Founded in 2016 by Deniz Beser. Fanzineist emerged in Istanbul as a self-organized and collectively driven initiative dedicated to the radical possibilities of independent publishing. Conceived within the ethics of DIY culture and artistic solidarity, the first edition—quickly established itself as Turkey’s first large-scale international festival devoted entirely to fanzines, artist books, and self-publishing practices. Bringing together artists, publishers, collectives, musicians, and readers from different geographies, Fanzineist proposed publishing not merely as a medium of distribution, but as a social space of encounter, resistance, and cultural exchange.

The second edition, held across both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul in 2017, expanded this vision into a multidisciplinary festival format. Concerts, workshops, talks, screenings, and an extensive zine market transformed the event into a living network of artistic production and collective participation. International involvement increased significantly, positioning Fanzineist within a growing transnational ecology of independent publishing.

In 2019, Fanzineist relocated to Vienna and evolved into the Fanzineist Vienna Art Book & Zine Fair. Co-directed by Deniz Beser and Deniz Güvensoy, the third edition took place at Nordbahnhalle and marked a decisive shift toward a broader European and global framework. Over the course of three days, 48 exhibitors from 14 countries presented publications ranging from handmade zines and experimental artist books to independent print archives and hybrid editorial projects. Vienna became not only a new geographical location for the fair, but also a strategic cultural intersection through which Fanzineist could engage wider audiences and new forms of collaboration.

In 2020, Fanzineist Vienna organized the exhibition “Zine Matters: Self Publishing From Prague To Vienna” in collaboration with Phasebook Prague Art Book & Zine Fair. Exhibition curated by Deniz Beser and Fratisek Kast, desire to establish a bridge between Austria and Czech Republic through fanzines, and together they took the initiative and focused on contemporary zine production in these countries.

Since the second half of 2019, Fanzineist has continued under the artistic direction of Deniz Beser.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 profoundly affected the project, as it did the wider cultural landscape. An edition planned for Brunnenpassage in Vienna had to be postponed indefinitely amidst global uncertainty and extended periods of social isolation. Yet rather than suspending its activities, Fanzineist adapted itself to the conditions of the moment. In 2021, the fair re-emerged as a fully online platform featuring virtual exhibitions, digital talks, screenings, and concerts. During this period, the organization expanded through a remotely working international team spread across Austria, Turkey, Brazil, Czechia, and Slovakia, demonstrating how independent publishing communities could continue to operate through transnational solidarity even under conditions of physical separation.

The online edition of 2022 further amplified this digital experiment. For six weeks, 105 exhibitors from 35 countries presented more than 400 publications within a virtual 3D exhibition environment, allowing visitors worldwide to navigate artist books, zines, and self-published works through an immersive digital space. At a time when many cultural initiatives remained suspended, Fanzineist sustained a sense of continuity and collective exchange through alternative modes of presentation and accessibility.

With the gradual reopening of cultural life, Fanzineist Vienna entered a new chapter in 2023 at Semperdepot, the historic Atelierhaus of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where it continues to take place today. The move to Semperdepot marked a significant expansion both spatially and conceptually.

The 2023 edition hosted 110 physical exhibitors and 20 online participants from over 30 countries, including publishers and artists such as Present Books (DE), NFC Edizioni (IT), Antenna Press (USA), Irene Bonecrusher (ES), Vienna Zines (AT), and Verlag edition clandestin (CH). Alongside the fair, Fanzineist deepened its public program through concerts, performances, talks, and workshops, while also significantly broadening its musical direction by incorporating hip-hop, experimental jazz, electronic music, cumbia, and interdisciplinary live performances into the festival structure.

In 2024, Fanzineist Vienna continued its expansion with 128 physical exhibitors and 26 online participants from more than 30 countries. The fair welcomed a wide range of independent publishers, artist collectives, and institutions including Kaunas Photography Gallery / Vilnius Art Academy (LT), Mangal Media (TR), 51 Personae (CN), sululu (TW), BL8D (EE), and Department of Drawing & Printmaking (AT). The edition also marked the introduction of the Queer Quartier, a dedicated space focusing on queer publishing practices and LGBTQIA+ artistic production. Parallel to the exhibition program, the fair hosted workshops, talks, screenings, and concerts featuring artists such as Generation of Scum, LA WASHA, Bipolar Penguins, and Enesi M.

The 2025 edition represented another decisive milestone in the fair’s trajectory. Fanzineist Vienna Art Book & Zine Fair was awarded funding through SHIFT, a cultural program initiated by the City of Vienna supporting alternative artistic practices and decentralized cultural initiatives.  (London), and Red Letter Distro (Wellington), among many others.

That same year, nearly 1,000 art books and zines from approximately 50 countries were submitted to the Fanzineist Vienna International Mail Art Book & Zine Exhibition, forming an extraordinary archive of handmade publications, experimental print practices, and self-organized editorial cultures from across the globe. The public program further expanded through lectures, workshops, screenings, and presentations addressing comics, queer publishing, bookbinding, Iranian zine culture, feminist editorial practices, and experimental printmaking. Simultaneously, the musical program evolved into the most extensive in the festival’s history, featuring artists such as Elektro Hafiz, Tutti Dilemma, Wiener Planquadrat, THAO, and La Washa.

Since its founding in 2016, Fanzineist has functioned not simply as a fair, but as an evolving cultural infrastructure for independent publishing. Bringing together artists, self-publishers, musicians, designers, bookstores, print collectives, and cultural initiatives, it has continually expanded its international scope while maintaining its commitment to accessibility, experimentation, and collective production. Today, Fanzineist Vienna stands as one of Europe’s significant platforms for artist books and zine culture—an evolving meeting point where publishing operates simultaneously as artistic practice, social dialogue, and political imagination.