10am to 5pm
Saturday 17th October 2025
Out of the Blue Drillhall
Edinburgh, EH6 8RG
TAGS (Tabletop & Graphic Storytelling) Festival is a free-to-attend market event dedicated to spotlighting Scotland's small press talent!We’re celebrating collaborative and visual storytelling in its many forms, from comics and roleplaying games to board games, zines and beyond.
What's On?
Marketplace
Browse our curated collection of jaw-dropping works from artists, comic authors, game designers and independent publishers, hailing from across Scotland, the UK, and abroad.
Board Game Zone
Find lots to do, see and play in our Board Game Zone, hosted by Ancient Robot Games -- Leith's favourite local gaming store.Book into sessions run by volunteer stewards, or drop in and borrow board games from the free library!
Talks and Panels
Join guest experts from the arts, graphic novel and table top gaming industries for exciting talks and panel discussions in the afternoons of both days.
About the Venue
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is a vibrant, fun, and inclusive space. Come along to experience all kinds of innovative contemporary arts, enjoy the creative atmosphere, meet, discuss, eat, relax, and learn.
Friendly Spaces
We work hard to create a welcoming space. This includes operating a policy of mutual respect that we expect anyone attending or exhibiting the event to follow.As part of our policy, we ask everyone attending TAGS Fest to wear a face mask, if they are able to.
About
TAGS was founded in 2023 by Eve Greenwood of Quindrie Press and Brian Tyrrell of Stout Stoat Press, indie creators-turned-publishers who work in the comics and tabletop game industries respectively. As of 2025, TAGS Fest is run by Eve, Brian, and Faye Stacey under Small Press Scotland CIC.TAGS Fest is organised by creators who have first-hand knowledge of what the Scottish convention scene is like. We know what our community needs, and our goal is to deliver it!
2025 Feature Artist
This year our feature artist is Aimee Lockwood, a brilliantly talented illustrator and comic maker based in the far north of Scotland, where she creates colourful work inspired by folklore, history, conservation, and the natural world. Alongside her independent comic work, Aimee has also published the poetry comic The Wilds, written by Russell Jones.
Curation Consultant
This year curation will be assisted by Nyla Ahmad. Nyla is a writer and musician from North Lanarkshire. She currently works in the Scottish literary sector, as part of the team behind Extra Teeth and at Scottish Book Trust, leading on programming Book Week Scotland. She serves on the Society of Authors Comics Creators Network Steering Committee and the Glasgow Zine Library Board of Trustees.
Contact
Have questions about the event? Email us at: hello@tagsfest.co.uk
TAGS is organised with help from:
Ancient Robot Games
La Belle Adventure
Out of the Blue
Edinburgh Mask Bloc
If you are interested in sponsoring TAGS Fest, please get in touch with us at hello@tagsfest.co.uk.
TAGS is part of:
Small Press Scotland CIC
Reports
We value transparency. At the end of each event, we anonymously survey our exhibitors and combine their responses with data we gathered on the day.You can read our findings in these public reports. We plan to continue reporting on the success of TAGS as we continue to grow.
Exhibiting at Tags
Applications
Applications will open from April 15th through to May 15th 2026.
Important Info
Where? Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny St, Edinburgh EH6 8RG
When? Saturday 17th October 2026
Set up - 9am to 10am
Open - 10am to 5pm
Packdown - 5pm - 6pm
Table Prices?
4' table - £40 per day
6' table - £60 per day
Discount tables will be available for select first-time exhibitors.
Draft Marketplace Floorplan.
Exhibitor Timeline
Applications - Open April 15th, and close May 15th.
Assessments - All applications reviewed with our external curator.
Table Offers - Aiming for June 15th.
Invoices - Due by July 15th (get in contact if you need longer!)
Exhibitor Profiles - TAGS website profiles published on August 15th
Social Media Highlights - Posts featuring exhibitors, games and talks from September through October in the run up to the fest!
Testimonials
Considering if you want to apply to be part of this year's festival? Here’s what past exhibitors have had to say!
