AUSTIN, Texas -- One of Austin’s longest-running creative outlets continues to grow.

The Staple Independent Media Expo is slated for this coming weekend. When it started in 2005, the homegrown festival celebrated the art and media created by the expo’s founders.

That art included items such as books, comics and magazines. Many of them were made by hand and had little or no distribution.

Over the years, the internet has become an integral component of the creative process, while face-to-face interaction remains a highlight for the artists.

“In terms of actual print media, if you’re making it yourself, you have to actually take it to a show and hand it right to the person who’s buying it from you,” Staple Independent Media Expo founder Chris Nicholas said. “Which is great for them too because they get to interact with you, with the artist, and build a community.”

The expo is Saturday and Sunday at the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex located on Hargrave Street in East Austin.

On Friday, a pre-party kicks off at 8 p.m. at Austin Books and Comics on North Lamar Boulevard.

For more information, visit the Staple Independent Media Expo website, here.