Tape Projects Newsletter Thursday 05-03-2009
1.OOMONG- Zoe Scoglio and Lee Anantawat, Tape @ Frame
2.Call for expressions of interest in Next Wave Project 2010
3.Found Sound: The Experimental Instrument Project # 3
4.Jordana Maisie- The Real Thing, exhibition at TCB, opening Wed 11-03-2009
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1. OOMONG- Zoe Scoglio and Lee Anantawat, Tape @ Frame, Opening tomorrow, Friday 06-03-09, Platform- Campbell Arcade, Degrave St Subway
Building Tunnels and Pondering Infinity
A collaborative experiment made in the dark recesses of Cambells Arcade
Exhibiting throughout the month of March.
Opening this Friday 6th of March, 6-8 pm
http://tapeprojects.org/files/images/oomong_flyer.jpg
From January until July, Tape Projects are occupying Frame, a window in the Platform art space suited perfectly to the kind of noisy, flickery work we do. Set back from the main corridor of windows, in the dark, quiet nook next to the Degrave Street stairs, Frame is a platform on which to experiment with new ideas and showcase the work of a myriad of temporal artists from Melbourne and beyond.
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2. Call for expressions of interest in Next Wave Project 2010
From Clare Rae:
“Along with Victoria Bennett, I'm currently organising a project for the 2010
Next Wave Festival, to take place in Melbourne in May, 2010.
We are proposing to create a project that directly engages with ideas around
feminism, specifically challenging the idea that we are in a ‘post-feminist’
climate thus rendering such investigations redundant. At a time when ‘post’
pre-empts feminism, feminist artists need to create complex work that
balances political themes and contemporary aesthetics. This project sets
itself apart from previous exhibitions by introducing a new young feminist
perspective to the Melbourne community, one that incorporates varied and
conflicting visual and textual strategies.
The outcome of this project will involve eight artists and eight writers,
and will take the form of an exhibition, and a catalogue/book. Our
exhibition will highlight a broad cross-section of emerging artists working
in a feminist context.
As our project is primarily concerned with emerging artists and writers, to
adhere the Next Wave guidelines we are specifically looking at artists aged
30 and under.”
To express interest in this project please contact Clare or Victoria, by early next week:
vicgbennett@gmail.com
clarerae@gmail.com
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3. Found Sound: The Experimental Instrument Project # 3
ROD COOPER AND ROSS MANNING
Together for the first time! Ross Manning in collaboration with Rod Cooper.
Where: Tape Projects 1/81 Bouverie St, Carlton, Melbourne
When: Wednesday March 18 2009, 7:30 - 8:30pm, $5 door
www.foundsoundproject.blogspot.com
Please join us for the third Found Sound event of 2009 - a collaborative performance by Rod Cooper and Ross Manning on sound sculptures, re-purposed objects and original instruments. All welcome!
Rod Cooper is a Melbourne-based artist who works across the fields of sound, metallurgy, painting and sculpture. Since 1998, he has been transforming traditional instrument designs into new hybrids. Each sculpture features a large range of sounds, incorporating percussion, bowing mechanisms, resonant springs and acoustic noise. Rod has collaborated extensively with musicians and artists such as Ben Harper, Sean Baxter, Anthony Magen and Ros Bandt, has performed at many events including The Make It Up Club Festival, Liquid Architecture, NowNow and UnSound and has also toured his hybrid forms to Ireland, New Zealand, America and the UK.
Ross Manning =--- light, electronics, generating sound, video, Upside down cake, instrument building, colourful noise, dinosaurs, junk assembly, re purposed old technology, sculpture, custom devices, kinetics, film, installation and love. Ross has performed and exhibited his works widely, including at Bus Gallery, Melbourne, IMA Brisbane, Australian Centre for Photography, Liquid Architecture, Brisbane Festival, www.myspace.com/rossfmanning.
Found Sound is curated by Amelia Douglas and Albert Mishriki.
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4. Jordana Maisie- The Real Thing, exhibition at TCB, opening Wed 11-03-2009 6-8pm
The Real Thing
March 11-28
Level 1/12, Waratah Place, Melbourne
http://tapeprojects.org/files/images/E-VITE_jordanamaisie.jpg
www.tcbartinc.org.au
Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Broken Pencil news
Broken Pencil Newsletter - January 2009
Broken Pencil Magazine Announces the Commencement of the
2nd Annual Indie Writers Deathmatch Short Story Contest
NOW LIVE ONLINE:
www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch
The trash talk, the vitriol, the voting, the viral videos and...oh yeah...the stories!
It's all happening right now as Broken Pencil sets 8 stories against each other, a literary cage match from which only one author will emerge, the bruised battered champion of indie lit!
Last year's Deathmatch drew hundreds of thousands of hits to our Online Arena. Fans from all across the planet voted for their favourite story in the culture's bloodiest fiction contest. This year's battle should prove to be just as violent!
"This is definitely not a contest for sensitive writer types. If you can't handle the thought of your short story being smacked down by online voters, then you'll want to stay well clear of this one. Think Literary Survivor. On an island. Surrounded by a sea of sharks." - Jennifer Moss, The Vancouver Sun, Dec 28, 2008
The Line Up:
Round 1, January 26: "Girlfriend" by Sherwin Tjia vs "There are Two 'i''s is Wii" by Natalie Pendergast
Tija's crossdressing adolescent angst vs. Pendergast's boy-boy incest video game soap opera
Round 2, February 2: "Night Work" by McKinley M. Hellenes vs "All Tarted Up" by Kirsten McKenzie
Hellenes gives us West Coast trailer trash. McKenzine counters with small town Scottish slags.
Round 3, February 9: "Imagine Us With Belly Button Rings" by Kathleen Phillips vs "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by Jessica Grosman
Phillips goes deep into the sad lives of adolescent girls and Grosman's sad adolescent girl stalks the subway in search of a new mom.
Round 4, February 16: "The Invisible Man Takes a Shit" by Jeffrey Gandell vs "Isn't He Fantastic" by Chris Illuminati
Gandell's invisible man has a stomach ache but Illuminati's Mr. Fantastic has bigger, super hero size problems.
Complete bios of authors as well as more information about their stories available upon request.
Also: Follow the battle blow by blog on twitter: http://twitter.com/brokenpencilmag
Contacting Us
Founded in 1995 and based in Toronto, Canada, Broken Pencil is a website and a print magazine published three times a year. It is one of the few magazines in the world devoted exclusively to underground culture and the independent arts. We are a great resource and a lively read! A cross between the Utne Reader, an underground Reader's Digest, and the now defunct Factsheet5, Broken Pencil reviews the best zines, books, websites, videos, and artworks from the underground and reprints the best articles from the alternative press. Also, ground breaking interviews, original fiction, and commentary on all aspects of the independent arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention.
Hey, want to say something about our magazine, let us know about an upcoming event, send in a zine or website or CD for review or maybe do a piece for the mag? Don't be shy! We want to hear from you. Send us an email at editor@brokenpencil.com, or a letter at PO Box 203, Station P, Toronto, On, M5S 2S7 Canada, or call us at 416-204-1700.
Broken Pencil Magazine Announces the Commencement of the
2nd Annual Indie Writers Deathmatch Short Story Contest
NOW LIVE ONLINE:
www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch
The trash talk, the vitriol, the voting, the viral videos and...oh yeah...the stories!
It's all happening right now as Broken Pencil sets 8 stories against each other, a literary cage match from which only one author will emerge, the bruised battered champion of indie lit!
Last year's Deathmatch drew hundreds of thousands of hits to our Online Arena. Fans from all across the planet voted for their favourite story in the culture's bloodiest fiction contest. This year's battle should prove to be just as violent!
"This is definitely not a contest for sensitive writer types. If you can't handle the thought of your short story being smacked down by online voters, then you'll want to stay well clear of this one. Think Literary Survivor. On an island. Surrounded by a sea of sharks." - Jennifer Moss, The Vancouver Sun, Dec 28, 2008
The Line Up:
Round 1, January 26: "Girlfriend" by Sherwin Tjia vs "There are Two 'i''s is Wii" by Natalie Pendergast
Tija's crossdressing adolescent angst vs. Pendergast's boy-boy incest video game soap opera
Round 2, February 2: "Night Work" by McKinley M. Hellenes vs "All Tarted Up" by Kirsten McKenzie
Hellenes gives us West Coast trailer trash. McKenzine counters with small town Scottish slags.
Round 3, February 9: "Imagine Us With Belly Button Rings" by Kathleen Phillips vs "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by Jessica Grosman
Phillips goes deep into the sad lives of adolescent girls and Grosman's sad adolescent girl stalks the subway in search of a new mom.
Round 4, February 16: "The Invisible Man Takes a Shit" by Jeffrey Gandell vs "Isn't He Fantastic" by Chris Illuminati
Gandell's invisible man has a stomach ache but Illuminati's Mr. Fantastic has bigger, super hero size problems.
Complete bios of authors as well as more information about their stories available upon request.
Also: Follow the battle blow by blog on twitter: http://twitter.com/brokenpencilmag
Contacting Us
Founded in 1995 and based in Toronto, Canada, Broken Pencil is a website and a print magazine published three times a year. It is one of the few magazines in the world devoted exclusively to underground culture and the independent arts. We are a great resource and a lively read! A cross between the Utne Reader, an underground Reader's Digest, and the now defunct Factsheet5, Broken Pencil reviews the best zines, books, websites, videos, and artworks from the underground and reprints the best articles from the alternative press. Also, ground breaking interviews, original fiction, and commentary on all aspects of the independent arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention.
Hey, want to say something about our magazine, let us know about an upcoming event, send in a zine or website or CD for review or maybe do a piece for the mag? Don't be shy! We want to hear from you. Send us an email at editor@brokenpencil.com, or a letter at PO Box 203, Station P, Toronto, On, M5S 2S7 Canada, or call us at 416-204-1700.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sticky Newsletter
Essential Communications from Sticky Institute spanning the last month and next.
If this is annoying to read, please enjoy the word document attached.
