I’m Lea (pronounced like sea).

I’m an artist, zine maker, researcher and DIY organiser.

I’m based in Fife, Scotland, where I live with my partner Abi and cat Boba.

I talk and write about zines, disability, madness and neurodivergence. I also facilitate zine making workshops (face to face and online). I am part of Edinburgh Zine Library, and co-organised Edinburgh Zine Festival 2022-2024.

I work across zines and DIY publications, print making, textiles and more. Much of my work explores my experiences of madness, neurodivergence and in mental health services, and connects to archives, memory, activism, and the genre of ‘lived experience’ as it is invited into research, policy, participatory arts and medical pedagogy. My practice also involves curation, facilitation and DIY organising. I am a member of Neuk Collective, and an associate member of the Scottish Artists’ Union.

I also talk and write about cycling and cycle touring, and co-authored a book with my partner called ‘Gears for Queers’.

If you’re interested in working with me on a workshop or talk, you can find more information about workshops and talks here. If you’re interested in me doing some writing for you, you can find more information about my writing here.

If you are interested in my work, or want to work together, please get in touch at lilithjoycecooper@gmail.com.

Current work:

Curating ‘Zines Forever! DIY Publications and Disability Justice’, opening at Wellcome Collection 14 March 2025.

Recent work:

Completed ‘The zINe-Between: A Creative Practice Exploration of Health, Liminality, Lived Experience and the Zines in Wellcome Collection’, a Collaborative Doctoral Award with University of Kent and Wellcome Collection.

Facilitated, compiled and designed the LGBTQ Parents and Carers Zine, with the Perinatal Loneliness Project.

Curated and produced ‘Disclosure: A Zine Exhibition’ at GLISK, Burntisland, October 2024.

Past work:

‘A Mad People’s Archive’, Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival ‘Revolution!’ Commission, 2023

Co-organised ‘Zines ASSEMBLE’, a one-day zine symposium, September 2022.