“This was an excellent convention. Very welcoming and a great curation of folks exhibiting. It was busy throughout most of the day and the overall vibe of the show was really positive and nice. ”
“I told all my friends. An absolute no brainer for next year.”
“For artists who are starting in the convention world, it's lovely to be able to pay a little less for a table"
“This was my first market. I was terrified at first, but over the course of the day, I settled in and I made a lot of lovely friends in the industry.”
“I found sales to be [...] comparable to my sales at UKGE (the UK's largest Boardgame Convention) in a fraction of the time.”
“The attendees were really engaged and a number of them told me it was their first time looking into an event like this.”
Festival Reporting
We value transparency. At the end of each event, we anonymously survey our exhibitors and combine their responses with data we gathered on the day.You can read our findings in these public report. We plan to continue reporting on the success of TAGS as we continue to grow.
Policies
We will be using our updated Curation Policy when assessing applications. We recommend you read through it before applying.All exhibitors and visitors will be expected to adhere to the Friendly Spaces policy while at TAGS.
Talks & Panels
All of our talks are free to attend, but space is limited. We suggest queueing up 10 minutes before the talk begins to guarantee getting a seat.
| Saturday talks — talks run for 45 mins | Time |
|---|---|
| Pitch to Page: How do you make a comic? Scripting, compositions, pencilling, inking, colouring, lettering, printing; so much goes into every comic you've loved reading. Sit in with veteran comic creators Gustaffo Vargas and Jenny Mure as they chat about the comic-making process. Moderated by La Belle Adventure. | 11:00am |
| Fanfiction, the Oldest Human Tradition Fanfiction has always been part of storytelling culture. Join Ell J Walker and Fran Morton as they discuss the similarities and differences between modern and historic fanfiction. Moderated by La Belle Adventure. | 12:30pm |
| Comics For Your Own Good: Educating through comics As a medium, comics are a very accessible way to share information. Cat Laird and Julie Campbell will discuss the strength of comics in education and community outreach. Moderated by La Belle Adventure. | 2:00pm |
| You Can Be a Luddite: How artists can resist AI Listen to comic creator Tom Humberstone discuss the impact of generative AI on the creative process, and how artists and audiences can rally against the rising tide of slop. Moderated by La Belle Adventure. | 3:30pm |
| Sunday talks — talks run for 45 mins | Time |
|---|---|
| First Draft to Final Product: How do you make a game? Join TTRPG publisher Paolo Greco / Lost Pages, game designer Letty Wilson, and Ancient Robot Games' Dougal Freir as they discuss the ins and outs of the game-making process. Moderated by Stout Stoat Press. | 11:00am |
| Let's Talk Cash: The cold hard finances of making comics Many creative industries are financially lean fields. With the costs of living ever spiralling, Faye Stacey and James Lawrence discuss the realities of making money as comic creators, from self-publishing to public funding. Moderated by Quindrie Press. | 12:30pm |
| Autobiography & Vulnerability Steven Fraser, Ashling Larkin, and Amandawonk come together to discuss their experiences of autobiographical work, and the power of creating comics about yourself. Moderated by La Belle Adventure. | 2:00pm |
| State of the Nation: What's happening in Scottish indie comics? The Scottish indie comics scene is in a state of transition, still recovering from the effects of the pandemic. Comic creators Tom Humberstone and Chris Manson join Quindrie Press' Eve Greenwood to discuss what's happening in modern Scottish comics and where the community is headed. | 3:30pm |
2025 Exhibitors
We'll be hosting over 50 creators in our 2025 marketplace! You can sort through our exhibitors by category using the buttons below, or search for custom tags assigned by the exhibitors.
Interested in tabling next year? Sign up for our exhibitor newsletter!
Venue
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall is a building of considerable historical and cultural significance to the Leith community. Careful, sustainable restoration and regeneration has transformed this former military building into a participatory and inclusive arts and cultural centre, with artists’ studios, rehearsal and performance areas, exhibition spaces and a well-reviewed café.
