# UK to host 13th annual Halftone Zine Fest celebrating DIY publishing  
**Published:** 2026-05-11T15:26:34.000Z  
**Source:** [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/arts-culture/halftone-zine-fest-coming-uk-savs-may-16)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uk-to-host-13th-annual-halftone-zine-fest-celebrating-diy-publishing

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky will host its 13th annual Halftone Zine Fest on Saturday, May 16, offering a free, public celebration of independently produced magazines, comics and printed art in various forms. The festival, held from noon to 5 p.m. at the [School of Art & Visual Studies](https://finearts.uky.edu/savs) at 236 Bolivar Street, will feature vendors, interactive discussions and a collaborative art project.

"The festival, a UK student initiative under the guidance of SA/VS faculty member David Wischer, celebrates zines, comics and printed art in a variety of forms," according to the [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/arts-culture/halftone-zine-fest-coming-uk-savs-may-16). "The atmosphere is open for individuals to meet, interact and learn from each other about self-publishing."

The event will feature a pop-up installation by Muse Collective that invites attendees to bring a small object — artwork, photographs, handwritten letters, recipes, found objects, or any item that resists definition — to be displayed on a clothesline. Throughout the day, pieces will be added, rearranged and exchanged, creating what organizers describe as "a collective expression shaped in real time."

At 2 p.m., [renowned comics educators Josh Bayer and Hyena Hell](https://1-1.tcj.com/an-excerpt-from-the-comics-journal-309-fair-warning-hyena-hell/) will participate in a panel discussion titled "Two-Headed Beast: A BayerHell Panel," discussing their artistic practices and teaching approaches. The panel will be moderated by [J.T. Dockery](https://www.jtdockery.com), a [Gray Hawk-based artist known for his "DESPAIR" comics series](https://kentuckywriting.com/event/halftone-zine-fest/) and his collaboration with Kentucky writer Ed McClanahan on "Juanita & the Frog Prince."

The Halftone Zine Fest, [formerly known as the Ephemera Festival and the Kentucky Fried Zine Fest](https://halftonezinefest.org/), celebrates Lexington's thriving DIY publishing culture and independent creative community. The free, all-ages event welcomes both vendors and visitors interested in self-publishing, underground comics and alternative art forms.

For more information, visit [halftonezinefest.org](https://www.halftonezinefest.org/).

## Sources

- [University of Kentucky News](https://uknow.uky.edu/arts-culture/halftone-zine-fest-coming-uk-savs-may-16)
- [Halftone Zine Fest official website](https://www.halftonezinefest.org/)
- [Information about Josh Bayer and Hyena Hell](https://www.tcj.com/an-excerpt-from-the-comics-journal-309-fair-warning-hyena-hell/)
- [J.T. Dockery official website](https://www.jtdockery.com)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from University of Kentucky News, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://uknow.uky.edu/arts-culture/halftone-zine-fest-coming-uk-savs-may-16.