.

• Accepted zines due: 10/25 (mail-in or drop-off).

• No fee to apply. You keep 100% of your sales (minus 3% credit card fee).

• You don’t need to attend in person.

👉 https://biggestlittlezinefair.com/#apply

The holiday fair is at Recreational Coffee in Downtown Long Beach on Sunday, November 16 (11–4pm). Join us for a day full of zines, community, and holiday cheer.

P.S. Don’t forget our side project: Pocket Art! 2.5” x 3.5” art cards are due by Halloween 🎃 (Drop-off on 10/31 at Recreational Coffee or mail to 2201 N Lakewood Blvd #D1887, Long Beach CA 90815). More info at PocketArtLB.com

If you make zines, today’s your day! Zinemaker applications are officially open!

Apply Now

Applications are open September 13 through September 27, with responses going out by October 4.

Here’s what you need to know:

• You can submit up to three (3) zine titles for consideration (each title needs its own submission form).

• We ask for five copies of each accepted zine, due to us by October 25.

• All accepted zines will be displayed together on shared tables managed by our volunteers—you don’t need to be at the fair to participate!

• Zines should be priced at $20 or under and include identifying information (like a title or your name).

• There is no fee to apply, and zinemakers keep 100% of sales (minus a small 3% credit card processing fee).

We love seeing new and returning zinemakers in the mix, and we’re excited to share your work with the community.

Apply Here

👉 Submit your zine

Remember

• Deadline: Saturday, September 27

• Responses by: October 4

• Zines due: October 25 (mail-in or drop-off instructions will be sent to accepted makers)

• Leftovers: You can choose to have them placed in libraries, or pick them up after the fair in-person in Long Beach, CA.

The Biggest Little Zine Fair celebrates unique, handmade zines that uplift diverse voices, social justice, niche interests, local creators, and DIY culture. We do not accept zines that promote hate, oppression, or discrimination.

We can’t wait to gather with you on Sunday, November 16th between 11am–4pm for the holiday edition of the BLZF!

P.S. Don’t forget about our little side project, PocketArtLB.com—a call for 2.5" x 3.5" art cards, due by Halloween!

P.P.S. Locals are invited to join us for a spooky zine event on 10/31 and a big community party on 11/9. Stay tuned on Instagram for details!

Vendor Applications Are Open Now

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to apply, this is it. Vendor applications are open August 30 through September 13, with responses going out by September 20.

We’re looking for:

• Zinemakers and their work of all kinds

• Miniature/Kit-Based Papercraft artists (origami, bookbinding, pop-ups, paper jewelry, collage art, tiny piñatas, paper lanterns, and more)

• Makers of things that don’t quite fit the list, but still feel connected to visual art, zines, or paper. Just let us know how your work fits.

This is a great fair for your lower ticket items. We ask that everything is priced under $30 to keep the fair financially accessible to attendees. We love working with first-time vendors. We love answering questions! Don’t be afraid to apply.

Apply here: https://biggestlittlezinefair.com/#vendors

Zinemaker Applications

If you make zines, your time is coming up. Zinemaker applications will be open September 13 through September 27, with responses by October 4.

Here’s what to expect at the Fair

• The fair is outdoors and free to attend

• Free Wi-Fi and easy access to bathrooms and water

• Free two-hour parking nearby

• Lots of free zines so everyone leaves with something

• Small activations to help people connect and linger

Table Options

You can choose what works best for your setup:

• Full table $80 (bring your own 6’ table)

• Half table $45 (table provided)

• Half table $30 (bring your own 6’ table to share with a neighbor)

New this year: Community Tables. We are offering a limited number of free tables for Long Beach based nonprofits, collectives, and groups doing important community work. Applications for this open today, too!

Join us for a Workshop on September 6th

We’ll be at PlaceLB on September 6th between 1pm-4pm for a mini zine workshop. PlaceLB is also a great place to get your printing or folding done, so feel free to join us if you’d like a little community as you prepare.

Stay Updated

For the most timely updates, check in with us on Instagram. We’ll be sharing reminders and peeks at what’s coming.

We can’t wait to gather with you on Sunday, November 16th between 11am-4pm for the holiday edition of Biggest Little Zine Fair!!

P.S.

Are you a visual artist? Do you love ATCs? We’ve launched a secret little project you can be part of — no application needed. Read up at PocketArtLB.com or on Instagram @PocketArtLB, and get your art to us by Halloween.