Getting here
Train. Edinburgh Waverley is the closest station, with links available across the UK.
Tram. Balfour Street is the closest stop.
Buses. Leith Walk: Routes 7, 10, 11, 16, 26 and 49; Easter Road: Routes 1 and 35.
Parking. Off street parking can be found at the top of Leith Walk, about a 25 minute walk from the Drill Hall, or 5 minutes by Tram or Bus. Nearby car parks include:
What's the venue feel like?
The Market will be in the main hall. It is a bright space, lit by skylights. Tables are well spaced, creating wide corridors for visitors to browse and wander through. The space is not too loud when filled with visitors.The Board Game Zone is located in a dance rehearsal studio connected to the main hall. This space is cosier, and lit with warm artificial lighting.TTRPG sessions will take place in a carpeted office further back into the Drill Hall.
Talks and Panels will take place in a carpeted office adjacent to the market. Doors will be closed during events, to help attendees hear panellists.Mid-October can be variable in Scotland, so we recommend bringing layers and dressing as you would for a comfortable stroll around an outdoors market.Below is a gallery of photos taken at other market events at the Drill Hall!
Cafe
The Drill Hall cafe serves locally sourced and seasonal produce, with wonderful baked goods, all made in-house (including Drill Hall Cafe Preserves which you can buy to take home with you).You can enjoy delicious breakfasts, hot lunches, fresh-made sandwiches, enticing cakes, and a variety of hot and cold drinks at affordable prices.
Dogs
Out of the Blue Drill Hall is a dog-friendly space, but all dogs must be kept on a lead, and accompanied at all times. You cannot tie your dog up and come back for them later.
Toilets
There are three toilet facilities, all with step-free access. Men’s toilets are on the left as you come in by the main entrance. Women’s toilets and an accessible bathroom with baby changing facilities are further inside, a right turn just before the cafe.
Children and Young Adults
Any attendees under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The venue and festival staff take no responsibility for unattended underage participants.
Curation Policy
TAGS Fest’s aim is to explore visual storytelling in all its forms from small press creators.
This means that we’re looking to curate exhibitors featuring original, story-focused material such as graphic novels, comics, tabletop games, or other projects exploring visual storytelling.Curation will be assisted by an impartial guest curator.
What it TAGS all about?
As our festival focuses on celebrating the hard work of independent and small press creators, we're most excited to see the following on our exhibitor's tables:
Comics and Graphic novels.
TTRPG books, supplements, and adventures.
Projects where sequential illustrations are central to their premise.
Boardgames and other tactile interactive media.
Zines and pamphlets.
Prints, stickers, pin badges and merchandise are an expected sight at most conventions. While beautiful, they aren't the focus of this event. Exhibitors may sell some merchandise, but the majority of your display must be your own original material (comics, games, zines, etc). Furthermore, merchandise on your table should ideally relate to the your main projects, such as prints of characters from your graphic novel.
Following feedback from exhibitors in previous years, we will be monitoring table displays this year. Exhibitors displaying majority merchandise may be asked to reconfigure their display, or be blocked from future applications.
Here is an example of what we're looking for from an ideal exhibitor:
This is a mock up table display from our 2023 feature artist, Ver! Their table features their latest comics, and a concept art book for their upcoming graphic novel. Around their books are stickers and charms of their original characters.They’ve used a plastic grid to hold up prints of their own characters. On the day, they had a larger selection from other projects and of fan works in a plastic binder for visitors to flick through.
Prioritisation
Conventions and fairs are often inaccessible to marginalised creators for a variety of reasons. Because of this, we will be prioritising applications from:
Black creators or creators of colour.
Disabled creators.
Queer creators.
Creators whose work speaks on an experience that is not often represented.
Creators from Scotland, especially those residing outside of Edinburgh or Glasgow.
For those who have exhibited with us before, we’d love to have you back! Please note, we will be prioritising returning applications showcasing new projects, or work that is further developed than from the last time you were with us. This is because we want to give new applicants a fair opportunity to show their work.
