YarnBomb Zine is an art collective magazine created for the sole purpose of uplifting early-career and underrepresented creatives of all kinds, giving them a free and all-inclusive platform to share their work on a broader public scale, gain credibility and viewership, and engage in the simple joy of sharing art.
With the absence of submission guidelines, restrictions and fees, artists are given 100% creative freedom and are able to get work published that may not have otherwise been shared due to restrictions and entrance fees put on by many other galleries, print publications, etc.
Lack of accessible creative community
Extensive fees and hyper-specific guidelines placed on most galleries, magazines, etc.
Mass censorship, discriminatory exclusion of minority voices & work
Lack of resources for smaller artists looking to network/build a resume
Incessant expectation for professionalism when submitting/showing work
Problem
How YarnBomb Helps
No submission fees, requirements or theme - 99% acceptance rate
Both digital and physical products = higher accessibility
Primarily focuses on promoting smaller, underrepresented and minority artists
Prioritizes audience interaction and artistic community aid, not profit
Issue 7
Released July 2025
170 featured
Issue 6
Released Dec. 2024
135 featured
Issue 5
Released Feb. 2024
115 featured
Issue 4
Released July 2023
95 featured
Issue 3
Released Jan. 2023
80 featured
Issue 2
Released June 2022
50 featured
Issue 1
Released Jan. 2022
35 featured
How does it work?
Submissions open, work is sent in via Google form + email
2 weeks
Submissions close, preorders open, zine production begins
2-3 months
Zine is released, all pre-orders are packed and shipped, PDF copies are emailed
1-2 weeks
All leftover print copies are donated to libraries/collections, files are archived
1-2 weeks
- Layout the zine base
- Make promotional materials, assets
- Organize submissions
- Prep for interviews
- Conduct interviews
- Put all work into the zine, verify artist info
- Reach out to libraries for donation
- File all pre-order info
- Finalize packaging
- Make PDF ineractive
- Bond with the post office workers
- Finalize library info, print and fill out forms
- More packaging
- Clean up files, back everything up
What do I do?
Spreads - Iss. 7
Spreads - Iss. 6
On average, the turnaround time for an issue of YBZ (from the day submissions close to the day the print copies are ordered) is roughly 3-4 months. With the attraction of a short wait time, YBZ is self-sustaining financially through pre-orders, orders and merchandise.
Merchandise
Advertisements
In total, copies of YarnBomb Zine have been donated to over 75 libraries, universities and small businesses across the globe. Below is an updated record of all the libraries/locations YarnBomb has been donated to as of 2026;
UNITED STATES
WEST
Hangover Cafe Collective Library
Portland, OR
West Los Angeles Regional Library
Los Angeles, CA
Edendale Branch Library
Los Angeles, CA
Cypress Park Branch Library
Los Angeles, CA
Gleeson Library
San Francisco, CA
LV Zine Library
Las Vegas, NV
Long Haul Infoshop
Berkeley, CA
PNCA Library
Portland, OR
Outlet Zine Library
Portland, OR
UCLA Arts Library
Los Angeles, CA
Timberland Regional Library
Trumwater, WA
Seattle Public Library
Seattle, WA
KSL
Chico, CA
IPRC
Portland, OR
Oakland Public Library
Oakland, CA
Denver Zine Library
Denver, CO
University of Montana
Missoula, MT
Colorado College Special Collections
Colorado Springs, CO
MIDWEST
University of Michigan Library
Ann Arbor, MI
Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
Urbana, IL
Bowling Green State University/Browne Popular Culture Library
Bowling Green, OH
Jerome Library
Bowling Green, OH
NONMACHINEABLE
Minneapolis, MN
BLD Studios Library
Columbus, OH
Heights Libraries
Cleveland Heights, OH
Books for Bums
St. Louis, MO
Community Arts & Media Project
St. Louis, MO
Neither/Nor Zine Library
Kansas City, MO
EAST
The Word Distro
Jersey city, NJ
ABC No Rio
New York, NY
Trenton Free Public Library
Trenton , NJ
Anarchist Archives Project
Cambridge, MA
Charm City Art Space
Baltimore, MD
Brooklyn College Library
Brooklyn, NY
Flywheel Zine Library
Easthampton, MA
Tufts University/ SMFA Library
Boston, MA
Printed Matter
New York, NY
Mass Love Distro
Beverly, MA
Library of Congress
Washington, DC
Barnard Zine library
New york, NY
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Brooklyn, NY
Papercut Zine Library
Cambridge, MA
Pittsburgh Zine Library and Archive
Pittsburgh, PA
SOUTH
Austin Public Library
Austin, TX
UT Austin Library
Austin, TX
Crescent Wrench Infoshop & Library
New Orleans, LA
University of North Texas Special Collections Library
Denton, TX
RGV Zine Mobile
Weslaco, TX
BeWitched Denton
Denton, TX
San Antonio Public Library
San Antonio, TX
SCAD Library/Jen Archives
Savannah, GA
Watauga Public Library
Watauga, TX
Safe Haven Zine Library
Austin, TX
Das Yutes Free Library
Little Rock, AR
Duke University Libraries
Durham, NC
Civic Media Center
Gainesville, FL
Jacksonville Public Library
Jacksonville, FL
Chattanooga Public Library
Chattanooga, TN
INTERNATIONAL
Youth Zine library
Hamilton, UK
Cowley Club
Brighton, UK
Salford Zine Library
Manchester, UK
Sticky Institute
Australia
Small Zine Volcano
Australia
University of Portsmouth
United Kingdom
Edinburgh Zine Library
Edinburgh central library
Edinburgh , UK
Edward Murphy Library
Dublin, Ireland
Dorothy H. Hoover Library,
OCAD University
Toronto, Canada
ZINES OF THE ZONE
France
CONSIGNMENT
Recycled Books, Records & CDs
Denton, TX
Doc's Records & Vintage
Ft. Worth, TX
Quimby's
Chicago, IL
FEATURED IN
Top 10 Records
Dallas, TX
Teaching Circulation at Duke University
Durham, NC
Each issue - as well as promotion flyers, social media content, shipping, donations, print selling, merchandise creation/selling, and overall organization - is entirely created, orchestrated, promoted and run solely by Elliot / Smelly Dog.
