The Sick And Disabled Zine & Craft Fair (SAD Fair) is a grassroots week-long virtual festival centering Disabled, chronically ill and Neurodivergent zinesters and artists from around the world. Now in its fourth year, this access-centered craft fair will feature free live events, workshops, virtual "tables", and a virtual sensory room. This event is open to ALL! Allies are welcomed and encouraged to attend!

This fair is for people to display their work, and build community, in a space that pushes back against popular narratives of illness and disability being inspirational or sad. The fair is free to attend, with free crafting and learning opportunities, as well as plenty of low cost zines and art to buy.

Accessibility is important to us, this includes keeping prices reasonable so everyone can enjoy the fest and bring something home with them. The fair will be trans inclusive and run by majority queer and trans, sick and disabled folks. We aim to make this an annual event held to directly support the work of sick and disabled creatives and as a source of education and understanding for those who are less familiar with our community. We work towards having an open, safe, accessible space for all.

Our project is rooted in revolutionary love and need for community care, representation, and art. As sick and disabled queer and trans people, art is how we have explored our lives in a society that tells us we are inferior, especially as we go into the third year of a global pandemic that disproportionately impacts the sick and disabled community. Many of us have been excluded from in-person craft fairs due to inaccessibility and inadequate COVID-19 safety measures. Our experiences are unique but not isolated, and our ability to find connections through art is what motivates us to pursue projects like this zine and craft fair.

What our grantee is saying: “Receiving these funds is a huge step in furthering the mission of the SAD Fair - to bring together sick, disabled, neurodivergent, and mentally ill artists and creators from all around the world to celebrate each other. This grant will help us create a better, more accessible event, where we can harbor and create community, as well as educate and advocate for ourselves and the greater disabled community.”

What our trustees are saying: "It’s a pretty substantial and established project by and for disabled people that runs almost entirely on a shoestring [and is an] impactful two weeks of programming that affects many disabled folks."