Suitability
Still wondering if TAGS is the right show for you? If any of the statements below apply to you, there might be other spaces in Scotland that would be better suited to your work and your needs:
You are representing an established, large publisher of any kind. Instead, consider the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Your work is primarily text (prose, poetry, etc) with no visual or interactive component. Instead, consider CYMERA Festival.
Your work is not wholly original (ie. fanworks). Instead, consider Anime, Comic or Fan Conventions, such as DeeCon.
The majority of your practice is dedicated to producing prints, t-shirts, badges, stickers, or other forms of merchandise. Instead, consider ECAF.
Your work focuses on fine arts, conceptual printmaking, or limited edition hand-crafted books. Instead consider Fruitmarket's Artists' Bookmarket.
Your work focuses on perzines, minizines and non-profit zines. You are welcome at TAGS but may find a stronger community and more cost-effective table pricing at the Glasgow Zine Fair.
Displaying Sensitive Works
We advise the following practices be taken regarding sensitive works:
NSFW or 18+ material cannot be on direct display at TAGS Fest. However, it can be kept behind an exhibitor's table or out of reach of younger attendees with only non-explicit content on display. Games with these themes should be played with caution.
Trigger warnings should be implemented when appropriate, such as displayed by exhibitors or introduced by players at the start of games.
If sensitive work is in your portfolio, please give us a heads up in your application.
Banned Content
We take a strict stance on the following content:
Works that promote discrimination (including but not limited to sexuality, race, gender, religion or age) are banned from this event.
Works featuring AI generated content (e.g. art, words, etc) are banned from this event.
Exhibitors intentionally trying to bring this content to TAGS Fest will be banned and asked to leave.
Public Liability Insurance
If accepted to the festival, all exhibitors will be required to have public liability insurance coverage for the duration of the event.If you don’t currently have public liability insurance, you can find advice for getting short or long term coverage in Heather Parry’s free book, The Illustrated Freelancer’s Guide.
Waiting Lists
We have capacity for about 40 exhibitors, and expect to receive around 100 applications.Applicants may be added to waiting list. If a table space frees up, we will offer replacements to the most suitable exhibitor in this waiting list. Like the rest of the show, these offers are curated, and not affected by an application's submission date.
Cancellations
We will do our best to accommodate cancellation requests. Please reply to your confirmation email to cancel your table.
You will receive a full refund if you cancel before 17th September 2026.
You will receive a 50% refund if you cancel before 1st October 2026.
You will not receive a refund if you cancel after 1st October 2026.
We do not allow for table swapping (i.e. allowing another exhibitor to take your table). If an unvetted exhibitor tries to exhibit at the show, they will be asked to leave.
Please email hello@tagsfest.co.uk if you have any questions.
friendly spaces policy
We want TAGS to be a place where creators of all backgrounds can share their work, and all of their fans can show their appreciation.
Anyone exhibiting at or visiting the festival agrees to follow the guidelines below.
This policy will be arbitrated on a common sense basis. Creators or attendees who do not follow these guidelines will be asked to leave the event immediately.If you feel this policy has been broken by anyone, please inform a volunteer steward.
Conduct
Respect the Stewards. You will be asked to leave the event if you ignore warnings to mind your conduct.
Respect other creators and attendees. Use correct names and pronouns; if you aren’t sure what name or pronouns to use, ask. If you make a mistake, apologise and move on.
Refrain from using offensive, hostile or intimidating language. This includes but is not limited to homophobic, transphobic, or racist language.
Be considerate and careful of your surroundings. Don't misuse, damage or misappropriate other exhibitors' or visitors' property.
No 'hard sales' or 'haggling' tactics are to be used.
Keep the event space clean and tidy. Don't drop litter, and don't block walkways or fire exits with boxes or banners.
Be mindful of the space you occupy, and don't block other exhibitors tables. For example, by having your table display hang over another exhibitor's table, or blocking one exhibitor's table by queuing to speak to another exhibitor.
Be respectful of the venue. Do not create any lasting marks at the venue, and be polite and respectful to Fruitmarket staff.
