Wellington Zinefest has worked with the Lesbian and Gay Archives New Zealand (LAGANZ) to run free weekend workshops exploring local queer history.

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The result of these workshops are the "The Archives Are Alive" zine series. Using photocopied materials from the LAGANZ collection, our participants collaged, drew, wrote and created pages reflecting on what queer history meant to them. These have been compiled and printed into zines.

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Volume One and Two

Volume One took an expansive view, collecting takes from a range of queer identities and viewpoints and explaining the process of working with the LAGANZ archive. Volume Two, titled "The Gender Woo Woo", was focused more specifically on  the histories of those falling under the trans umbrella.

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The workshops run over two days. The first day features presentations on queer history in Aotearoa from historian and zinemaker Will Hansen and his LAGANZ mentor Roger Swanson. Participants also take a visit to the archives and look over the materials of the collection first hand.

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The second day is focused on creative work - participants come together to create their contributions for the zine. After compiling, printing and putting together the zine, we then hold launch events for each zine. Participants are invited to speak on their experience throughout the workshop, and the zine is ceremonially handed over to LAGANZ to add to their collection.