We are pleased to invite submissions for zines to the 2025 ACM SIGCHI Conference on Designing Interactive Systems (DIS). We encourage all submissions that fit into either one of these tracks: (1) the Zine Library or (2) the Zine Fair.
We welcome all topics of zines, whether or not they relate to presented research and/or design and art practice at DIS, as long as your work adheres to the ACM code of ethics.
Important Dates
Participation in the zine library is an in-person-only opportunity during the conference dates, taking place from July 5–9, 2025. We invite you to bring your materials for the Zine track the week of DIS. For detailed guidance on preparing your materials, please refer to the Participation Guidelines and Accessibility Guidelines provided below.
Zine Library
Following the inaugural DIS 2024 Zine Library, DIS will once again host an informal exhibition of “zines,” or self-published, often handmade magazines that serve as a creative outlet for artists and designers to showcase their work, express ideas, and connect with others on a wide range of topics, often featuring unique bindings, sizes, and designs. The “Zine Library” at DIS 2025 will display one zine from each contributor as an open exhibition where visitors can peruse the work as they please. To view last year’s exhibition, visit here.
To participate in the 2025 Zine Library, simply bring your completed zine to the registration desk when you check in for DIS. Please see the Participation Guidelines below for details.
Zine Fair
We are also offering a dedicated space for participants who have extra copies of zines, stickers, or other materials they’d like to share. If you have items you would like to distribute, please bring them along and attendees will have the opportunity to take these items throughout the conference.
To participate in the 2025 Zine Library, simply bring your completed zine to the registration desk when you check in for DIS. Please see the Participation Guidelines below for details.
Accessibility Guidelines
We kindly encourage everyone to review these guidelines before preparing their submission.
Zines are a unique, highly creative, and artistic form of expression, distinct from the more structured formats of other academic calls at DIS. As a result, accessibility considerations for zines may differ from other formats. However, because DIS attracts a diverse audience both during and beyond the conference, we encourage authors and creators to keep the following points in mind to make zines more inclusive and impactful:
1. Readability and Design: To ensure appropriate readability through thoughtful choices of font, font size, and color scheme. Clear visual communication helps a broader audience engage with and understand the content of your zine.
2. Environmental Friendliness: Whenever possible, avoid using expensive printing techniques, high-cost materials, or complex pigments. Since most zines will likely only be displayed once at DIS, choosing sustainable production methods helps minimize resource waste and aligns with the broader environmental values shared by our community.
3. Copyright and Attribution: We encourage zine creators to include a colophon, a small section that provides key details about the zine, such as the author’s name (or pseudonym), contact information, QR codes, the date, and if there is any copyright information. Adding a colophon helps ensure proper attribution and protects your creative rights, though it is entirely optional.
Please note that the Zine Library is non-archival and will not be added to the ACM Digital Library. However, if your work is not anonymized, we will list you as a contributor in the DIS 2025 archive, similar to how contributors were listed in the DIS 2024 Zine Library archive.
If you choose to apply copyright, consider including a statement indicating how others may use your zine. For inspiration, refer to this article: Favorite Copyright/Fair Use Statements in Zines.
For more inspiration on how to create a zine for DIS, please consult these articles:
Participation Guidelines
Zine Drop-Off Instructions
Please turn in your physical zines / fair items at the DIS 2025 Registration Desk.
Following last year’s inaugural archive, we plan to list all Zine Library contributions (Title, Name(s)) in a digital archive on the ACM DIS website. If you’d like, you can scan your zine(s) and email a digital copy to zine@dis2025.acm.org before attending DIS so that images of your zine can be included. If you do not wish to be included in the archive, please attach a note (e.g., using a sticky note or paper clip) to your physical contribution indicating this preference.
For any questions or concerns, please contact zine@dis2025.acm.org. Note that participation in the DIS Zine Library will be an in-person-only opportunity as participating online will not be an option.
DIS 2025 Zine Chairs
- Shuhao Ma, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon
- Ana Henriques, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon
- Catherine Wieczorek, Georgia Institute of Technology