Content
Works that promote discrimination (including but not limited to sexuality, race, gender, religion or age) are banned from this event.
Works featuring AI generated content (e.g. art, words, etc) are banned from this event.
NSFW or 18+ material cannot be on display. This material can be kept behind an exhibitor's table or out of reach of younger attendees with only non-explicit content on display. Games with these themes should be played with caution.
Trigger warnings should be displayed by exhibitors or introduced by players at the start of games when appropriate.
Masking and Illness
As Covid-19 is an ongoing problem, and many of our friends and community members are disabled and/or immuno-compromised, we firmly request that you wear a mask when attending TAGS, if you are able to.We will have disposable masks available for free at the welcome table, and in the board game zone. You are of course welcome and encouraged to bring your own mask, as it may be more comfortable!We will have signage at the entrance of the event asking attendees to wear masks. TAGS and Fruitmarket operates according to Scottish Government Covid regulations.If you are sick with a contagious illness (flu, cold, COVID-19, etc) please be considerate of your fellow community members and do not attend the event.
Board game Zone
Welcome to the to the
Ancient Robot Board Game Zone!
Open from 10am to 5pm
Last games from 4pm.
Located in the Warehouse space
on the ground floor.
Children & Young Adults. Any attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Neither TAGS Fest nor Ancient Robot Games takes responsibility for unattended underage participants.
Accessibility. You can reach the Board Game Zone via stairs (marked on the venue map), via stairs at the front end of the Fruitmarket, or by lift (just right of the main entrance). There are accessible toilets with baby changing facilities at both entrances to the Fruitmarket.
What's on?
Boardgame Library
No booking required!
Browse Ancient Robot's extensive catalogue of free-to-borrow fast paced games, or check out their pop-up shop on the day for local and international titles.Open tables will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please be kind to your fellow gamers by freeing up empty chairs and sharing tables when playing in small groups.Refreshments are available from Fruitmarket's ground floor cafe. You are welcome to bring food into the Board Game Zone, but please be mindful of avoiding spilling drinks or get library games dirty! Think light snacks, not a hero's feast.
TTRPG Sessions
Volunteer game masters will be ready for you to run fast paced 2.5 hour sessions for range of daring and exciting systems, like Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, and more!
Saturday 25th Oct, Morning. 10:30am - 1:00pm
Mothership
Castle Falkenstein
Goat Crashers
Dungeons & Dragons 5e
Saturday 25th Oct, Afternoon. 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Mothership
Castle Falkenstein
Goat Crashers
Swyvers
Sunday 26th Oct, Morning. 10:30am - 1:00pm
Mothership
Dragonbane
Fabula Ultima
Sunday 26th Oct, Afternoon. 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Dragonbane
Fabula Ultima
Goat Crashers
Swyvers
Safety Tools. All sessions will make use of John Stavropoulos' X-Card. Some volunteers may require additional tools in their sessions.
Blood on the Clocktower
During a hellish storm, a scream disrupts the sleepy town of Ravenswood Bluff. The townsfolk rush to investigate, and find their beloved storyteller slain by something evil. Clearly, a demon stalks amongst out midst! Can good find the demon in time? Or will evil overrun this once peaceful town?
Blood on the Clocktower is a game of murder and mystery, lies and logic, deduction and deception for five-to-twenty courageous players and one devious storyteller.Two games are run each day, each 2 hours long:
Morning. 11:00am - 1:00pm
Afternoon. 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Show up 10 minutes before to grab a free seat, or book through Ancient Robot Games to guarantee your place in a game.
If you have any problems booking or have a question about the games, please contact Morgan at ARG.
Feedback
Thanks for volunteering to give us feedback! Click the button below to go to our dedicated Google Forms page. It should take you only 1-2 minutes to fill in.
If you need to get in touch with us or give us more urgent feedback and need us to respond, please email us at hello@tagsfest.co.uk.
Museo Sans Rounded (Thin)
Museo Sans Rounded
Museo Sans Rounded (EL)
The quick brown fox jumps of the lazy dog.