Here and Home Zine

Creativity is born from imagination—but also from necessity.

The Here and Home Zine is being launched to celebrate the written arts, language, and interpretation, showcasing how marginalised voices shape culture through innovation, resilience, and self-expression. From literature and calligraphy to oration and personal essays, this zine explores the ways we write, speak, and make sense of the world—particularly from the perspectives of those too often overlooked.

A Global Network of Creativity

Through collaborations with writing groups in Africa and beyond, interviews with writers, linguists, and publishers, and partnerships with independent bookstores and cultural spaces, Here and Home will amplify voices that redefine what it means to create.

A Print and Digital Zine With a Purpose

Launching both in print and digitally, Home and Here is more than a publication—it’s a movement. The first few issues will be crowdfunded, ensuring sustainability while keeping accessibility at its heart.

Every copy purchased will include the cost of a pay-it-forward model, allowing us to distribute additional copies through partners in Africa. To ensure that these stories and ideas reach communities that can engage with and contribute to this creative exchange.

Issue #1

Call for Submissions

We’re thrilled to launch Here and Home and invite you to contribute to the first issue, exploring the theme of Oral Tradition.

We welcome all types of written work, from poetry to short stories, calligraphy, and glyphs, as well as reflections on how oral tradition shapes culture and storytelling.

Submission Details:

Theme: Oral Traditions.
Word Count: Prose submissions should be no longer than 4,000 words.
Visual Art: For visual works please submit high-resolution images.
Format: Written submissions in Word or PDF format. Visual submissions in JPEG or PNG format.
Deadline: 30th April 2025
How to Submit: Send your submission to submissions@hereandhome.art along with a brief bio and your contact information.

Due to space constraints, we encourage shorter pieces that allow for a diverse range of contributors.

We particularly encourage submissions from individuals of African heritage, whether from the continent or the diaspora. Your voices and perspectives are critical to this project.

Here and Home Book Club

Formerly The Little Lit Club

In October 2023, Jessica challenged herself to read a novel from every African country, initially sharing the journey on TikTok. What began as a personal challenge has since grown into a vibrant reading community. Launched in September 2024, the Here and Home Book (formerly The Little Lit Club) continues to meet monthly in London and online.

This reading challenge was born after Jessica's first trip to Ghana, where they realised the vast richness of Africa and what it means to be African, beyond being Ghanaian. It’s not always feasible to travel to every country, but the desire to connect with and appreciate the uniqueness of each African nation found its expression in this literary journey. By diving into stories from all countries, the club seeks to paint a personal picture of the continent through the eyes of African authors for each reader.

The Here and Home Book Club explores Africa’s rich storytelling traditions, offering readers a chance to enjoy works by African authors and contribute to a collective reimagining of how we see the continent and its culture.

Join over 90 community members on WhatsApp to receive updates on our monthly meetings held in Pelican House, Bethnal Green. Also streamed online and via TikTok Live.

Watch past book reviews on TikTok here.

Contact

Write to us. Please.