PHOENIX TRIO BRING INDEPENDENT PRESS ABOVE GROUND



Monday, January 26, 2009 - Phoenix, AZ - On the last weekend of April in 2009, Phoenix will be proudly hosting its first-ever small press-based zine and comics convention, aptly dubbed the Underground Publishers Convention.

This inaugural festival, which is free for all attendees, will feature some of the best local and national underground publishers of zines, comics, magazines, and books, along with handcrafted DIY items and art. The convention will also feature Skill Share Sessions, where experienced and subversive authors, artists, and publishers will give brief how-to lessons on everything from self-publishing to brewing beer, making stencils, screen printing, making public art in the community and more!

The difference between UPC and the Phoenix Cactus Comic-Con, the local comic books and pop culture convention, is that UPC focuses exclusively on underground, independent, and small press comix and zines publishers and creators.

The event will be held al fresco at Stinkweeds Record Exchange on Camelback and Central Avenue in Phoenix Arizona. UPC 2009 is being organized by local Phoenix artists and publishers Jacki O., Brandon Huigens, and Camilla Orr.

Admission to UPC is free, and the weekend will be kicked off with a free show at Conspire Boutique and Coffee House on 5th Street and Garfield on Friday night, April 24 at 8pm, featuring readings from authors, publishers, activists, entertainers, artists, and musicians.

For the entire duration of the convention, there will be an ongoing mural of live artwork, done by exhibitors and attendees, on the north side of the Stinkweeds parking lot. Giant pieces of canvas will be used to create one of the largest pieces of community art ever presented in Phoenix, after which the canvas will be cut by hand and used for next year's UPC free event programs.

After each convention day closes, there will be designated after-party spots at some of Phoenix's finest establishments like The Lost Leaf, The Bikini Lounge, and The Roosevelt, complete with musical entertainment from a few of Phoenix's finest bands and musicians.

Come join us for a weekend of zines, comics, skillshares, music, food, DIY art and crafts, and fun. Admission is FREE April 24-26, 2009 at Stinkweeds Record Exchange, 11am to 6pm on Saturday, and 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Live-spun music will be provided courtesy of Stinkweeds, and free food for vegans, vegetarians, and hungry zinesters of all types will be available throughout the weekend. Trading of artwork and publications amongst exhibitors and attendees is strongly encouraged.

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Camilla Orr is a writer and self publisher, recently relocated from Boston, where she helped found the Papercut Zine Library. Additionally, Orr has attained a vast array of relevant experience working in publicity at an academic university press back in Boston.

Writer and artist Brandon Huigens is a multi-award-winning cartoonist, comedian, and musician whose writing and comix can be found in Modest Proposal Magazine, Your Invisible City, ASU's Hayden's Ferry Review, and on AZ Central, among several others. His myriad comedic and autobiographical comics work has been praised by renouned indie cartoonists such as Jeffrey Brown, James Kochalka, and Jim Mahfood.

Jacki O. has been running Phoenix's only zine distro - Desert City Death Distro - since 2004. She compiles, edits, produces and publishes Your Invisible City, a cultural magazine on Phoenix underground art and music. She is a writer, publisher, comedian and artist, and co-produces the monthly Muff Mondays comedy show at The Ruby Room.

Links to flyers:

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http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b183/theleadingbrand/UPCinviteflyer.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b183/theleadingbrand/UPCtablingflyer.jpg