COMICS YOUTH UNVEILS THE PROGRAMMING SLATE OF NEW COMICS FAIR, MERSEY MARGINS COLLECTIVE COMICS FAIR.

● Mersey Margins Collective Comics Fair will take place February 15th and will be held at Future Yard.

● Young early career comics artists, including Cara Brown (Broken Frontier’s 2025 6 to watch) from across the Liverpool City Region will be showcasing their comics and artwork.

● The programming for the event includes industry guest speakers, talks, panels and free workshops.

● Guests include Lewis Hancox (Escape from St. Hell), Bex Ollerton (Sensory: Life on the Spectrum), Emma Reynolds (Drawn to Change the World) and more.

● The Marginal Changemakers is an activist cohort run by Comics Youth, who are focused on changing the publishing industry and creating a better environment for comics to thrive.

Mersey Margins Comics Collective Fair is a brand new comics fair taking place on February 15th 2025, at Future Yard. The fair will run from 11am to 3.30pm and features 12 early career comics artists exhibitors, including Cara Brown who has recently been announced as one of six small press creators to watch in 2025 by Broken Frontier. In addition to this talent, there will be an exciting range of free programming for visitors. The fair is organised by the Marginal Changemakers, a programme of Comics Youth CIC, and is an initiative to redefine and radicalise what a comics fair can be. https://www.marginalpublishing.co.uk/mersey-margins-collective-comics-fair

As well as showcasing marginalised and independent young comic artists, the event will include free workshops, a panel and a talk, with all the programming focusing on activism, self-care and celebrating marginalised comics identities. The day kicks off with a workshop from Bex Ollerton (Sensory: Life on the Spectrum) on Comics and Mental Health, followed by a talk by Pitahpat (Co-founder of Caterpillar Press) on Comics and Community. In the afternoon, Emma Reynolds (Drawn to Change the World) will run a free workshop on Comics and Climate Justice. Finally the fair will end with a panel on Comics and Identity, featuring popular content creator and graphic novellist Lewis Hancox (Welcome to St. Hells, Escape from St. Hells), Bex Ollerton, zine and mixed media artist Sharp Txngue and Julian Gray (subject of the solo Lowry exhibition ‘Stories for Us’).

In addition to this, ahead of the event the Changemakers are hosting free industry talks for the exhibitors and the general public. On the31st January George Williams will talk on publishing in the comics industry.

All of this programming is free, but tickets must be booked in advance, and can be done so at the Comics Youth Eventbrite page. Workshops are intended for attendees aged 14 and up. Tickets are limited and some are already close to selling out. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/comics-youth-51070084553

The inspiration for Mersey Margins was a desire to help creators struggling to make comics in the competitive industry, and a desire to create an event which was less focused on celebrities and corporate traders and more focused on building community. The hope is that artists can leave the event feeling empowered and excited about their future in the industry, whilst visitors to the convention will enjoy seeing the diverse comics arts of the Liverpool City Region.

The Marginal Changemakers will publish their learning afterwards, which will both help other early career artists and offer ways convention organisers can support their exhibitors better. Mersey Margins has already garnered praise and support from highly respected UK comics conventions organisers, with endorsements from Lakes International Comics Arts Festival, Thought Bubble and MaccPow. Mersey Margins isn’t just a comics fair – it’s a stepping stone to a more inclusive and diverse comics industry. It’s about empowering young creators, reshaping how conventions are run, and creating lasting change for future generations of comics artists.

‘This is an inspired and inspiring initiative much needed if the comics industry in Britain is going to grow and enable talented young people from the margins to be seen and flourish’

Julie Tait - Director, Lakes International Comics Art Festival

‘Making comics, selling them, and running comics events can feel like a bit of a mystery, but what can come of them is endless positivity, friendship, personal growth and boundless creativity! It’s so powerful! Building and sharing knowledge like this is so important; I can’t begin to imagine what excellence will come of it! I will be following Mersey Margins Collective Comics Fair every step of the way’

Chloe Green - Festival Director, Thought Bubble

‘I wish you guys all the very best with your event, it’s great to see more and more indie comics events on the map.’

Marc Jackson - cartoonist and MACC-POW! Macclesfield’s comic art festival

‘As a queer, disabled person; the regular comic conventions feel unappealing and the organisers do not accommodate people like me. More alternative, community-based events have tailored similar interests and more diversity within them.’

Violet Keys - Marginal Changemaker.

‘This is more than a regular comics fair, this will radicalise the way independent conventions are run, offering free tables, paid travel and artist development opportunities for the exhibitors.’

Ollie Hicks – Project Lead, Marginal Changemakers.

Notes to Editors

● For further enquiries please contact:
Ollie Hicks on ollie@comicsyouth.co.uk or Anna MacDonald at anna@comicsyouth.co.uk

● Comics Youth was founded in 2015 and is a creative community organisation led by young people, for young people. Our aim is to empower youth across the Liverpool City Region to flourish from the margins of society: Harnessing their own narratives, finding confidence within an inclusive community, and developing the resilience to succeed on their own path. We launched the Marginal Publishing House, the first youth-led publishing house.

● Marginal Changemakers launched in 2023, with funding from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. The programme teaches young people about both publishing and activism. We work closely with young people to create campaigns which will improve conditions in the publishing industry for workers, readers and creators. Mersey Margins Comics Collective Fair is our third campaign. Previously they developed an Inclusion Charter for publishers, and held a Talking Shelves day where they encouraged people to visit their local independent bookshops and recommend comics.

Comics YouthJanuary 27, 2025