Mail to:
BLZF Attn: Ra Avis
2201 N Lakewood Blvd #D1887
Long Beach, CA 90815

Art pieces must be exactly 2.5" x 3.5" (portrait or landscape) and include an artist name and email address. We pay out via Venmo or Paypal only. Send your questions to biggestlittlezinefair@gmail.com.

All the zines featured in this email (plus hundreds of others) are available right now as part of our Biggest Little (Online) Zine Fair.

Brick: a fanzine by Sarah March

Where are you from? Lisboa, Portugal

Have you participated in a zine fest before? No, this is my first zine!

About this zine
Fanzine for Brick (2005) featuring movie quotes and collages inspired by my favorite scenes. (No Spoilers)

Why did you make this zine?
I created this to celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of my favorite movies and spread the word about this under appreciated movie.

Buy Brick: a fan zine

Additional information
This is my first zine ever! Making it was really a learning process and I can't wait to continue creating zines.

Physical Description
4.1 x 2.9 inch zine, printed on 80gsm white paper with 3d color elements and some removable pieces

Where can we find you on the internet?

On substack:

reassembled

putting it back together

By Sarah March

anomaly by Joshara 'JaeRa' Edwards

Where are you from? Long Beach, CA

Have you participated in a zine fest before? No, this is my first zine!

About this zine
This zine is a visual exploration of some of "The Haints," spiritual entities that react to our physical world, written by JaeRa, the musician that seems to recently be made aware of their presence. It is a complimentary project to all of my music and will serve as the first chapter to JaeRa's story.

Why did you make this zine?
' anomaly' represents the new direction of worldbuilding that I want to give to my music. This zine is the first step towards expanding the scope of how folks can engage with my craft beyond the music. This is also the very first zine that I made!

Additional information
There is a special component on the back of all of these zines. There is integrated tech where if you tap the back of the zine on the back of your phone it'll open up to another interactive experience! There is also a digital version of this zine in Jes Grew Soul's itch.io @ https://jesgrewsoul.itch.io/anomaly-zine-by-jaera

Physical Description
This is a fancy fold 12-pg mini zine (approx. 3" x 4"). There is also integrated technology on the back cover.

Where can we find you on the internet?
Instagram: @jaerathevisitor
Website: https://jesgrewsoul.itch.io/

Buy anomaly

How to Make Soccer Exciting by Mani Press

Where are you from? LA/SF Bay Area

About this zine
Original monotype prints alongside suggestions to make soccer more exciting.

Why did you make this zine?
The authors behind MANI PRESS are actually soccer's biggest fans. We play, coach, and watch, so naturally we think it's the world's best game. But while watching a 0-0 match during the Men's 2022 world cup, we were getting a little bored and started riffing on ways to make the game more exciting :).

Additional information
The zine was generated in a printmaking class after my classmates reflected that my monotype prints would work together in a booklet. It took several semesters to put it all together, and feels great to have gone from jokes, to prints, to zine format.

Physical Description
5.5"x4.25" quarter size B&W zine.

Where can we find you on the internet?
Instagram: @mani__press
Website: https://ko-fi.com/manipress

Only 1 copy left!

Buy How to Make Soccer Exciting

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Slide by David Kantrowitz

Where are you from? Los Angeles

About this zine
A collection of silly rhyming variations to the classic gothic horror novella!

Why did you make this zine?
This was an idea I had while mindlessly doodling one day, and the ideas for rhyming alternatives to Mr Hyde kept pouring out of my brain. I also legitimately love the source material and have read it multiple times, which had barely any impact on the final product!

Additional information
I originally made this for a Halloween-themed zine event called "Hallow-Zine" at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts.

Physical Description
mini zine printed on light blue paper

Where can we find you on the internet?
Instagram: @davidkantrowitz
Website: https://linktr.ee/davidkantrowitz

Buy Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Slide

We had so much fun at our May fair! Hundreds of people stopped by, we sold over 250 zines, and more than 400 were taken from the free pile. We even had neighborhood zinesters dropping by to add their own zines to the free section, bringing the spirit of zine trades to the event.

It was such a joy to watch folks flipping through zines, having unexpected reactions, and sometimes carrying zines home with them that clearly meant something. We’re always moved by how moved people are, and incredibly grateful for everyone who was a part of it.

Virtual Fair

We’re celebrating International Zine Month with a virtual fair!

From June 28-July 22nd, you’ll be able to shop the Biggest Little Zine Fair online. We have more than 220 zines in the collection, includes zines from first time makers, justice zines, and (so much) more.

Shop Zines

Make with Us

Art for All - Free

Saturday, June 28 - 11am-1pm

We’ll be teaching a zine workshop as part of Compound’s Art for All program. This free workshop is for all ages, and we’ll have pre-carved lino blocks that you can incorporate into your zines! All materials provided.

