DIY Cultures is an annual day festival exploring intersections of art and activism, running since 2013.

The programme consists of a zine fair, exhibitions, workshops, contemporary craft, panel discussions, comic illustration, video art and digital animation exploring DIY practice.

The event has established itself as a leading national forum for artists-run initiatives and alternative publishing. The event distinguishes itself by by its commitment to Black and people of colour empowerment and centralising marginalised histories and subcultures such as neurodiversity, diaspora stories, prisoner solidarity, radical mental health and Muslim communities under the War on terror.

This year’s event is bigger than ever with more than 90 stalls showcasing the best in independent publishing and stands as Rich Mix’s most-attended event of the year.

The festival extends to a 4 week exhibition DIY Knowledge running from 3 May until 2 June in Lower Cafe Gallery.

The curators have commissioned outdoor art, interactive animation and architectural collective Involve to make a communal table.

+ New film commission on how zines helped Hillsborough justice before the mainstream media (with archival collection.of Liverpool zines under under Thatcher)

+ Zines East Africa showcase how DIY Culture influence spread to Africa with Zines from Tanzania & Uganda exhibition display

+ OOMK Malaysia self-publishing project + Book launch of Shy Radicals : the Antisystemic politics of the militant introvert - described as “the Black Panthers of the introvert-class” by DIY Culture co-founder Hamja Ahsan

+ Life-size clay sculpture of Theresa May by May Ayres

+ Longtable on Neurodiversity with Daniel Olivier & Guiliane Kinouni

+ Chicago as DIY Cultures twin city with a collection

+ Artist taxi driver on new BREXIT movie BREXSHIT

+ Kevin Sampson of Hillsborough Voice on learning from the Thatcher era + Reclaim Holloway on turning criminal justice into social justice

+ a live broadcast soapbox run by Clapham Film Unit

+ Autism arts reconsidered with Paul Wady’s Guerilla Aspies & Shaun May