Xend in partnership with Kwago and Warehouse Eight is calling storytellers from all over the country to pitch their wildest zine ideas for a grant that offers holistic support for the independent publishing community.
“We’ve been keen on listening to what creatives need to practice the craft of publishing and get their work out there, and we noticed that lot of us have crazy ideas but we’re often short of money to turn them into reality. Komura; Creators Grant is designed to bridge this gap,” Kwago owner and Komura; co-founder Czyka Tumaliuan said.
According to Warehouse Eight co-owner and Komura; co-founder Kayla Dionisio, the grant also aims to inspire expectation-free experimentation and pure self-expression in the creative community.
“We wish to promote a culture of making and open up possibilities for creatives. We want local creatives to know that there is a community who is interested in seeing their ideas come to life and is committed to providing tangible support,” Dionisio said.
Zines—DIY books, often cheaply produced for a small group of people, has been around for a long time, but its popularity in the mainstream Philippines is still nascent.
“The community is very strong not only in Manila but also in Los Banos, Baguio, CDO, and I’m sure there’s more. Often traded for a free exchange of information, zines democratize content sharing. I really love that its handmade. Usually wala kasi kaming budget to print. Some naman feel that it’s a kind of rebellion from online SEO-driven blogs who are trying so hard to rank and advertise. The content of zines are more pure and how we consume it is more intimate,” Tumaliuan shared.
However, zines as we know it today have rapidly changed, and is now considered as pieces of art and literature.
“The idea of zines are constantly evolving and we want the community to explore this more through the grant that offers not only money but also a creative space and sources of inspiration and learning to help you grow and sustain your craft,” Dionisio shared.
A sincere advocate of the Filipino creative, homegrown logistics company Xend promises not to meddle with the content of whoever wins the grant.
“Our aim is to empower the creative community with the grant, help nurture their craft. We’re giving them the freedom to do whatever they want, without direction from us,” Xend VP for partnership JT Solis said.
Grant includes: 15,000 worth of money from Xend, passes for one month co-working at Warehouse Eight, a zine loot from Kwago and Xend online credits.
We will announce the recipient of the grant at Komura; book fair on June 16. 10 will be shortlisted beforehand and will get consolation prizes, as well as the opportunity to showcase their works on Komura; book fair where they can solicit support from the community.
Apply here to join Komura; Creators Grant: bit.ly/Createwithxend.
Follow the event page for updates: bit.ly/KomuraJune
