Zines As Tools For Community was shown in Fall 2025 at the Art Coop Inc Gallery in Urbana, IL as a part of the 2025 CU Small Press Fest.
Zines and small press publications have always been more than just handmade or short run books. They are vehicles for connection, self-expression, and community building. Rooted in do-it-yourself practices, zines circulate ideas, stories, and art that might otherwise go unheard. They are tools for building relationships, amplifying voices, and creating spaces where communities can see themselves reflected. This exhibition highlights how zines operate not only as individual expressions but as part of a broader ecosystem of sharing, collaboration, and care.
This year’s exhibition brings together zines from collections and creators across Champaign-Urbana and beyond, showcasing how different communities make use of this medium. The University of Illinois Library contributes selections from its growing Social Justice Zine Collection, as well as a selection of zines made in India from their new International and Foreign Language zine collection. The University High School Library shares work from their own students, underscoring how younger generations are embracing zines as a way to discover their voices and build community within their school. The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center Zine Library also presents selections from its long-running donation-based collection housed at the IMC.
The exhibit also features work by a new local small press Risograph studio, Get Home Safe Press. Founded by Quinn Koeneman, Get Home Safe Press hopes to “shine a spotlight on midwestern weirdos”. Their work, alongside collaborations with local businesses, demonstrates how print media can bridge personal expression and community partnership.
We also look back at the wider circle of zine makers who have shaped CU Small Press Fest over the years, featuring work by past exhibitors, many of whom are returning this year!
Together, these collections illustrate that zines are not isolated artifacts but part of an interconnected network. Emerging from libraries, schools, and studios, they function as tools for community, connecting people across generations, geographies, and practices.
