Started by Kwago and Warehouse Eight in 2017, Komura; is mounting an intimate, all-women gathering of independent publishers, specialty bookstores, game developers, writers, artists, illustrators, musicians, film makers, art shops and zine makers around the Philippines in a one-day book fair on May 18, 2019 (11am-11pm) at Warehouse Eight, La Fuerza Compound, Makati City.
Komura; has grown from a book fair gathering different kinds of indie creators and storytellers who don’t have a space to showcase their works, into a platform providing holistic support for the growth of the independent publishing communities in the Philippines.
“I learned a lot from a year of running Kwago, met a lot of people who exposed me to various issues in the literary and publishing communities, and Kwago believes that cultivating a more diverse range of authors and viewpoints within the industry is not only a necessity to keep readers interested, but a moral responsibility for authors, readers, bookshops and publishers,” Kwago founder Czyka Tumaliuan said.
As a refuge for authors, artists and small presses who are not given attention and opportunities to share their works in mainstream platforms, Komura; decided to help address the global issue of diversity and representation in publishing this year.
“While Komura; has always been a platform that seeks to democratize creation and the dissemination of independently published stories, we think that a mindful curation this year will help us provide more support for the community. It’s not really about us, but the people we wish to support.”
Co-owner of Warehouse Eight Kayla Dionisio confessed that she was hesitant to do it at first.
“At first, I was apprehensive about the idea because we should be judging the merits of a work of fiction objectively, not because it’s done by a man or a woman. Komura; has always been a platform for ANYONE and EVERYONE,” Dionisio shared. “But I saw that it’s a real problem that should be acknowledged and Komura; is a perfect place to hold conversations about it.”
Komura; is still featuring the same pockets of storytelling (MARKET, PLAYGROUND, ECHOES, PIXEL, BOOK BAR) this year, but is putting a spotlight on female creators and highlighting women in tech and film at Komura; Pixel. Moreover, Komura; is welcoming Kwago’s newest program A Curated Shelf where Kwago invited Raya School co-founder and Adarna’s vice president Ani Almario to exhibit 15 children’s books she would require her own kids to read.
Komura; will be held at Warehouse Eight on May 18, 2017, 11am-11pm. Regular tickets cost PHP200; PHP120 for students. Kids 10 years old and below can come for FREE. RSVP here: bit.ly/KomuraBookFair2019
Komura; is still looking for vendors to join the fair. Anyone who identifies themselves as a woman could join. Deadline for applications is on April 24, 2018.
Individual space: Bit.ly/KomuraMerchant
Shared space: Bit.ly/ApplyKomuraPlayground
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PROGRAM
MARKET: Indie press, art brands and curated used books and specialty magazines
PLAYGROUND: zines, stickers and prints
ECHOES: Stripped down gigs & spoken word poetry
PIXEL: Film and video games
KWAGO BOOK BAR: Coffee & Fiction-inspired cocktails
A CURATED SHELF: children’s literature exhibition and talk by Ani Rosa Almario
Komura; CREATORS GRANT: financial aid for a production of a publication by a woman