CONTENTS
Zine Calendar Dates And Things You Need To Know
New Stuff Instore
Niche for Zine
From our new Canberra Zine Correspondent in Darwin
From our Adelaide Zine Correspondent who didn't really count on being
a Correspondent
From Our Paris Zine Correspondent
False Diary
Zine Reviews
Classifieds
Most Hip Student Population According To Visits To the Institute
What is this email and why am I getting/not getting it
<><><><><><>
ZINE CALENDAR DATES AND THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHATEVER YOUR LOCATION:
Sticky is good mates with the USA zine distro papertrail and ciara is
doing a call out for any zines you might like to get considered for
overseas mail order distribution. Ciara has her own selection process,
it's not open slather, but you can read up on the sort of stuff she
goes for (mostly personal or political) at
http://www.papertraildistro.com/submit. In her words, "I beg you to
send me zines". And Sticky vouches for Papertrail as a highly reliable
distro.
IN MELBOURNE:
HOME SWEET HOME
Brunswick Bound Jan 17 – Feb 17
361 Sydney Rd Brunswick
An exhibition of Evil Brothers and zinemakers Tom and Ned, who have
joined forces from opposite ends of the country. Gallery open Mon –
Sat 10-6pm and Sunday 11-5
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE CONSPIRACY WEEK at Sticky
This week long conspiracy includes
Zine Fair,
SAT 14 February 12pm onwards, Degraves Subway.
The first ever International Literature Conspiracy week will be held
from Mon 9 – Sunday 5 February featuring zine launches at Sticky,
insane creative projects to get involved with, and yes, a kick arse
zine fair SAT 14 FEBRUARY 2009. What better way to celebrate your love
for zines than on valentines day people. So mark this one in your
diaries, and get ready to staple your heart out, because Sticky's zine
fair this year packed the subway out, and it's going to be the same
deal in 09, only bigger. Stay tuned. Book cheap flights now. But avoid
Jetstar (see last month's newsletter).
Book your (free) table with Candace, runawaykite@gmail.com
THE REST OF THE PROGRAM (which will also go up on the website in the
next 48 hours)
International Literature Conspiracy Week
festival program 9th-15th Feb
MONDAY 9TH FEB
Target 144
12.00 pm 9th Feb – 12.00 pm 14th Feb at Sticky
Join the conspiracy! At midday Project144 begins, where zinemakers and
comic artists meet at the official Target144 headquarters (Sticky
Institute) to begin a 144 hour odyssey of creation where zines and
comics will be conceived, produced and released at Sticky's Zine Fair
on the sixth day. Target144 creations will be complete with proof of
dates incorporated into the work such as newspaper dates, receipts or
metcards across the critical 144 hours. Works can be made remotely as
well as instore, and everyone is urged to join the conspiracy. The end
results will be launched and sold at the Target144 table at the Zine
Fair on the Saturday.
TUESDAY 10TH FEB
Zine launch – Sure 6 Project
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
Launch of the Sure 6 Project compiled by Elle 36, inspired by the 90s
zine Sure issue number 6, where zinemakers were asked about their
practice and zine culture. The Sure 6 Project resurrects Kane Sure's
concept and the first issue in this new ongoing project will be
launched.
Conspiracy Theory
An International Literature Conspiracy Gig and Zine Evening.
9pm – at The Arthouse, 616 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. $5 at the door
A zine and musical event, this evening will include performances by
Made Austria and heaps of zine readings. There will also be a zine
stall and The Arthouse will be a temporary base for Target144.
WEDNESDAY 11TH FEB
Launch of zine Moth Wings with instore performance of Maddie & Jorja
Kelly Forever
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
The launch of 'Moth Wings' zine, an anthology of childhood drawings,
and an in store performance by Maddie & Jorja Kelly Forever. Come and
be a child again and have a draw with textas and crayons and remember
what it was like to be uninhibited and untainted by the complexities
of adult thinking.
THURSDAY 12TH FEB
Zine Launch – Foxes in the supermarket
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
Aaron, Beck and Jon launch their highly anticipated Coles/Safeway
split zine 'Foxes in the Supermarket'.
FRIDAY 13TH FEB
The Opinion Society
6pm – 7pm - Sticky
Meeting the last Friday of every month, this is a special festival
edition of the Opinion Society complete with refreshments. Bring your
opinions and discuss zines while in their natural habitat.
SATURDAY 14TH FEB
Zine Fair and Festival Launch
12pm – 5pm – Degraves St Subway
Launched by Minister of the Arts Lynn Kosky at 2pm, the Zine Fair will
take over the subway underpass with hundreds of local and nationally
produced zines, comics and independent press, as well as featuring
Sticky's inhouse official Valentines Day cupid (complete with bow,
arrow and typewriter) who will take love letter dictations on Sticky
Institute stationary to be instantly issued to your Valentine.
The zine fair will also be launching the efforts of the Target144
initiative, where zinesters and comic artists will release their
creations made in the last 144 hours, and be host to the legendary
'You' zine bag making marathon where the aim is to create as many YOU
bags as possible, to package the zine, in the one afternoon. The bags
will go into circulation containing the following week's zine.
Everyone is welcome to come along and take part. 'You' is a free,
Melbourne anonymous zine issued weekly since 2001
2pm – official launch of zine fair, Sticky's new back wall, and speeches
12-5pm – You bag making marathon
SUNDAY 15TH FEB
2pm - 3pm Public viewing of the zine collection at the State Library
of Victoria. Free but booking required (stickyshop@gmail.com).
The State Library of Victoria have an incredible zine collection going
back to the 80s within the Rare Printed Collections section. This is a
special opportunity to see the width and breadth of the collection
which is being prepared for cataloguing.
IN SYDNEY:
Intellectual Zine Presentation
Friday 23rd January
There will be a presentation conducted by two Australian zine
librarians - Jessie Lymn and John Stevens - that will be run as a part
of the Research Applications in Information and Library Studies
conference (or RAILS5), held at the University of Technology, Sydney.
The talk will focus on their involvement in two prominent zine
collections that they have had respective involvement with: the State
Library of Victoria's Rare Printed Zine collection and the Newcastle
based Octapod collection. For more information, please check out the
conference web-site:
http://www.communication.uts.edu.au/conferences/rails/
DIY MARKETS/ ZINE FAIR AT LITTLE FISH
Sunday 1 Feb 1pm – 5pm
At Little Fish, 22 Enmore Rd Newtown
To book a table, email ghostesky @ gmail.com with Fish Market as the
subject. It seems to be gaining momentum. Legendary zinemaker 7U has
given this monthly event his personal endorsement:
"hey little fish is good, they do loads for the local arts community
here in sydney providing an affordable space right on enmore rd in
newtown for artists.the small percentage she does take from artists is
based on whats sold, which i dont think is unreasonable. you should be
more supportive of people who support the zine scene, not put down
what they are doing because they have a minimal charge to provide a
space on one of the most expensive/trendy streets in sydney."
RISO ACTION
Sydney has its own rizzeria, a new printing collective, somehow linked
to big fag press, with their own site due to be updated.
www.rizzeria.com. Risographs are a cheap alternative to colour
photocopying (or spot colour) for multiple quantity printing (ie for
runs over 50) and remain economic until runs of over 10,000 copies.
Obviously the riso is the stuff of awe for all zinemakers.
IN CANBERRA:
Zine Fair
Sat 7 Feb 10am –5pm
ACT Writers Centre
Competing with 'Yeah Write' for the lame-title-for-event stakes, is
the ACT Writers Centre youth festival 'Scribble', happening on Sat 7
Feb 10am –5pm. While sticky are all for zine fairs, this one is
charging zinemakers $10 a table which is just ridiculous. Apparently
people have been making off with the tables in previous years. No
comment. It's at QL2 Foyer, Gorman House Ainslie Ave, Braddon. BYO
your own table and chair and there's no charge. Yes, they are totally
serious: ."Please note there's no fee if you
can bring your own table." Just make sure no-one runs off with it.
Table theft is very high in Canberra, apparently.
Book your real estate via poetry.slams@gmail.com
IN ADELAIDE:
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM ADELAIDE FOR MARCH:
Dear Foreigners,
Please accept my warmest invites to attend the 2nd annual Format
Festival, our poorly named fledgling DIY festival, which is occuring
from March 1st to 15th in the city of Adelaide. I would particularly
encourage you to come over for the weekend of Friday March 13th to
Sunday March 15th, whereupon we'll be having the Adelaide Zine and DIY
Fair (Saturday 14th), an evening of cycling films entitled 'Bikes
Camera Action (also on the 14th) and the Academy of DIY, which is a
bunch of workshops on everything from gender identity to bike repair
(Sunday 15th).
I understand that Adelaide isn't exactly the world's most appealling
holiday destination, but there'll be a wealth of world famous
zinesters and indie
press types there, including Sticky's own Luke Sinclair, Vignette
Press, Breakdown Press, Arlene Texta Queen and possibly US zine icon
Dave Roche, author of On Subbing.
yours,
Ianto Ware
Director
Format Festival
<><><><><><>
NEW STUFF INSTORE
It's hot and tempers are short so here are some tiny snippets of some
of the new stuff.
10 Things To Hate About My Sister
$3
lapptheocean@squatspace.com
OK speaking of hot, Elena and Allegra are SO HOT RIGHT NOW. This is
one of Elena's. I love it when she talks how much her sister annoys
her with the electric eels, complete with eels in a radioactive tub.
And the torture sequence etc. As for the pricing…well, they're
workin' it.
Kenneth
$2
Amazing, amazing am-a-zing zine about a girl's development and
diagnosis of anorexia and her eventual recovery. This is easily one of
the most engaging personal zines you will come across, and is an
incredible insight into the mentality one develops with an eating
disorder. This is an INCREDIBLE read. You have to read it.
Hoopla Issue 3
$3
This is like an anarcho feminist revolution zine about crafts and
being radical and such like. I'm losing energy at this point but
without reading it, it looks pretty good. It makes cross stiching
cool.
<><><><><><>
NICHE FOR A ZINE
A robot dedicated zine. Yes, it seems so obvious but nobody has done
one since Zeke in year 9 from early 00's. Please. Someone. The demand
is there. I know I'd read it.