We’re asking for RSVPs to help ensure we bring enough supplies, but drop-ins are welcome too.

Hope to see you there!

RSVP

Summer Art Party

Saturday, July 12 - 6-10pm

We’ll be at the first summer night party at Compound - featuring community art, music, and dance, and all night happy hour at Union.

BLZF will be running a zine and button making station. Materials are provided, but feel free to bring print outs you want to put in the button maker!

This is a $30 ticketed event, including live music and dance.

Tickets

🗓 Saturday, May 31
🕙 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Page Against The Machine
2714 E 4th St, Long Beach, CA 90814
🎟 Free! Always free!

Whether you know zines well or are just zine-curious, you’re welcome here. Come browse, shop, or talk zine-making with friendly folk.

✨ Why should you come?

• 150+ zines from creators across the globe

• Meet other zine-lovers, artists, and curious minds

• Celebrate the radical joy of self-publishing

• Discover your next favorite zine

• It’s free to attend and free to browse! This fair features minis so a lot of the collection is under $5, and we’ll have free zines as well. Something for everyone!

Share

✨ Sneak Peek (Random Selection)

✨ Biggest Little Zine Fair is a labor of love. This volunteer fair takes hundreds of hours to put together for y’all. We appreciate your support so very much!

Thanks for supporting Biggest Little Zine Fair! Help spread the word by sharing this post and bringing your zine-loving crew. See you Saturday!

Share

We’ve got some events coming up, and we’d love for you to be part of them! Whether you’re looking to submit zines, learn new skills, or swap some creative treasures, we hope there’s something for everyone.

📢 Submissions Open: The Littlest Zine Fair

Submission Deadline: March 29

We’re hosting our littlest fair on May 31st (more details below), and we want to include your zines!! For this fair, we’re featuring zines smaller than A6 - think postcard-sized or tinier.1 This event is a side walk sale, so a smaller sizes helps us fit a bunch of zines!

To apply, fill out the form on our site by March 29.

(Don’t miss out: even if your zine has been included in a prior fair, you’ll need to reapply.)

Submit your zine here: https://biggestlittlezinefair.com/#apply

Some types of folks who have enjoyed the BLZF experience: new zinemakers, folks with just a few zines, people who can’t attend in-person events (distance, stimuli, shyness, etc). It’s also great for experienced zinemakers who want to be in two places at once or support zine events happening.

If you’d like more information, visit our website BiggestLittleZineFair.com or reach out with any questions.

Apply Now

🎨 Beginner Zine Workshop

March 29, Noon-4pm | PlaceLB, Long Beach CA

Ever wanted to make a zine but didn’t know where to start? This hands-on workshop is perfect for beginners looking learn the basics, and experiment. Taught by Evan and Ra.

Free, all materials provided. Drop-in and bring a friend!

✨ Trinket & Zine Swap

April 26, Noon-4pm | Recreational Coffee, Long Beach CA

Bring your zines, stickers, pins, art, and tiny treasures to trade! A casual, community-centered event where you can connect with fellow makers.

🗓️ Save the date! Next Biggest Little Zine Fair

May 31, 10-4pm | Page Against the Machine, Long Beach CA

Small fair, big energy! Tiny zines, big impact!

We’re hosting our littlest fair on May 31st. It’s a sidewalk sale right outside Long Beach’s beloved radical bookstore. You can expect a wide variety of zines from many different makers — there’s something for everyone!

Follow us on Instagram at @BiggestLittleZineFair for timely updates.

For the first time ever, Biggest Little Zine Fair is having an online fair! From February 6-22, you’ll be able to order any of the zines in our inventory! If you weren’t able to make it to our December event, or just want more time to browse, this is your chance. We’ll ship anywhere in the world!1

We have over 170 different zines from zinemakers across the globe! We’ve got everything from risograph tamagotchi zines to gender ecology guides (and a lot, lot more). With a wide mix of topics and formats, there’s a zine for everybody!

Please spread the word to any of the zine lovers in your life! This is also a great opportunity to get new folks into zines - they make a great Valentines Day gift!

Merch

We’re also offering zine-lover merch and educational zines, which help support BLZF!

What’s Biggest Little Zine Fair?

BLZF is a twice-yearly pop-up zine market where artists submit their work to share. We showcase hundreds of zines, run by our event team, with all proceeds (after credit card fees) going to the makers. Our goal is to make zine publishing easy and accessible. We host workshops and share how zines empower arts and resistance communities.