Ei Mainoksia, Kiitos! – an independent publishing initiative

Ei Mainoksia, Kiitos! is an independent art publishing initiative. EiM,K! aims to rethink publishing practices from a feminist and capitalist-resistant perspective. We want to prioritize care and highlight the time and labor behind the act of publishing. With this grant, we want to set up the basis for a longer-term publishing project, experiment with new ways of working in collaboration with others, and create a publication plan that showcases the multifaceted voices and artistic perspectives of Finnish and Finland-based artists, writers, illustrators, photographers, designers. As an ironic reference to the Finnish door signs that read Ei mainoksia, kiitos!, we strive to publish the opposite of disposable ads: books with the best editorial quality and graphic design, and cutting-edge contents created in Finland. During this grant period, we will work on two main areas: 1. Setting up the project. Establishing EiM,K! as a publisher in Finland. Research on potential collaborators (authors/artists, graphic designers) and establish work agreements with them. 2. Edit and design two publications in collaboration with Finland-based artists. Explore what a publication can be and the many forms editorial content can take. Additionally, we will create a longer-term publication plan for the future of EiM,K!, after testing and workshopping our internal artistic and administrative processes. The project will be launched in a public event by the end of the year. Living in what seems like a never-ending pandemic, book publishing feels, more than ever, like the best place to showcase art locally and internationally, as well as a space to experiment with new ways of doing art and connecting with others.