<><><><><><>
FROM OUR NEW CANBERRA CORRESPONDENT IN DARWIN, Gemma Nourse.
This month: Darwin: its history, relationship to DIY and present day
observations.
Hello, hello. Yes, nice to meet you. While you may have noticed that I
am the Canberra correspondent, truth is I am not in Canberra right
now. I arrived back in the humid and humble hellhole I affectionately
call home about a month ago, which others call 'Darwin'.
Here are the top three most important facts about Darwin to create a
little profile for your greedy craniums:
Home to around 100,000 people, Darwin is small enough for many to know
each other's most personal secrets, but large enough to have one
shopping centre that provides depressing retail therapy and every
highschool kid's social life.
You can count the number of book and record stores in the whole place
on one hand, and there is only one tiny music venue that supports
local, original artists. The rest are cover bands.
Paul Keating once said that the best way to see Darwin was from
overhead as you fly to Europe.
Here's my theory: Darwin's isolation, lack of artistic infrastructure
and misguided hatred from 'Southerners', as they are called, has
created an interesting D.I.Y. culture that permeates many areas of a
Darwinian's life and experience. The truth? There's not much going on
here. So to see anything interesting happen, you kind of have to get
of yo' ass and make it happen.
I think this culture has something to do with Darwin's history, and
its need to keep reinventing itself. My Papou and Yiayia (Greek
Grandpa and Grandma) were first generation Australians, and helped
establish Darwin in its early years. My Papou taught himself English
by reading through the dictionary each night and became a building
contractor, while Yiayia worked in a corner store and set up a home
for her family. They both had to do it for themselves, because no one
else would do it for them. Word is that the town had that overall vibe
at the time, as each family tried to stay afloat. Later, when my mum
was around 16, Darwin and my family had to again reinvent themselves
after Cyclone Tracy hit. While my uncles and aunties were evacuated,
Yiayia and Papou, along with many other locals, decided to stay back
and help rebuild the city. Darwin has always relied on the support of
its people for its creation, reinvention and improvement, and this
culture of involvement and community still remains.
Nowadays, Darwin's most attractive quality to many locals is its
laidback lifestyle, separated by a very fine line from shameless
laziness. It takes a bit of courage and enthusiasm to create what you
think the town is lacking. There are a handful of zinesters, musos,
artists, writers and actors kicking around, who all belong to this
little community of people who love what they do and appreciate each
other.
So the next time you go to spit on the part of the map of our country
that depicts the shameful capital city of my humble Territory, think
twice. While we may be the land of humidity, mosquitoes and
nothing-much-else-ness, think also of the good people who work
tirelessly to stand up to the legions of cover bands, skanky
nightclubs and the majority bogan population to do their bit in the
name of culture. Word.
<><><><><><>
FROM OUR ADELAIDE ZINE CORRESPONDENT WHO DIDN'T REALLY COUNT ON BEING
A CORRESPONDENT
The following fantastic report on zines making their way across the
land has been kindly provided by zinemaker Simon Gray, just intended
as a personal email, but was so awesome he relented and let us turn it
into a column. Don't stop now Simon!!!
TRUE TALES OF BRAVERY & HONOR
Is a web comic collected in a comic zeen. It's Ninjas vs. Penguins
conspiracy story.
Aaron Humphrey is your contact man, he turned up in the last half hour
of the Pt. Augusta zine fair in time to miss everything. When my
computer buggered up I lost his e-mail but the zeen lists a wweb address:
www.braveryandhonor.com
A BIRD IN THE [THE] BUSH
A mixed bag of everything from Natalie Von Catalie from Da Gong, pal of
Maddy Phelan's. You've probably got this one.
zombetty@hotmail.com
MY FIRST ZINE ISSUE TWO (#1)
Owen Heitmann normally just prints his web comics but has thrown that in
& has produced this zine which is a mixed bag of stuff he's doing
between projects. It's actually his most personally revealing work. He's
just had a submission for TANGO rejected 'cause it was too pornographic!
owen.heitmann@gmail.com
I AM A CAMERA #12 & DISPOSABLE CAMERA #5
Like I need to tell you about Vanessa Berry.
vanessaberryworld@gmail.com
NICOLA HARDY IS UPDATING HER STATUS AND DREAMING ABOUT CAR ACCIDENTS
Comic artist Nicola's first short story collection is rather good.
nicola@secretenvelope.com
IN SICKNESS
Maddy Phelan's been hanging around Ianto Ware too long & gone and
produced this academic wank about subjectivity & the body. Actually one
of her better efforts, she reports she's putting an end to cutey pie
zines about cats now.
maddy.phelan@gmail.com
MADAM LASH'S GRAND OPENING
Poet Kerryn Tredrea's collection is a good few years old now , but
there's still copies showing up at zine fairs & it's worth it for the
collection of fonts alone.
skinwilleatitself@yahoo.com.au
BY THE TIME YOU'RE TWENTY FIVE
You've probably heard of Emma Davidson, but she's pretty slack, so you
might need to kick her arse to get these zines to you. This was her
latest I picked up @ TINA.
PO Box 4 Enmore NSW 2042
SPICY PONY SECRET FANTASY #4 & PUFF BOOK #1
Chris Tamm is a street artist extrodinaire & Australia's living answer
to Zippy the Pinhead. He's a hairy fat 30something running a gallery
thing in Sydney & raving to me about the cutey pie girls he meets
through his most successful SPICY PONY series.
konsumterra@hotmail.com
SPRAK! VOL #2 & WHAM GLAM THANK YOU MA'M
I've seen a SPRAK! in Sticky but not sure how up to date you keep w/
Kami McInnes as I've heard him whinge that Polyester is the only place
in Melbourne that'll stock him.
PO Box 278 Edwardstown SA 5039
SHADOWLANDS, 2085 & LAFFERTY ON NORFOLK ISLAND
Stephen Stanley was one of the stars of the Pt. Augusta Zine Fair. Based
in Whyalla, he used to have a strip published in Adelaide's News Ltd
paper THE ADVERTISER back in the 80s. He's apparently got a back shed
full of old professionally & self published comic books.
stansei@centralonline.com.au
MORE LOVE TRUTH & HONESTY
Paul Byron released a new Bananarama fanzine years after the first, now
covering Belinda Carlisle, Michelle Pfeiffer & Elastica too. Still
really about Paul though.
paulibyron@gmail.com
DIAGRAM #2
Another collection of impressive drawing by Helen Nehill.
h.nehill@hotmail.com
D90
John Stevens, I understand, is one of Sticky's bright young sycophantic
yes-men. I assume you have this too.
spurzine@gmail.com
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FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT IN PARIS, Lisa Pham.
This month: 2009: A Cyberspace Odyssey
The Internet has a lot to answer for.
Despite a surface distance of 16,780 kilometres between Paris and
Melbourne, I am still able to keep in touch with what's happening on
the other side of the globe. Thanks to Facebook, I always know when
Sticky is sleeping, in the same way that Sticky always knows what I'm
making for dinner. Thanks also to Facebook, I was able to catch up
with an old high school friend who now lives in Zurich, making
Moleskine-type notebooks in her spare time. More recently I met up
with Maddy, a zinester from Wollongong, while she was in town over the
Christmas holidays. We spent the day eating Tibetan food, walking
around Paris and going to the Rodin museum. Maddy left for a 14 hour
bus ride to Berlin that night and I suggested that she meet up with my
friend Emily, a zinester from Melbourne who now lives in Berlin.
Perhaps all of this could have happened without the Internet, but much
more coordination and planning would have been required.
The Internet is not always useful, however. I'd been meaning to visit
an artist squat in Paris which I'd heard about through the grapevine.
Short on time, I relied on Google to find out where it was. Despite
the website not being updated since 2003, I remained positive.
Apparently the squat was open to the public every day except Mondays,
from 1pm to 7pm. Sadly, when we got to 59 rue de Rivoli a few days
ago, all we found was an abandoned squat – much more disappointing
than an abandoned building which could be turned into a squat.
One of my Facebook friends uploaded photos of his favourite zine front
covers. Oddly, I was thankful that none of my zines were among the
list. Every now and then there are discussions about digitising zines
– but to do so would to lose its meaning. I love reading back on my
old zines because it reminds me of who I was at a particular time in
my life, and how much I've changed (or haven't changed) since that
zine was made. There is an honesty in these early zines, an intimacy
between myself and the 50 other people who managed to get a copy. Many
things shared in the zines are things that I would not tell an online
audience, where strangers from all over the world could find and read
it without its original context. Rather than trying to get as many web
hits as possible or having an eternal presence on the World Wide Web,
I want my personal zines to remain ephemeral. Perhaps the same could
be said about squats.
My New Year's Resolutions for this Sticky column: to find an artist
squat; to visit the anarchist bookstore; to learn more about the
bookstore Shakespeare & Co; to continue writing.
Happy 2009 from Paris!
<><><><><><>
FALSE DIARY - A ZINE COLUMN By Luke You [Special Extended Edition]
Column #10 – The Ten Commandments of The Zine Stall
I've done a few zine stalls in my time. Some stalls were completely
awesome with hundreds of hungry zine fans climbing over each other to
get their hands on zine goodness (TINA, The Festival Of The
Photocopier, The Adelaide Zine Fair) and some so gut wrenchingly awful
my hands are beginning to shake just writing about them here
(libraries in the middle of nowhere in far far Western Victoria with
only two ten year olds in attendance). After earning my stripes
through years and years of gruelling zine stall action I want to share
with you the following list. It is a list of how to create the most
kick-ass zine stall in the history of zine stalls for you and for the
kids who want to pick up some zine action. Some of the things I
mention may seem so obvious that it is almost embarrassing to write
them down. Things like "table". But trust me, in the world of zine
stalls nothing is always as it seems. Here are my Ten Commandments of
The Zine Stall:
1. You will need zines. I recommend taking more zines rather than
less, more as in different zines. The bigger your stall is the more
you will blow peoples minds when they stumble across the stall and the
more zines you have the more likely it is that you will have a zine
that someone is interested in.
2. Take change, lots of change. You will need many one dollar coins,
two dollar coins and five dollar notes. Incredibly, even zine world
legends who should know better will try to buy a $1 zine from your
stall with a $50 note.
