One of the highlights of my year so far has been organising and working behind the scenes on Small Press Day, alongside SPD alumni Amneet Johal and Andy Oliver. Since its conception in 2016, Small Press Day has grown into a UK- and Ireland-wide celebration of self-published comics, featuring shop signings, fairs, panels and workshops. We’ve evolved through hybrid events and virtual gatherings, always guided by one core aim: To spotlight the incredible diversity of voices in the small press scene, to help creators reach new readers, and to bring us all together in joyful, creative connection. Amneet and Andy have been running SPD since the beginning, and this was my first year being involved. I was thrilled to get even more entangled on the actual day, when Kamila Krol and Abs Bailey invited me to participate in their Small Press Day event at ArtHole in Cardiff.
ArtHole already holds a special place in my heart – my first event write-up for Broken Frontier was on their The Battle of Wonk event in early 2024. It was also one of my very first zine fairs, and it was such a brilliant first experience. ArtHole have recently moved to a bigger space, in part to accommodate events like this, so it was ace to see it all in action.
Lydia Turner at ArtHole
Upon walking in, I was greeted by a plethora of brilliant creators, some familiar to me, and some who I hadn’t come across before. In total, there were 18 creators (not including ArtHole’s own offerings at the front of the venue, which is there always). From Kai Dylan to Cat Lilith to Erika Price, the exhibitors were curated perfectly.
The day was absolutely jam-packed with small press goodness. Between pursuing the market stalls, visitors had seven various in-house events to choose from going on throughout the day, the first being a fun drawing dice, storytelling workshop lead by Ed Stockham (above).
Comics from co-organisers Abs Bailey and Kamila Krol/Pigeon
The second of the events was a group panel focused on life-altering indie comics (below), which I got to host! The creators involved were Beastly Worlds, Joe Latham, Shri Gunasekara, Mereida Fajardo and Piggyhammer; the aim of the panel was for each participant to bring a comic that really inspired them.
We chatted at length about each of the comics they brought and why they had such an impact. Bea (Beastly Worlds) spoke about Mending a Rift by Jean Wei, and how its brilliant world-building and quiet reflections inspired her to create her zine, Fox Flight Market Night. Joe Latham brought Nothing is Forgotten by Ryan Andrews, explaining how its wordless panels and particularly panels that start quietly and become noisier inspired his own line of graphic novels. Han (Piggyhammer) chose A Frog In the Fall by Linnea Sterte, and spoke about how the artist’s passion and care shone through the entirety – something she tries to replicate in her own work. Mereida Fajardo brought Decadence Comics by Tsemberlidis and Lando, showing that comics can speak to you at the most unexpected times, even if they aren’t the genre you’d usually go for. Finally, Shri Gunasekara chose The King’s Warrior by Huahua Zhu, reflecting on how its depiction of siblings has inspired her own small press creations about that subject. It was fascinating to listen to each of the panellists talk, and to experience their love for these comics.
Becky Burke was up next, talking about a more serious subject; creating comics through traumatic experiences (above). For those who don’t know, Becky was unfairly detained earlier this year in America by ICE. Her reflections on this, and how it has influenced her work since was truly illuminating.
Beastly Worlds
Then it was onto panel two, which I was privileged to also be hosting. This time the panel focused on journeying into publishing, with a group of creators who’ve moved through everything from self-publishing to crowdfunding to working with publishers. It was a chance to get real about what it actually looks like to build a creative practice in the small press space, and how people make it work – collaboratively, independently, or somewhere in the middle. Our panellists consisted of Kamila Krol (Pigeon), Josh Hicks, and Howie and Joe, two thirds of the trio that make up Thunderchair (below).
Each creator gave thought-provoking answers on self-publishing vs working with a publisher, starting your own Kickstarter and building your audience. As they had all had different experiences, there was lots to learn, and the audience certainly appreciated the insight.
Piggyhammer and Joe Latham behind their tables
The panel was shortly followed by a talk from Archie McKenzie on handmade books, their illustration, and the book-binding process (below). Attendees then had the opportunity to get their zines signed by creators, followed by the final segment of the day, live comic readings.
ArtHole was packed for the duration, with lots of happy faces browsing the stalls and listening to the talks. Of course, I picked up a few treats myself in between the panels; Haru: Spring from Joe Latham, Small Gardener stickers from Beastly Worlds, and some fabulous bread-themed socks from 2b or not 2b. There was a bit of everything, from zines, and to stickers to ceramics to prints.
R.E. Burke and Mereida Fajardo
It was an absolutely stellar way to celebrate Small Press Day’s 10th anniversary, and I’m thrilled I got to be a part of it. Many thanks to Abs Bailey and Kamila Krol for organising, and for inviting me!
Article by Lydia Turner
