This weekend launches the inaugural Small Press Fest. Critic Te Ārohi caught up with the festival’s creator and curator, Frances Pavletich of Evening Books, on the whats and whys of a dedicated fest to small press.
Small Press Fest runs from August 18-20, hosted at Evening Books and Yours café. The festival brings together small-presses, independent publishers and writers from across Aotearoa to host workshops, panels, discussions and readings. GLORIA, Lawrence and Gibson, 5ever Press, Compound Press, Left of the Equator, Gabi Lardies, and magazines, Newzician and Ratworld, will all be present to share their journeys in the world of indie publication. Closer to home, the Dunedin Youth Writers are hosting a reading of their works, and a collaborative discussion-based event between Blue Oyster Project Space and Point Design.
Frances’ bookshop, Evening Books, was realised with a dedicated focus to Aotearoa writers and small presses. This kaupapa is extended by Small Press Fest. Small press as an alternative to mainstream publishing has always been of interest to France, especially in its focus on emerging and experimental texts and authors. “A lot of these presses or publications, they're filling a gap in our ecosystem and they are supporting so many of our emerging and experimental texts. Without them there just wouldn't be a place for that.” In creating Small Press Fest, Frances has created a time and place for small presses to be celebrated, and to connect with one another and new audiences. It also validates the form. “It’s supporting the underdog and supporting viable alternatives to mainstream publishing,” shares Frances. “And that not necessarily being just a stepping board into bigger publishing. That that in itself is a valid alternative.”
Small Press Fest was fortunate enough to receive DCC funding. This was the first step in allowing Frances the means to put together this festival, ensuring that all the creatives involved are financially compensated for their time, work and travel. Frances also ran a Boosted campaign to make up the final costs and it was met by overwhelming support. “A lot of people coming to talk will be able to talk to that,” shares Frances on the similarities between hosting an independent event and indie press. “I want the public to feel like things are possible. That you can reach out into these things and people will support you… knowing that your communities will rally around you.”
As the absolute point of wrap-up of the festival, a book object will be created. It will be an experimental and collaborative account of the event; a coincidence of the kaupapa of the event, the space, and indie presses as an opportunity for collaborative and experimental practice. The collective effort is led and inspired by the visiting 5ever Press and will be printed and distributed to exist as a memento, supported by UNESCO City of Literature.
In creating the festival and this particular book object, Frances was inspired by the Wellington indie publishing scene centred around Trades Hall, where much of the presses above exist separately but share the same machinery of Rebel Press. “I really want people down here to see that and to be able to imagine a possibility: if we had the actual press, if we had the machinery, what we could create.” There are multiple workshops across the three days, ‘whatever by 5ever’ in which you can contribute to the object.
You can find the Small Press Fest schedule online at spf23.eveningbooks.nz and you can also get updates on Instagram (@smallpressfest23).