3. Light. You will need light so that people can see your zine stall
and people can see your zines. I once agreed to do a zine stall at an
all day metal festival at The Espy and I arrived to find the room in
complete darkness. This may be good to enjoy your garden type Manowar
knock-off, but is a big no no for a zine stall.
4. Table. You will need a table to put the zines on. If you put them
on the floor they will get dirty and people will stand on them. YOU
NEED A TABLE TO HAVE A ZINE STALL. And whats more it should be a big
table. One of those big trestle tables is what you are looking for
here. At the previously mentioned metal gig in complete blackness the
organiser of the gig offered me a table approximately the size of a
dinner plate to display my 300+ zines on. This was not good.
5. Suitcase. You will need to transport your zines to the location of
the stall safely for both your back and the condition of the zines.
You will need a suitcase on wheels. If you pack your case in a shonky
manner the zines will get bent and people will not want your zines.
My current rig is a big-ass second hand black suitcase on wheels that
set me back $20 from Savers but which has paid for itself twenty times
over. I pack the zines in large plastic envelopes inside the suitcase
and fill the rest of the case with towels. You don't want those
babies moving around. Even I have been criticised for the condition
of my zines at zine stalls. Connoisseurs of zine culture such as
"Metal Ash" will rip you to shreds at TINA if you dare to show up with
creased zines.
6. Another person. Try to organise for there to be two people on the
stall so if you need to get food, go to the toilet or get a drink you
don't leave your stall unattended and have all your money stolen by
filthy hippies. Another idea is to line up someone to drop by the
stall just for half an hour at some point during the stall to give you
a break. To go back to a point I made a couple of sentences ago. DO
NOT LEAVE YOUR ZINE STALL UNATTENDED AT ANY TIME OR ALL YOUR MONEY AND
ZINES WILL BE STOLEN BY FILTHY HIPPIES.
7. Signage. You want to let people know who you are and where you are
from without them having to ask. My usual technique is to bring along
a fat permanent marker and find a cardboard box out the back of the
venue and write the distro name on the card and pin it to the front of
the table. This also gives you and your stall a look of distinguished
DIY cred.
8. Stay until the end. If you have agreed to do a stall at an event
it is only polite to stay until the end of the event. Once you start
to pack up your stall it kind of signals to the fans that the night is
winding down. I actually set up a stall at the all day metal fest of
complete darkness but broke rule #8 by packing up after just two hour
of power. However, the room was so dark that no one knew either that
I was there or that I had packed up early.
9. Publicise. Let the kids know that you will be there. This means
zine fans might actually come and gets the word out there that you
have the indie cred.
10. Stock. Taylor your stall to the event. If you are running a
stall at an all day metal fest make sure the 'Westside Angst/You'
split zine with Lemmy from Motorhead on the cover is front and centre.
So there you have it zine fans. Now go forth and create zine stalls
wherever you may be. And if everything falls apart and all of your
money and zines are stolen by filthy hippies pick up a pen and write a
zine about it. That would be one awesome zine.
<><><><><><>
ZINE REVIEWS
Welcome to Red Ink's review column. If you think she's out of control,
email us to set her straight. And if you'd like to have a rival zine
review column for us to publish in this section, bring it on! We live
in a pluralist society! We can have multiple review sections!
THE RED INK SECTION
Fergus#15
$1
P.O Box 132, Bentley WA 6982
Fergus is an amazing little zine. So much care has clearly been taken
in its creation with it's fabric covered cover and stuck-in stickers
and pieces of paper and yet it's only one dollar. In this issue,
Fergus contains two sections, the first being an alphabetical
description or Fergus's suburb, East Victoria Park. She takes us
through the area starting with her pathological feeling of Attachment
to her suburb, her opinions of her local Elected representatives that
run tuna drives at Christmas time and the Zebra crossing outside the
cheesecake shop. The second section, called The Peonies, is 13 bits of
Fergus's life, like #8 Diaries and #11 Saturday Night.
Fergus is really well written, it's never too saccharine with it's
homey descriptions of East Victoria Park and Fergus writes with just
the right amount of cynical humour. It's just such a lovely zine to
hold and to own because it's handmade and perfectly pocket sized. It
provides that element of zines which make them so wonderful.
Tangibility.
Little Sticks
$1
have.you.ever@hotmail.com
Little Sticks is an unassumingly written zine about someone in an
in-between moment who is craving a holiday. Type written on 15
separate cards and bound together with a single rubber band, the style
of writing just slowly draws you in and you're a little disappointed
that there isn't more when you finish reading. The descriptions of the
movements of the writer 'from bed to couch to kitchen to video shop…'
accompanied by a list of songs playing and books being read at the
time makes the zine feel familiar and the slight smudges and typos
which haven't been corrected add to the innocence of the tone.
This zine clearly requires time and effort to construct and it's
amazingly reasonably priced at only $1. What makes this a good zine is
that it isn't anything but this small vignette of what the author was
thinking and feeling at the time of creation and it's really lovely to
have that presented in such an unpretentious manner.
Anyone Can Be…A Warrior Princess
$2.50
citylibrarystreetpress.blogspot.com
It amazes me that a zine workshop group, purporting to be made up of
creative people who meet up and talk zines, and that also receives
financial support and venue from the City library can put out such an
awful zine. You'd think that if they knew anything about zine culture,
they wouldn't let this poorly put together and overpriced zine out on
the shelves. It seems that this zine was made by only a couple of
people since it lacks serious content, with the exception of the
article on the Camberwell Market which is well written and is really
too good to be in this zine. The rest of the zine consists of a
hand-drawn warrior princess captioned by various tag-lines, cut and
paste photocopied pictures of warrior princesses with other people's
heads on them and a poorly photocopied collage of craft.
When so many good zines are being put out by individuals who have to
compile them on hallway floors, who don't receive funding and who sell
them for ridiculously low prices, it's seems wrong for a group that is
so supported to be putting out this poorly crafted zine. What's worse
is that they're charging $2.50 for it, when clearly it is worth much
less than this.
NB Avid readers will remember 'Anyone Can…' was named the Worst Zine
Title of 2008 by Sticky in October's newsletter.
Stickmen #9
$1.50
Finally Stickmen #9 has been released. The scratchily drawn comic ,
depicting the adventures of Stickmen and his ninja foes is so
endearing, it's impossible not to like it. It's completely hand drawn
and the photocopying has improved through the previous issues to award
this one with the least amount of photocopy cut-offs. Standout
sections of this issue are the implosion of Stickman, the analysis of
'Mr. Sandman' by Pat Benattar and the author's reaction to his VCE
results.
This comic proves that you don't need to produce something incredibly
polished and well planned out to make an impact and it really is a
creation which defines the genre of zine.
Nicola Hardy is Updating Her Status and Dreaming About Car Accidents
$4
nicola@secretenvelope.com
I'll just say this now that I'm not a huge fan of short story zines so
I needed this zine to do something impressive to make me like it. And
it kind of got there, maybe. Hardy is usually a comic artist, but in
this publication she creates stories which may or may not be
fictional. There are good pieces, like Night Drive and Discoveries and
not-so-good pieces, such as Hyena. The story section of this zine is
okay, with the inclusion of a playlist (awesome) but does include one
crucial error. A blog post. Never include a blog post in a zine.
The other thing that could be improved in this zine is the
presentation. For a comic artist to produce such an unappealing zine
is surprising. It is typed in various Word fonts with a blocky black
and white presentation which makes it seem sterile and looks really
boring. For this zine to be considered much better, it would benefit
from a less clinical outlay and a more welcoming and personal
aesthetic.
Contact: redinksection@gmail.com or you can send your zines to be
reviewed to: Red Ink P.O. Box 41 Flinders Lane Melbourne VIC 8009
To send in your own reviews and get a rival review section up and
going here, email stickyshop@gmail.com. Pluralist society, people!
<><><><><><>
CLASSIFIEDS
Nobody wants anything, nobody has lost anything, the world is
complete. Just don't watch the nightly news.
<><><><><><>
MOST HIP STUDENT POPULATION ACCORDING TO VISITS
ANNOUNCING THE WINNING SCHOOL POPULATION FOR 2008:
We were going to wait till International Literature Week to make this
incredible announcement but by then, who cares? New school year etc.
Really this should have been done in December. So… drumroll…MacRob
have won by a LONG SHOT. Yes, it is official, Mac Rob girls' school
has the coolest student population in Melbourne.
THE PRIZE
MacRob will get a lovely letter written to their principle from Sticky
Institute saying how wonderful and well behaved their students are in
public in the new year, and *the first five students to rock up to
sticky and display their macrob student card will get their own
zinepacks (by post) and membership to the institute. Oh it pays to be
cool. And here is the final tally from 2008:
Korowa…4
Lauriston…1
Carey…9
Warrandite High…4
MacRob…14
Melbourne High…8.
Melbourne Girls College…3
King David School…4
St Michael's Grammar…1
Star of the Sea…1
Buckley Park…1
University High…from 8 to 10 to 11
Mullauna College…4
Princess Hill…from 3 to 9 to 10
Caulfield Grammar…3
Emmaus College…3
Brighton Secondary College…2
Mordiallac Secondary College…2
Eltham College…5
Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School…1
Collingwood College…12
Sydney Rd Community School…1
Austin Hospital School…3
Hogswort's…4
Little Yarra Steiner School…1
Loreto…1
Firbank Grammer…5
Academy of Mary Immaculate…6
NEW ENTRANTS
Strathmore…1
Trinity Grammar…1
2009 CENSUS WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST IN FEBRUARY.
If this is annoying to read, please enjoy the word document attached.
CONTENTS
Zine Calendar Dates And Things You Need To Know
New Stuff Instore
Niche for Zine
From our new Canberra Zine Correspondent in Darwin
From our Adelaide Zine Correspondent who didn't really count on being
a Correspondent
From Our Paris Zine Correspondent
False Diary
Zine Reviews
Classifieds
Most Hip Student Population According To Visits To the Institute
What is this email and why am I getting/not getting it
<><><><><><>
ZINE CALENDAR DATES AND THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
WHATEVER YOUR LOCATION:
Sticky is good mates with the USA zine distro papertrail and ciara is
doing a call out for any zines you might like to get considered for
overseas mail order distribution. Ciara has her own selection process,
it's not open slather, but you can read up on the sort of stuff she
goes for (mostly personal or political) at
http://www.papertraildistro.com/submit. In her words, "I beg you to
send me zines". And Sticky vouches for Papertrail as a highly reliable
distro.
