Loss and the Production of Community Archives

Abstract This visual essay concerns the generative capacities of loss in the production and maintenance of community archives and archiving communities. In archival sites, the loss of space through the collection of items, as well as degradation and wear and tear, is a concern that traditional archival practice seeks to address, manage, and mitigate. However, through the discussion of two case studies—a participatory arts company in Stoke on Trent and zine archives and libraries in Manchester and Birmingham—loss can materialize as presence, through damp and clutter, evidence of community activity, and debate and discussion. Furthermore, the author argues that loss is generative of archives themselves by drawing from the ongoing work in the two sites, as well as the emergence of archival practice and debates specific to the communities themselves.