international alternative press festival 2011

I sadly can't make it, but the schedule of things happening as part of International Alternative Press Festival 2011 is pretty staggering.
I don't know how Jimi and Co have managed to put so much awesomeness together, but hats off to them!

The festival runs 27th May - 13th June 2011 and there's now an online calendar to help you co-ordinate what you want to do and see and when (cuz there's *a lot* going on).

Things that I wish I could do/see/be at from this festival include:

The Main Fair
28-29 May
A million (or so!!) amazing people have stalls at this bumper event, including some of my favourites:
Sofia Lindh, Stina Johnson, Tanya Meditsky, Dead Trees and Dye, Ed Baldry, Ellen Lindner, Jimi Gherkin, Josie Long, Karoline Rerrie, Footprint Workers Co-op

Plus there's some neat events running throughout the day, including:
3pm – 4.30pm: Play the Anthology Game: A Whores of Mensa Experience.
Comix anthologies like Stripburger play a crucial role in developing new comics talent, and launched the careers of creators like Nick Abadzis, Jessica Abel and Chris Ware. Ellen Lindner (co-editrix of the long-running Whores of Mensa) will lead you through the process of making your own anthology, while introducing you to the history of the anthology in comics.

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Followed later in the week by:

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Team Girl Comic Brainstorm: Comics for Everyone, Let's Make it Happen!
30 May, 15:00 – 17:00
@ Orbital Comics 8 Great Newport Street London WC2H 7JA
Glaswegian zine queen Gillian Hatcher (editor of Team Girl Comics) leads a brainstorming session aimed at - but not exclusive to! - young women. In the punk rock, DIY spirit of Stripburger, we ask: what do women want from comics? And how can we get it? Refreshments will be served for a small donation. http://gillhatcher.tumblr.com/

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The Swedish Collection - An Exhibition of Art by the Students from the Comic Art School on Malmo
Monday 30th May - Sunday 5th June
@ The New Gallery London, SE15 5PY (map)
Alternative Press takes over The New Gallery to feature the work of ten artists from the Comic School in southern Sweden. On 30 May: Introduction to the Malmo Comic Art School by Sarah Klapp, the exhibition's curator, artist and editor at C'est Bon Magazine, followed by an evening with some of the artists.

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