IN MELBOURNE:
HOME SWEET HOME
Brunswick Bound Jan 17 – Feb 17
361 Sydney Rd Brunswick
An exhibition of Evil Brothers and zinemakers Tom and Ned, who have
joined forces from opposite ends of the country. Gallery open Mon –
Sat 10-6pm and Sunday 11-5
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE CONSPIRACY WEEK at Sticky
This week long conspiracy includes
Zine Fair,
SAT 14 February 12pm onwards, Degraves Subway.
The first ever International Literature Conspiracy week will be held
from Mon 9 – Sunday 5 February featuring zine launches at Sticky,
insane creative projects to get involved with, and yes, a kick arse
zine fair SAT 14 FEBRUARY 2009. What better way to celebrate your love
for zines than on valentines day people. So mark this one in your
diaries, and get ready to staple your heart out, because Sticky's zine
fair this year packed the subway out, and it's going to be the same
deal in 09, only bigger. Stay tuned. Book cheap flights now. But avoid
Jetstar (see last month's newsletter).
Book your (free) table with Candace, runawaykite@gmail.com
THE REST OF THE PROGRAM (which will also go up on the website in the
next 48 hours)
International Literature Conspiracy Week
festival program 9th-15th Feb
MONDAY 9TH FEB
Target 144
12.00 pm 9th Feb – 12.00 pm 14th Feb at Sticky
Join the conspiracy! At midday Project144 begins, where zinemakers and
comic artists meet at the official Target144 headquarters (Sticky
Institute) to begin a 144 hour odyssey of creation where zines and
comics will be conceived, produced and released at Sticky's Zine Fair
on the sixth day. Target144 creations will be complete with proof of
dates incorporated into the work such as newspaper dates, receipts or
metcards across the critical 144 hours. Works can be made remotely as
well as instore, and everyone is urged to join the conspiracy. The end
results will be launched and sold at the Target144 table at the Zine
Fair on the Saturday.
TUESDAY 10TH FEB
Zine launch – Sure 6 Project
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
Launch of the Sure 6 Project compiled by Elle 36, inspired by the 90s
zine Sure issue number 6, where zinemakers were asked about their
practice and zine culture. The Sure 6 Project resurrects Kane Sure's
concept and the first issue in this new ongoing project will be
launched.
Conspiracy Theory
An International Literature Conspiracy Gig and Zine Evening.
9pm – at The Arthouse, 616 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. $5 at the door
A zine and musical event, this evening will include performances by
Made Austria and heaps of zine readings. There will also be a zine
stall and The Arthouse will be a temporary base for Target144.
WEDNESDAY 11TH FEB
Launch of zine Moth Wings with instore performance of Maddie & Jorja
Kelly Forever
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
The launch of 'Moth Wings' zine, an anthology of childhood drawings,
and an in store performance by Maddie & Jorja Kelly Forever. Come and
be a child again and have a draw with textas and crayons and remember
what it was like to be uninhibited and untainted by the complexities
of adult thinking.
THURSDAY 12TH FEB
Zine Launch – Foxes in the supermarket
6pm – 7pm at Sticky
Aaron, Beck and Jon launch their highly anticipated Coles/Safeway
split zine 'Foxes in the Supermarket'.
FRIDAY 13TH FEB
The Opinion Society
6pm – 7pm - Sticky
Meeting the last Friday of every month, this is a special festival
edition of the Opinion Society complete with refreshments. Bring your
opinions and discuss zines while in their natural habitat.
SATURDAY 14TH FEB
Zine Fair and Festival Launch
12pm – 5pm – Degraves St Subway
Launched by Minister of the Arts Lynn Kosky at 2pm, the Zine Fair will
take over the subway underpass with hundreds of local and nationally
produced zines, comics and independent press, as well as featuring
Sticky's inhouse official Valentines Day cupid (complete with bow,
arrow and typewriter) who will take love letter dictations on Sticky
Institute stationary to be instantly issued to your Valentine.
The zine fair will also be launching the efforts of the Target144
initiative, where zinesters and comic artists will release their
creations made in the last 144 hours, and be host to the legendary
'You' zine bag making marathon where the aim is to create as many YOU
bags as possible, to package the zine, in the one afternoon. The bags
will go into circulation containing the following week's zine.
Everyone is welcome to come along and take part. 'You' is a free,
Melbourne anonymous zine issued weekly since 2001
2pm – official launch of zine fair, Sticky's new back wall, and speeches
12-5pm – You bag making marathon
SUNDAY 15TH FEB
2pm - 3pm Public viewing of the zine collection at the State Library
of Victoria. Free but booking required (stickyshop@gmail.com).
The State Library of Victoria have an incredible zine collection going
back to the 80s within the Rare Printed Collections section. This is a
special opportunity to see the width and breadth of the collection
which is being prepared for cataloguing.
IN SYDNEY:
Intellectual Zine Presentation
Friday 23rd January
There will be a presentation conducted by two Australian zine
librarians - Jessie Lymn and John Stevens - that will be run as a part
of the Research Applications in Information and Library Studies
conference (or RAILS5), held at the University of Technology, Sydney.
The talk will focus on their involvement in two prominent zine
collections that they have had respective involvement with: the State
Library of Victoria's Rare Printed Zine collection and the Newcastle
based Octapod collection. For more information, please check out the
conference web-site:
http://www.communication.uts.edu.au/conferences/rails/
DIY MARKETS/ ZINE FAIR AT LITTLE FISH
Sunday 1 Feb 1pm – 5pm
At Little Fish, 22 Enmore Rd Newtown
To book a table, email ghostesky @ gmail.com with Fish Market as the
subject. It seems to be gaining momentum. Legendary zinemaker 7U has
given this monthly event his personal endorsement:
"hey little fish is good, they do loads for the local arts community
here in sydney providing an affordable space right on enmore rd in
newtown for artists.the small percentage she does take from artists is
based on whats sold, which i dont think is unreasonable. you should be
more supportive of people who support the zine scene, not put down
what they are doing because they have a minimal charge to provide a
space on one of the most expensive/trendy streets in sydney."
RISO ACTION
Sydney has its own rizzeria, a new printing collective, somehow linked
to big fag press, with their own site due to be updated.
www.rizzeria.com. Risographs are a cheap alternative to colour
photocopying (or spot colour) for multiple quantity printing (ie for
runs over 50) and remain economic until runs of over 10,000 copies.
Obviously the riso is the stuff of awe for all zinemakers.
IN CANBERRA:
Zine Fair
Sat 7 Feb 10am –5pm
ACT Writers Centre
Competing with 'Yeah Write' for the lame-title-for-event stakes, is
the ACT Writers Centre youth festival 'Scribble', happening on Sat 7
Feb 10am –5pm. While sticky are all for zine fairs, this one is
charging zinemakers $10 a table which is just ridiculous. Apparently
people have been making off with the tables in previous years. No
comment. It's at QL2 Foyer, Gorman House Ainslie Ave, Braddon. BYO
your own table and chair and there's no charge. Yes, they are totally
serious: ."Please note there's no fee if you
can bring your own table." Just make sure no-one runs off with it.
Table theft is very high in Canberra, apparently.
Book your real estate via poetry.slams@gmail.com
IN ADELAIDE:
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM ADELAIDE FOR MARCH:
Dear Foreigners,
Please accept my warmest invites to attend the 2nd annual Format
Festival, our poorly named fledgling DIY festival, which is occuring
from March 1st to 15th in the city of Adelaide. I would particularly
encourage you to come over for the weekend of Friday March 13th to
Sunday March 15th, whereupon we'll be having the Adelaide Zine and DIY
Fair (Saturday 14th), an evening of cycling films entitled 'Bikes
Camera Action (also on the 14th) and the Academy of DIY, which is a
bunch of workshops on everything from gender identity to bike repair
(Sunday 15th).
I understand that Adelaide isn't exactly the world's most appealling
holiday destination, but there'll be a wealth of world famous
zinesters and indie
press types there, including Sticky's own Luke Sinclair, Vignette
Press, Breakdown Press, Arlene Texta Queen and possibly US zine icon
Dave Roche, author of On Subbing.
yours,
Ianto Ware
Director
Format Festival
<><><><><><>
NEW STUFF INSTORE
It's hot and tempers are short so here are some tiny snippets of some
of the new stuff.
10 Things To Hate About My Sister
$3
lapptheocean@squatspace.com
OK speaking of hot, Elena and Allegra are SO HOT RIGHT NOW. This is
one of Elena's. I love it when she talks how much her sister annoys
her with the electric eels, complete with eels in a radioactive tub.
And the torture sequence etc. As for the pricing…well, they're
workin' it.
Kenneth
$2
Amazing, amazing am-a-zing zine about a girl's development and
diagnosis of anorexia and her eventual recovery. This is easily one of
the most engaging personal zines you will come across, and is an
incredible insight into the mentality one develops with an eating
disorder. This is an INCREDIBLE read. You have to read it.
Hoopla Issue 3
$3
This is like an anarcho feminist revolution zine about crafts and
being radical and such like. I'm losing energy at this point but
without reading it, it looks pretty good. It makes cross stiching
cool.
<><><><><><>
NICHE FOR A ZINE
A robot dedicated zine. Yes, it seems so obvious but nobody has done
one since Zeke in year 9 from early 00's. Please. Someone. The demand
is there. I know I'd read it.
<><><><><><>
FROM OUR NEW CANBERRA CORRESPONDENT IN DARWIN, Gemma Nourse.
This month: Darwin: its history, relationship to DIY and present day
observations.
Hello, hello. Yes, nice to meet you. While you may have noticed that I
am the Canberra correspondent, truth is I am not in Canberra right
now. I arrived back in the humid and humble hellhole I affectionately
call home about a month ago, which others call 'Darwin'.
