DISBANDED

Bear Pit Zines has now DISBANDED.

THANK YOU everyone who has supported the project over the years. BPZ achieved what it set out to do as an open forum for comic and zine artists in the Bristol area aimed at encouraging collaborative projects and strengthening Bristol’s DIY arts/comix/zine culture.

Collectively we’ve put together 12 issues of a fantastic zine, put on 5 brilliantly successful zine fairs, and met so many amazing people. BPZ might be disbanding, but we’re definitely still making!In different forms, and in different guises.

Zine ya’ ‘round!

BEAR PIT ZINE #12 - CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

**CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS** BEAR PIT #12

Just a quick one to get it all official- most of this was covered in the email last month, but here we go: Bigger and better is the plan for this one.

Theme: “REFORM”

Deadline: 6PM, FRIDAY 21st AUGUST 2015

Zine Format: The zine content is in black and white, but greys print out well. As we’re going for perfect binding, we need more pages! As such we’d ask that, if possible, if the minimum page count is about 4, and the maximum is 12.

Only one submission per contributor please.

Paper size: The zine will be printed on A5 with full bleed. Your artwork should fit within these dimensions (148 x 210mm), plus a 4mm bleed around your image (making it 156x218mm). If you’ve any questions regarding ‘full bleed’, and/or need a template, please email.

Submission Format: Please send your files as .psd, .png or .tiff, and at no less than 300 dpi. One file per page.

Contents: All contributions take the theme of ‘Reform’ - you’re free to interpret this as you will. Although we do emphasize the comic/sequential-art nature of Bear Pit Zines, any combination of words and pictures will be considered.
Finally, we are open to submissions from any and all, but we do ask that the contributor and/or their work retain some kind of connection to the city/area of Bristol.

Printing & Distribution: When all submissions are in, as per usual we will ask contributors to place and pay for pre-orders (at cost-price). Cost price per unit will be approximately £2.00. Issue #12 will be launched at the 2015 Bristol Comic and Zine Fair (October 3rd).

Cover: We need someone to do the cover: It can be full colour, black and white or anywhere in between. It’s really up to you. If you have any ideas, get in touch, but do remember there can only be one! Apologies if you don’t get picked this time. It’ll be A5 format again, but as we’re hoping to have a spine again, we’ll let you know the exact size nearer the print time if you’re picked.

Please send your submissions to bearpitzines@gmail.com

And please distribute this far and wide!

New Zine! New Meeting! New things!

Hello zinesters,

Two bits of news!

BEAR PIT 12

Here at BPZ HQ we’ve been having a bit of a chat about the future of the zine. We’ve been going nearly FIVE YEARS, and we want to shake things up! We want to return to the bigger, longer format of Bear Pit 10
As such, Bear Pit Zine 12 is going to have a theme of Reform. Something to reflect the changes we’re starting. We’re looking for some longer stories this time, 4-12 pages.  We’ll have it out in time for the Bristol Comic and Zine fair on October 3rd, so you can have until August 21st to submit your entry, just to allow for all potential situations when we come to print!

A proper call for submissions will follow - for now, get thinking!

THE NEXT MEET-UP

We’re also changing the meetings a bit. We’re pulling them out of the pub and making them more regular. We want to bring everyone together to talk zines, comics, drawing, whatever they want - not just Bear Pit. We want to hold a regular space for people to come up with ideas, new projects, or just to meet like-minded people.

So come join us on Wednesday 8th July at 7pm at Roll For the Soul (http://www.rollforthesoul.org/) for the next meet-up! Bring pens and pencils if you want to draw, or just come and talk zines and comics. It’s a perfect time to get to work on your entry for issue 12 or chat about the zine you’re thinking of making.

Come say hi, we’re friendly!

Bear Pit Zines 

SAVE THE DATE!

bczfair:

Bristol Comic and Zine Fair will return to The Station in 2015.

After another great year for the fair, we’re delighted to announce that BCZF 2015 will be held on Saturday 3rd October at the Station, our home since 2013.

Expect the usual mix of artists, makers, writers and publishers from the UK’s vibrant DIY scene. We’ll be opening applications for tables in the Spring, so watch this space for news. 

