The first name of the graphic Liada Festival signals a cheerful shift in the city’s self publishing scene. It grew from a modest outdoor exhibition of illustration and solo publishing held at Las Cigarreras’ historic center in Alicante three years ago. The festival has become a key event for writers and small publishers in graphic arts. This weekend, around seventy artists and independent labels will gather, bringing together self publishers from Alicante, Valencia, Murcia, Madrid and beyond, all eager to showcase their outputs, as explained by David Gil, who runs DaGuten-Escuela Gráfica de Barrio, together with festival organizer Isabella Eixa.
The event is not a craft market. It is a gathering where attendees can view their own prints, fanzines, artist books, photography, vinyl records, and t shirt designs that are not mass produced. Gil emphasizes that the festival functions primarily as a platform for artists to present their work directly to the public.
The organizers intend to keep Liada alive and bring graphic self publishing closer to the audience. The festival attracts a diverse crowd and sparks interest, participation, and creativity in graphic arts. It is scheduled for June 2 and 3, featuring additional concerts, DJ sets, talks, and free workshops.
Nuna Has No Fanzine INFORMATION
This year the White Box at Las Cigarreras will host the event, giving authors and exhibitors a space on the walls to display their works.
The fanzine fair opens at 19:30 on Friday and the evening closes with three concerts. The lineup features garage influenced sounds, an alternative pop rock set, and a project blending traditional Arabic influences with contemporary styles. A solo project presents a vagrancy expressed through emotion.
Saturday continues the program from noon until 22:30. The day includes a podcast talk adventure at 13:00 with Paula Guerrero discussing comics in fanzines.
Ruben Gomez, known as Radioboy, serves as the multidisciplinary director of a cumulative and participatory installation at the White Box entrance and in the vertical garden. A workshop on cigarette making runs alongside an ongoing storytelling series that has engaged audiences for more than four years. The workshop capacity is twenty five participants without pre registration.
Saturday music is curated by DJ Nacho Age in the morning and DJ Annie Villamarzo in the afternoon, spinning classic disco, rumba, funk, and hip hop. The Caja Negra venue hosts performances by Karraclismo, Juan Abarca, and Disli. Abarca, who leads a punk influenced solo project, will introduce a new book during his appearance as an author. Prose He will also be signing at Liada.
The festival’s comprehensive lineup includes around seventy registered participants. Publishers and labels such as Ediciones Humilladas, Zulo Azul, Lafat Bordieu, Mushroom Face, UPL, Paula Guerrero, Cols Comix, La Belle Epoque, Pilar del Río, Nuna None, Skisomik, Ner Nelada, Lesbilais, Yokai Street, Carme, Mikelarena, Uou Impresiones, Caos, Lúa Solaz, Talmud Editions, La Gilda laboratori gràfic, D. Vanderh, Iria Sara, Valientes Editions, Flea and Bit, Foster Editions and Arrelades are among those represented.