Here are the top three most important facts about Darwin to create a
little profile for your greedy craniums:
Home to around 100,000 people, Darwin is small enough for many to know
each other's most personal secrets, but large enough to have one
shopping centre that provides depressing retail therapy and every
highschool kid's social life.
You can count the number of book and record stores in the whole place
on one hand, and there is only one tiny music venue that supports
local, original artists. The rest are cover bands.
Paul Keating once said that the best way to see Darwin was from
overhead as you fly to Europe.
Here's my theory: Darwin's isolation, lack of artistic infrastructure
and misguided hatred from 'Southerners', as they are called, has
created an interesting D.I.Y. culture that permeates many areas of a
Darwinian's life and experience. The truth? There's not much going on
here. So to see anything interesting happen, you kind of have to get
of yo' ass and make it happen.
I think this culture has something to do with Darwin's history, and
its need to keep reinventing itself. My Papou and Yiayia (Greek
Grandpa and Grandma) were first generation Australians, and helped
establish Darwin in its early years. My Papou taught himself English
by reading through the dictionary each night and became a building
contractor, while Yiayia worked in a corner store and set up a home
for her family. They both had to do it for themselves, because no one
else would do it for them. Word is that the town had that overall vibe
at the time, as each family tried to stay afloat. Later, when my mum
was around 16, Darwin and my family had to again reinvent themselves
after Cyclone Tracy hit. While my uncles and aunties were evacuated,
Yiayia and Papou, along with many other locals, decided to stay back
and help rebuild the city. Darwin has always relied on the support of
its people for its creation, reinvention and improvement, and this
culture of involvement and community still remains.
Nowadays, Darwin's most attractive quality to many locals is its
laidback lifestyle, separated by a very fine line from shameless
laziness. It takes a bit of courage and enthusiasm to create what you
think the town is lacking. There are a handful of zinesters, musos,
artists, writers and actors kicking around, who all belong to this
little community of people who love what they do and appreciate each
other.
So the next time you go to spit on the part of the map of our country
that depicts the shameful capital city of my humble Territory, think
twice. While we may be the land of humidity, mosquitoes and
nothing-much-else-ness, think also of the good people who work
tirelessly to stand up to the legions of cover bands, skanky
nightclubs and the majority bogan population to do their bit in the
name of culture. Word.
<><><><><><>
FROM OUR ADELAIDE ZINE CORRESPONDENT WHO DIDN'T REALLY COUNT ON BEING
A CORRESPONDENT
The following fantastic report on zines making their way across the
land has been kindly provided by zinemaker Simon Gray, just intended
as a personal email, but was so awesome he relented and let us turn it
into a column. Don't stop now Simon!!!
TRUE TALES OF BRAVERY & HONOR
Is a web comic collected in a comic zeen. It's Ninjas vs. Penguins
conspiracy story.
Aaron Humphrey is your contact man, he turned up in the last half hour
of the Pt. Augusta zine fair in time to miss everything. When my
computer buggered up I lost his e-mail but the zeen lists a wweb address:
www.braveryandhonor.com
A BIRD IN THE [THE] BUSH
A mixed bag of everything from Natalie Von Catalie from Da Gong, pal of
Maddy Phelan's. You've probably got this one.
zombetty@hotmail.com
MY FIRST ZINE ISSUE TWO (#1)
Owen Heitmann normally just prints his web comics but has thrown that in
& has produced this zine which is a mixed bag of stuff he's doing
between projects. It's actually his most personally revealing work. He's
just had a submission for TANGO rejected 'cause it was too pornographic!
owen.heitmann@gmail.com
I AM A CAMERA #12 & DISPOSABLE CAMERA #5
Like I need to tell you about Vanessa Berry.
vanessaberryworld@gmail.com
NICOLA HARDY IS UPDATING HER STATUS AND DREAMING ABOUT CAR ACCIDENTS
Comic artist Nicola's first short story collection is rather good.
nicola@secretenvelope.com
IN SICKNESS
Maddy Phelan's been hanging around Ianto Ware too long & gone and
produced this academic wank about subjectivity & the body. Actually one
of her better efforts, she reports she's putting an end to cutey pie
zines about cats now.
maddy.phelan@gmail.com
MADAM LASH'S GRAND OPENING
Poet Kerryn Tredrea's collection is a good few years old now , but
there's still copies showing up at zine fairs & it's worth it for the
collection of fonts alone.
skinwilleatitself@yahoo.com.au
BY THE TIME YOU'RE TWENTY FIVE
You've probably heard of Emma Davidson, but she's pretty slack, so you
might need to kick her arse to get these zines to you. This was her
latest I picked up @ TINA.
PO Box 4 Enmore NSW 2042
SPICY PONY SECRET FANTASY #4 & PUFF BOOK #1
Chris Tamm is a street artist extrodinaire & Australia's living answer
to Zippy the Pinhead. He's a hairy fat 30something running a gallery
thing in Sydney & raving to me about the cutey pie girls he meets
through his most successful SPICY PONY series.
konsumterra@hotmail.com
SPRAK! VOL #2 & WHAM GLAM THANK YOU MA'M
I've seen a SPRAK! in Sticky but not sure how up to date you keep w/
Kami McInnes as I've heard him whinge that Polyester is the only place
in Melbourne that'll stock him.
PO Box 278 Edwardstown SA 5039
SHADOWLANDS, 2085 & LAFFERTY ON NORFOLK ISLAND
Stephen Stanley was one of the stars of the Pt. Augusta Zine Fair. Based
in Whyalla, he used to have a strip published in Adelaide's News Ltd
paper THE ADVERTISER back in the 80s. He's apparently got a back shed
full of old professionally & self published comic books.
stansei@centralonline.com.au
MORE LOVE TRUTH & HONESTY
Paul Byron released a new Bananarama fanzine years after the first, now
covering Belinda Carlisle, Michelle Pfeiffer & Elastica too. Still
really about Paul though.
paulibyron@gmail.com
DIAGRAM #2
Another collection of impressive drawing by Helen Nehill.
h.nehill@hotmail.com
D90
John Stevens, I understand, is one of Sticky's bright young sycophantic
yes-men. I assume you have this too.
spurzine@gmail.com
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FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT IN PARIS, Lisa Pham.
This month: 2009: A Cyberspace Odyssey
The Internet has a lot to answer for.
Despite a surface distance of 16,780 kilometres between Paris and
Melbourne, I am still able to keep in touch with what's happening on
the other side of the globe. Thanks to Facebook, I always know when
Sticky is sleeping, in the same way that Sticky always knows what I'm
making for dinner. Thanks also to Facebook, I was able to catch up
with an old high school friend who now lives in Zurich, making
Moleskine-type notebooks in her spare time. More recently I met up
with Maddy, a zinester from Wollongong, while she was in town over the
Christmas holidays. We spent the day eating Tibetan food, walking
around Paris and going to the Rodin museum. Maddy left for a 14 hour
bus ride to Berlin that night and I suggested that she meet up with my
friend Emily, a zinester from Melbourne who now lives in Berlin.
Perhaps all of this could have happened without the Internet, but much
more coordination and planning would have been required.
The Internet is not always useful, however. I'd been meaning to visit
an artist squat in Paris which I'd heard about through the grapevine.
Short on time, I relied on Google to find out where it was. Despite
the website not being updated since 2003, I remained positive.
Apparently the squat was open to the public every day except Mondays,
from 1pm to 7pm. Sadly, when we got to 59 rue de Rivoli a few days
ago, all we found was an abandoned squat – much more disappointing
than an abandoned building which could be turned into a squat.
One of my Facebook friends uploaded photos of his favourite zine front
covers. Oddly, I was thankful that none of my zines were among the
list. Every now and then there are discussions about digitising zines
– but to do so would to lose its meaning. I love reading back on my
old zines because it reminds me of who I was at a particular time in
my life, and how much I've changed (or haven't changed) since that
zine was made. There is an honesty in these early zines, an intimacy
between myself and the 50 other people who managed to get a copy. Many
things shared in the zines are things that I would not tell an online
audience, where strangers from all over the world could find and read
it without its original context. Rather than trying to get as many web
hits as possible or having an eternal presence on the World Wide Web,
I want my personal zines to remain ephemeral. Perhaps the same could
be said about squats.
My New Year's Resolutions for this Sticky column: to find an artist
squat; to visit the anarchist bookstore; to learn more about the
bookstore Shakespeare & Co; to continue writing.
Happy 2009 from Paris!
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FALSE DIARY - A ZINE COLUMN By Luke You [Special Extended Edition]
Column #10 – The Ten Commandments of The Zine Stall
I've done a few zine stalls in my time. Some stalls were completely
awesome with hundreds of hungry zine fans climbing over each other to
get their hands on zine goodness (TINA, The Festival Of The
Photocopier, The Adelaide Zine Fair) and some so gut wrenchingly awful
my hands are beginning to shake just writing about them here
(libraries in the middle of nowhere in far far Western Victoria with
only two ten year olds in attendance). After earning my stripes
through years and years of gruelling zine stall action I want to share
with you the following list. It is a list of how to create the most
kick-ass zine stall in the history of zine stalls for you and for the
kids who want to pick up some zine action. Some of the things I
mention may seem so obvious that it is almost embarrassing to write
them down. Things like "table". But trust me, in the world of zine
stalls nothing is always as it seems. Here are my Ten Commandments of
The Zine Stall:
1. You will need zines. I recommend taking more zines rather than
less, more as in different zines. The bigger your stall is the more
you will blow peoples minds when they stumble across the stall and the
more zines you have the more likely it is that you will have a zine
that someone is interested in.
2. Take change, lots of change. You will need many one dollar coins,
two dollar coins and five dollar notes. Incredibly, even zine world
legends who should know better will try to buy a $1 zine from your
stall with a $50 note.
3. Light. You will need light so that people can see your zine stall
and people can see your zines. I once agreed to do a zine stall at an
all day metal festival at The Espy and I arrived to find the room in
complete darkness. This may be good to enjoy your garden type Manowar
knock-off, but is a big no no for a zine stall.
