Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Waily and Lindsay Anderson. Them and their team share their story with us below:
DCAZ (Duval Comic & Zine Festival) began in 2018 with a conversation between two zine makers, Lindsay Anderson, and Dan Waily. Dan had been attending zine festivals nationally, and together they discussed the need for Jacksonville to host it’s very own. With over a decade of experience making their community zine, River City Raunch (RCR), Lindsay wanted to support and encourage those who want to self-publish but needed help figuring out where to start. Together they saw a need for a community event that uplifts self—published voices outside of mainstream media and provides free literary workshops throughout the year. The priority was obtaining the ideal venue to host DCAZ. Due to Lindsay’s work as a community advocate for the zine collection at the Jax Main Library, she brought up the possibility of partnering with the library. They both agreed that the Jax Main Library would be the optimal choice because it houses the largest zine collection in the Southeast, adequate space for 50-75 vendors, and all ages access. Following many proposal meetings in 2019, the library approved the first event on March 28th, 2020! In 2019 they began to provide free weekly zine meetups leading up to the festival. This was made possible due to community support from the local venue Rain Dogs for providing the space and individual donations for supplies.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our work came to a screeching halt two weeks before the first DCAZ. The library sent word that all in-person public events would be canceled due to the pandemic. Our hearts were saddened, but we knew it was the best decision not to risk the health and safety of the self-publishing community. Two years later, the library agreed to try again, and we successfully hosted DCAZ 2022 on October 22nd. DCAZ 2022 was beautifully orchestrated, thanks to the Jax Library team’s tireless planning and valuable manpower. Running a festival without compensation and working full-time jobs can be a struggle. We usually pay out of pocket for free workshops unless donations are provided. We do it for the love of self-publishing. As Lindsay says, “Be the person you needed when you were younger.”
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Duval Comics and Zine Festival is an organization attempting to promote independent print alternatives to commercial publishing, including not exclusive to zines, mini-comics, small press, alternative press, underground art, and DIY media. Zines and independent comics promote reading and writing by allowing anyone to write/create, publish, and distribute their work with a low barrier to entry. DCAZ celebrates all that is self-publishing by providing an annual community event and free literary workshops throughout the year.
Individually, Lindsay has self-published River City Raunch for a decade. RCR is a collection of stories that residents confess about their experiences with love and sex in Jacksonville. The project began with conversations with strangers, which morphed into investigating human relation to sexuality and the repressed self. Lindsay was listening to fewer sex stories and providing guidance to people interested in creating their own self-published works. Ten issues later, the audience and interest in self-publishing have only grown. Dan Waily is a mental health worker who creates mini-comics and workbooks on emotional abuse, identification of healthy relationships, and dysfunctional family roles. They intend to spread mental health knowledge in an accessible way minus the psychobabble. Dan’s work has helped countless people identify and understand challenges and provides tools the reader can apply daily to improve relationships with themselves and others.
What’s next?
Together as DCAZ, we plan to form a non-profit to provide mini self-publishing grants, more free workshops, and host grander events this year. We’d like to eventually have a space that provides free publishing resources throughout the year.
Contact Info:
- Website: dcazfest.com
- Instagram: @DCAZFest
- Facebook: @DCAZ – Duval Comic and Zine Fest
Image Credits
Alex Dougherty Tiki
