Poet. Zine-maker. Non-Fiction Writer
About Gloria Kiconco
Gloria Kiconco is a poet, essayist, and zine-maker based in Kampala, Uganda. She has been published in PREE Lit Magazine, Transition Magazine, and The Weganda Review. Her poems appear in 20.35 Africa: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry (2018) and Dear Nev: An Anthology of East African Writers. Her essays can be found on Adda, More of Us, and as part of undermyourskin, a collection of interactive essays, created in collaboration with writer Raksha Vasudevan. Gloria’s arts journalism can be found online and in print with People Stories Project, Dazed magazine, The Wire, Perform! And ARTAFRICA.
​
Gloria was one of the inaugural Writers-in-Residence (2019) with the Goethe Institut Burkina Faso. She was a poet-in-residence with the Poetry Library at Manchester Metropolitan University in Jan/Feb 2023, which ended with an exhibition of her zine projects from 2016 to 2021. Her poetry zines include SOLD OUT (2016), RETURN TO SENDER (2018), a zine, illustration exhibition and spoken word show, in collaboration with illustrator Liz Kobusinge, You Are Lost, You Are Here X (2020) through a residency with Cratér Invertido in Mexico City, Mexico, Tunnel of Delight (2021), and Cardinal Directions (2024) from the Send Me exhibition with Borderlands Arts.
​
Creative workshop facilitator
I RUN ZINE WORKSHOPS
Zines (pronounced ZEENS) are hand-made booklets or pamphlets known for their unique forms and self-published content. They can be artistic, literary, informative, playful or anything you want them to be, showcasing their diverse and inspiring nature. The zine is a revolutionary form because it is easy to produce, reproduce and distribute to provide access to information and neglected narratives, making it an ideal expression for resistance. Through zine-making, we expand our ideas of what books and publications can be and open up to alternative methods of making and non-linear storytelling.
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
I facilitate creative workshops for artists or non-artists looking to explore ideas through creative means. I use accessible writing and visual exercises and can design workshops for any level, with an approach that gives the participants ownership of their contributions and transformative methods of self-expression.
Connect with Gloria