4. Table. You will need a table to put the zines on. If you put them
on the floor they will get dirty and people will stand on them. YOU
NEED A TABLE TO HAVE A ZINE STALL. And whats more it should be a big
table. One of those big trestle tables is what you are looking for
here. At the previously mentioned metal gig in complete blackness the
organiser of the gig offered me a table approximately the size of a
dinner plate to display my 300+ zines on. This was not good.
5. Suitcase. You will need to transport your zines to the location of
the stall safely for both your back and the condition of the zines.
You will need a suitcase on wheels. If you pack your case in a shonky
manner the zines will get bent and people will not want your zines.
My current rig is a big-ass second hand black suitcase on wheels that
set me back $20 from Savers but which has paid for itself twenty times
over. I pack the zines in large plastic envelopes inside the suitcase
and fill the rest of the case with towels. You don't want those
babies moving around. Even I have been criticised for the condition
of my zines at zine stalls. Connoisseurs of zine culture such as
"Metal Ash" will rip you to shreds at TINA if you dare to show up with
creased zines.
6. Another person. Try to organise for there to be two people on the
stall so if you need to get food, go to the toilet or get a drink you
don't leave your stall unattended and have all your money stolen by
filthy hippies. Another idea is to line up someone to drop by the
stall just for half an hour at some point during the stall to give you
a break. To go back to a point I made a couple of sentences ago. DO
NOT LEAVE YOUR ZINE STALL UNATTENDED AT ANY TIME OR ALL YOUR MONEY AND
ZINES WILL BE STOLEN BY FILTHY HIPPIES.
7. Signage. You want to let people know who you are and where you are
from without them having to ask. My usual technique is to bring along
a fat permanent marker and find a cardboard box out the back of the
venue and write the distro name on the card and pin it to the front of
the table. This also gives you and your stall a look of distinguished
DIY cred.
8. Stay until the end. If you have agreed to do a stall at an event
it is only polite to stay until the end of the event. Once you start
to pack up your stall it kind of signals to the fans that the night is
winding down. I actually set up a stall at the all day metal fest of
complete darkness but broke rule #8 by packing up after just two hour
of power. However, the room was so dark that no one knew either that
I was there or that I had packed up early.
9. Publicise. Let the kids know that you will be there. This means
zine fans might actually come and gets the word out there that you
have the indie cred.
10. Stock. Taylor your stall to the event. If you are running a
stall at an all day metal fest make sure the 'Westside Angst/You'
split zine with Lemmy from Motorhead on the cover is front and centre.
So there you have it zine fans. Now go forth and create zine stalls
wherever you may be. And if everything falls apart and all of your
money and zines are stolen by filthy hippies pick up a pen and write a
zine about it. That would be one awesome zine.
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ZINE REVIEWS
Welcome to Red Ink's review column. If you think she's out of control,
email us to set her straight. And if you'd like to have a rival zine
review column for us to publish in this section, bring it on! We live
in a pluralist society! We can have multiple review sections!
THE RED INK SECTION
Fergus#15
$1
P.O Box 132, Bentley WA 6982
Fergus is an amazing little zine. So much care has clearly been taken
in its creation with it's fabric covered cover and stuck-in stickers
and pieces of paper and yet it's only one dollar. In this issue,
Fergus contains two sections, the first being an alphabetical
description or Fergus's suburb, East Victoria Park. She takes us
through the area starting with her pathological feeling of Attachment
to her suburb, her opinions of her local Elected representatives that
run tuna drives at Christmas time and the Zebra crossing outside the
cheesecake shop. The second section, called The Peonies, is 13 bits of
Fergus's life, like #8 Diaries and #11 Saturday Night.
Fergus is really well written, it's never too saccharine with it's
homey descriptions of East Victoria Park and Fergus writes with just
the right amount of cynical humour. It's just such a lovely zine to
hold and to own because it's handmade and perfectly pocket sized. It
provides that element of zines which make them so wonderful.
Tangibility.
Little Sticks
$1
have.you.ever@hotmail.com
Little Sticks is an unassumingly written zine about someone in an
in-between moment who is craving a holiday. Type written on 15
separate cards and bound together with a single rubber band, the style
of writing just slowly draws you in and you're a little disappointed
that there isn't more when you finish reading. The descriptions of the
movements of the writer 'from bed to couch to kitchen to video shop…'
accompanied by a list of songs playing and books being read at the
time makes the zine feel familiar and the slight smudges and typos
which haven't been corrected add to the innocence of the tone.
This zine clearly requires time and effort to construct and it's
amazingly reasonably priced at only $1. What makes this a good zine is
that it isn't anything but this small vignette of what the author was
thinking and feeling at the time of creation and it's really lovely to
have that presented in such an unpretentious manner.
Anyone Can Be…A Warrior Princess
$2.50
citylibrarystreetpress.blogspot.com
It amazes me that a zine workshop group, purporting to be made up of
creative people who meet up and talk zines, and that also receives
financial support and venue from the City library can put out such an
awful zine. You'd think that if they knew anything about zine culture,
they wouldn't let this poorly put together and overpriced zine out on
the shelves. It seems that this zine was made by only a couple of
people since it lacks serious content, with the exception of the
article on the Camberwell Market which is well written and is really
too good to be in this zine. The rest of the zine consists of a
hand-drawn warrior princess captioned by various tag-lines, cut and
paste photocopied pictures of warrior princesses with other people's
heads on them and a poorly photocopied collage of craft.
When so many good zines are being put out by individuals who have to
compile them on hallway floors, who don't receive funding and who sell
them for ridiculously low prices, it's seems wrong for a group that is
so supported to be putting out this poorly crafted zine. What's worse
is that they're charging $2.50 for it, when clearly it is worth much
less than this.
NB Avid readers will remember 'Anyone Can…' was named the Worst Zine
Title of 2008 by Sticky in October's newsletter.
Stickmen #9
$1.50
Finally Stickmen #9 has been released. The scratchily drawn comic ,
depicting the adventures of Stickmen and his ninja foes is so
endearing, it's impossible not to like it. It's completely hand drawn
and the photocopying has improved through the previous issues to award
this one with the least amount of photocopy cut-offs. Standout
sections of this issue are the implosion of Stickman, the analysis of
'Mr. Sandman' by Pat Benattar and the author's reaction to his VCE
results.
This comic proves that you don't need to produce something incredibly
polished and well planned out to make an impact and it really is a
creation which defines the genre of zine.
Nicola Hardy is Updating Her Status and Dreaming About Car Accidents
$4
nicola@secretenvelope.com
I'll just say this now that I'm not a huge fan of short story zines so
I needed this zine to do something impressive to make me like it. And
it kind of got there, maybe. Hardy is usually a comic artist, but in
this publication she creates stories which may or may not be
fictional. There are good pieces, like Night Drive and Discoveries and
not-so-good pieces, such as Hyena. The story section of this zine is
okay, with the inclusion of a playlist (awesome) but does include one
crucial error. A blog post. Never include a blog post in a zine.
The other thing that could be improved in this zine is the
presentation. For a comic artist to produce such an unappealing zine
is surprising. It is typed in various Word fonts with a blocky black
and white presentation which makes it seem sterile and looks really
boring. For this zine to be considered much better, it would benefit
from a less clinical outlay and a more welcoming and personal
aesthetic.
Contact: redinksection@gmail.com or you can send your zines to be
reviewed to: Red Ink P.O. Box 41 Flinders Lane Melbourne VIC 8009
To send in your own reviews and get a rival review section up and
going here, email stickyshop@gmail.com. Pluralist society, people!
<><><><><><>
CLASSIFIEDS
Nobody wants anything, nobody has lost anything, the world is
complete. Just don't watch the nightly news.
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MOST HIP STUDENT POPULATION ACCORDING TO VISITS
ANNOUNCING THE WINNING SCHOOL POPULATION FOR 2008:
We were going to wait till International Literature Week to make this
incredible announcement but by then, who cares? New school year etc.
Really this should have been done in December. So… drumroll…MacRob
have won by a LONG SHOT. Yes, it is official, Mac Rob girls' school
has the coolest student population in Melbourne.
THE PRIZE
MacRob will get a lovely letter written to their principle from Sticky
Institute saying how wonderful and well behaved their students are in
public in the new year, and *the first five students to rock up to
sticky and display their macrob student card will get their own
zinepacks (by post) and membership to the institute. Oh it pays to be
cool. And here is the final tally from 2008:
Korowa…4
Lauriston…1
Carey…9
Warrandite High…4
MacRob…14
Melbourne High…8.
Melbourne Girls College…3
King David School…4
St Michael's Grammar…1
Star of the Sea…1
Buckley Park…1
University High…from 8 to 10 to 11
Mullauna College…4
Princess Hill…from 3 to 9 to 10
Caulfield Grammar…3
Emmaus College…3
Brighton Secondary College…2
Mordiallac Secondary College…2
Eltham College…5
Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School…1
Collingwood College…12
Sydney Rd Community School…1
Austin Hospital School…3
Hogswort's…4
Little Yarra Steiner School…1
Loreto…1
Firbank Grammer…5
Academy of Mary Immaculate…6
NEW ENTRANTS
Strathmore…1
Trinity Grammar…1
2009 CENSUS WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST IN FEBRUARY.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Express Media Newsletter
EXPRESS MEDIA MEMBERS’ NEWS – DECEMBER 2008
1. WORD FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As 2008 rolls over, Express Media is trying to focus on the flipside – 2009 and then some. We would like to thank you for your support throughout the year and wish you the best during the holiday season and beyond.
This is the final newsletter for 2008 but we promise to keep rolling them out next year. Our thanks goes to electronic publications intern Tess Jaeger for writing and collating them each month. Her tireless scouring of internet sites, newsletters, media releases and random people has been wonderful.
Finally, all of us at Express Media would like to express our deepest sadness at the death of Dorothy Porter. Dorothy had been a past Express Media mentor (of current General Manager Emily Andersen), a Voiceworks guest, and a keen supporter of the organisation. Our deepest sympathies go to her loved ones and readers.
Take care,
Bel Schenk
Artistic Director
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2. COMING UP AT EXPRESS MEDIA
VOICEWORKS #76 – BUDGET
Voiceworks is seeking submissions for issue #76, BUDGET. The deadline is 11 January.