It’s also our FIFTH BIRTHDAY and we’re hoping to do a few exciting things so watch this space for news about fundraisers, parties and more.

As well as this tumblr, you can keep up-do-date with all our news on…

• Our website
• On Twitter
• On Ello
• Our newsletter

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS - BPZ ISSUE #11!

Theme: “LINE”

Deadline: 6PM, SUNDAY 15th FEBRUARY 2015

Zine Format: The zine content is in black and white, but greys print out well. If we’re going for perfect binding again, we need plenty pages! We won’t force you though, so how about a 2 page minimum, and a maximum of 8.

Only one submission per contributor please.

Paper size: The zine will be printed on A5 with full bleed. Your artwork should fit within these dimensions (148 x 210mm), plus a 4mm bleed around your image (making it 156x218mm). If you’ve any questions regarding ‘full bleed’, and/or need a template, please email.

Submission Format: Please send your files as .psd, .png or .tiff, and at no less than 300 dpi. One file per page.

Contents: All contributions take the theme of ‘Line’ - you’re free to interpret this as you will. Although we do emphasize the comic/sequential-art nature of Bear Pit Zines, any combination of words and pictures will be considered.
Finally, we are open to submissions from any and all, but we do ask that the contributor and/or their work retain some kind of connection to the city/area of Bristol.

Printing & Distribution: When all submissions are in, as per usual we will ask contributors to place and pay for pre-orders (at cost-price). Cost price per unit will be approximately £2.00, judging by issue 10

Please send your submissions to bearpitzines@gmail.com

Bear Pit Meeting - theme discussion for 11

Hey all,

Its been a little while, but its time again for a BPZ meet-up!

When: 7:30pm, Wednesday the 3rd of December.
Where: King William Ale House, 20 King St,l BS1 4EF

We’re going to start  full steam ahead on the next issue, but for that we need a theme! If you have any ideas but can’t make the meet, let us know and they’ll go in the hat for discussion.

It’ll also be the first meeting with Graham Johnson as editor so come and say hi and get to know him.

Do ask if you’ve any questions,

Hope you can make it!

Bear hugs,

BPZ

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS - BEAR PIT #10

It’s been about 3 and a half years since the debut of Bear Pit Zine, and we’re thrilled to be announcing the call for submissions for issue #10! As usual, all comics, illustration and other forms of sequential art are welcome!

Because it’s a special occasion, we’ve been digging around trying to work out a way that we can produce something that looks a bit special but at about the same price. And guess what, we’ve come up with something we think you’ll all love… Issue #10 is going to be a perfect bound book!

Theme: “PLACE”

Deadline: 6PM, SUNDAY 7th SEPTEMBER 2014

Zine Format: The zine content is in black and white, but greys print out well. As we’re going for perfect binding, we need more pages! As such we’d ask that, if possible, if the minimum page count is about 4, and the maximum is 8.

Only one submission per contributor please.

Paper size: The zine will be printed on A5 with full bleed. Your artwork should fit within these dimensions (148 x 210mm), plus a 4mm bleed around your image (making it 156x218mm). If you’ve any questions regarding ‘full bleed’, and/or need a template, please email.

Submission Format: Please send your files as .psd, .png or .tiff, and at no less than 300 dpi. One file per page.

Contents: All contributions take the theme of ‘Place’ - you’re free to interpret this as you will. Although we do emphasize the comic/sequential-art nature of Bear Pit Zines, any combination of words and pictures will be considered.
Finally, we are open to submissions from any and all, but we do ask that the contributor and/or their work retain some kind of connection to the city/area of Bristol.

Printing & Distribution: When all submissions are in, as per usual we will ask contributors to place and pay for pre-orders (at cost-price). Cost price per unit will be approximately £2.00. Issue #10 will be launched at the 2014 Bristol Comic and Zine Fair (October 4th).

Please send your submissions to bearpitzines@gmail.com

Bear Pit Zine #9 Is Now Available From the Online Shop

Ahead of its official launch on Friday the 18th of July at the Illustration Pizza Party at the Crofters Rights in Bristol, BPZ#9: Compulsion is now available via the Bear Pit website: bearpitzines.tumblr.com/zine