Email editor@expressmedia.org.au with any questions, pitches or brilliant ideas.
And check out the Regular non-fiction opportunities section on the Express Media Website for developments on how to contribute non-fiction to Voiceworks.
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3. FEATURE
Origins: 2008 John Marsden Prizewinners Owen Kirkby and Bryce Wolfgang Joiner reflect on the births of their respective creative entries
The announcement of this year’s John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers winners went down splendidly at Express Media’s long-awaited showcase, held earlier this month in Melbourne’s City Library. As with every year, the 2008 award ceremony offered the opportunity to reflect, not only upon what makes a great piece of writing, but also the personal and artistic origins of an author’s work. Express Media’s essential purpose is to recognise and encourage younger and emerging writers and text-based artists to keep creating and expressing themselves. The John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers is a most ambitious, and generous award. Each year voluminous entries are whittled down to short-lists containing just a fraction of its entrants. These lucky few are recognised as Prizewinners and Runners up. These lucky few are recognised as Prizewinners and Runners up.
But the spirit of competition can sometimes, inadvertently, overshadow other important aspects of creative writing as a process. Great writing does not originate with recognition. It is born with a writer’s confidence to romantically pick up a pen, or, realistically, sit down in front of a computer screen. It exists through the willingness of an individual to re-conceptualise what comes from experience, into imagination. Read more here.
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4. NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES – ALL STATES
HILL OF CONTENT BOOKSHOP 2008 HAL PORTER SHORT STORY COMPETITION
The Hill of Content Bookshop 2008 Hal Porter Short Story Competition is open for short stories, any style, up to 2,500 words. Prize is $1000. Entry fee is $5.50. Cheques made out to East Gippsland Art Gallery. No entry form required. Mail entries to Hal Porter Short Story Competition, East Gippsland Art Gallery, 2 Nicholson St, Bairnsdale, VIC, 3875. Email further enquiries to pedrom53@bigpond.net.au Submissions close 19 December.
THE LIFTED BROW
The Lifted Brow is seeking submissions for its fifth issue until 1 January 2009. The Lifted Brow is an independent journal. As well as ‘straight’ fiction, essays, interviews, poetry, art portfolios and comics, they are looking for scrappy, innovative stuff. For this issue they have a special interest in publishing a film script, a critical-type film essay, or a play script. Submissions will be read and responded to by 1 February. Send your submissions to editors@theliftedbrow.com
GOING DOWN SWINGING
Going Down Swinging is a Melbourne-based international literary journal publishing poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, flash, comic art, graphic art and a spoken word CD, twice a year. They are now calling for submissions for their 28th issue, due for release May 2009: new, unpublished poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, comic and graphic art and spoken word recordings. All GDS contributors are paid for inclusion in the magazine. Submissions close 1 January 2009. Click here to visit the Going Down Swinging website for further information.
MEDLEY MAG
Medley Mag is a new online magazine sharing the diverse cultural experiences of Australia's youth. It is a youth-driven celebration of cultural diversity, which bridges cultural, socio-economic and geographic boundaries to community involvement. Contributions for publication are required from young people, aged 12 to 25 years. Submit virtually anything related to the issues of culture, diversity, migration and human rights: artwork, poetry, short stories, reviews, essays, feature articles, etc. This is a unique opportunity for young people to produce a publication that showcases their talents, opinions, concerns, challenges and successes. For further information or contact the editor, Georgina, at info@medleymag.com.au. Click here to visit the Medley Mag website.
POTTER’S FIELD
Potter’s Field 3 is a print anthology of tales from the graveyard. Submissions of stories between 2000 to 8000 words that will scare readers, but not stories that will make them gag. Deadline is 31 December 2008. Click here to visit the website for further information and submission guidelines.
FILM BLOG
‘Culture Unplugged’ is a new online venue with weekly blog catering to film-makers, film-lovers and conscious creatives/citizens. Its organisers are now looking for writers who wish to blog and engage with a global audience. Compensation will be based on expertise, experience and efforts required. Click here to visit the ‘Culture Unplugged’ website for further details. Email your profile, interest and samples to apply@cultureunplugged.com
STOP DROP AND ROLL
Stop drop and roll is a new quarterly magazine based in Melbourne. The magazine is now open to submissions from established and emerging writers from Australia and around the globe. Email the editor sean@stopdropandroll.com.au or click here to visit the website for more information.
ARTS ANGELS SHORT STORIES 2009
Arts Angels in Canada is looking for stories and poems to be included in a book of fictional stories and poetry. The deadline is 31 December 2008. Each published author accepted will receive two free copies of the book on publication, plus successful writers will be able to buy the book at a reduced cost. For more information contact artsangels@shaw.ca, addressing attention to Margaret Hinchliffe in the subject line.
OZWORDS
Subscription to Ozwords, the newsletter of The Australian National Dictionary Centre is free. The write-up includes word competitions and articles on word history. Readers wishing to subscribe should send their snail mail address to Ozwords Subscription Manager, GPO Box 2784, Melbourne, VIC 3001.
INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
The International Poetry Competition is open to young people under 30 years of age. There is no entry fee. Send only one unpublished poem, which has never been awarded a prize (maximum 50 lines). The general theme is ‘Roads’. Three winners will be awarded a prize of $500 each and publication. Special prizes for the best poems of people under 16! Submissions close 9 January. Click here for further information and submission guidelines.
LAURA LITERARY AWARDS
The Flinders News Prose Awards are now open for submissions. There are three sections under which applicants may enter: 1. Open: short story, max 1500 words, prize $200, 2. Young adult (13-18): max 1000 words, prize $50 and 3. Junior (under 13): max 500 words, prize $25. The C.J. Dennis Poetry Awards for poems up to 60 lines. Open prize: $200. Young adult (13-18) prize: $50. Junior (under 13) prize: $25. The fee for open sections is $10 per entry. All student entries are free! Submissions close 20 February. Click here for further guidelines and entry forms.
ALAN MARSHALL SHORT STORY AWARD 2009
Nillumbik Shire Council invites writers from across Australia to enter this annual short story competition held in memory of the great writer and former resident of Eltham, Alan Marshall. The competition is to be judged by Sophie Cunningham, editor of Meanjin. $2000 Open Section First Prize; $1000 Open Section Second Prize for stories up to 2,500 words; $1000 Local Writers’ Section Prize for stories up to 2,500 words by writers who live, work or study in the Shire of Nillumbik; $400 Young Writers’ Section Prize for stories up to 1,000 words for writers aged between 15 and 19 years. Click here to visit the Nillumbik Shire Council for further details and to download entry forms. Email artsinfo@nillumbik.vic.gov.au, or telephone (03) 9433 3359 for further information. The Alan Marshall Short Story Award is presented by Nillumbik Shire Council in partnership with the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service. Entries close at 4pm Friday 20 February.
COTTONMOUTH
Cottonmouth is a Perth-based performance and publishing venture that held its first event in February 2008. Held monthly, the Cottonmouth performance project showcases spoken-word artists, poets, sound artists, playwrights, new media practitioners and other emerging and established performers in the field of narrative art. The venture also publishes a monthly zine, which is open for submissions from local, interstate and international writers. Click here for submission guidelines, event information and the word on Perth’s cultural beat.
CROSSOVER AUSTRALIA 2009
Calling all writers, theatre directors, filmmakers, digital media artists, web developers, composers, and choreographers! Applications are now open for Crossover Australia 2009. Crossover Australia is a residential laboratory where the primary goal is the development of conceptual prototypes for groundbreaking interactive project. This year Crossover Australia is stressing that ‘our definition of cross platform is not solely in the digital area and we are looking for ways to expand notions into crossovers into live performance, visual arts and writing’. Participation is free but places are limited so get in quick. Click here for more information.
If you want to spread the word on news, events or opportunities for writers in new media, mail Crossover Australia at
storyofthefuture@australiacouncil.gov.au.
WET INK
Wet Ink is currently seeking submissions! Wet Ink is a quarterly magazine that focuses on publishing fiction, poetry and non-fiction by new and emerging writers. It is distributed throughout Australia and in more than 40 countries. As well as poetry, non-fiction and literary-style fiction, Wet Ink is interested in high-quality work in all genres (e.g., crime, sci-fi, romance, horror, thriller, speculative etc) and those with light-hearted themes. There are no word count restrictions – extremely short pieces are welcomed and long work will be considered. All published work receives payment. Click here for further details and to view submission guidelines.
RIGHT NOW
Right Now is a student driven publication that stimulates inclusive discussion about domestic human rights law development and implementation in Australia. Right Now takes a unique and dynamic approach to presenting contemporary legal issues in an informal, non-academic way. Right Now publishes visual art that responds to human rights, and it’s now open for submissions. Please click here to check over past editions before submitting.
Right Now prefer articles to be between 600 and 800 words, but if this is too limiting, they can consider publishing an article of up to 1000 words as a feature. Right Now appeals to a wide audience so articles should be non-academic in tone. Right Now does not publish footnotes. Click here to submit articles via email in Word document format.
If you have any questions about the submission process, or are wondering what kind of topics the Right Now Ed team are interested in, please don’t hesitate to contact them at info@rightnow.org.au.
SKETCH
Sketch is a literary art and design journal currently seeking unsolicited submissions in the form of cartoons, digital art, fiction, graphic design, interviews, journalism, literary reviews, non-fiction, paintings, photography, poetry, sculpture and sketches. Click here for submission guidelines and further information.
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5. NT NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
NT LIBRARY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
‘Re-building Afghanistan’ will run from 11 December to 16 January in partnership with the Canadian High Commission, Ausaid, Aust Dept Defence and DFAT. This exhibition of beautifully coloured photographs, depicting scenes from Afghanistan, aims to raise awareness and understanding of the work that the UN-sanctioned international taskforce, including Canadians and Australians, is undertaking in an effort to rebuild Afghanistan - one of the most fragile nations in the world. Click here to view a promotional flyer for the exhibition. Click here to view other upcoming special events at the Northern Territory Library.
CORRUGATED IRON YOUTH ARTS
If you are 18 and over, check out the 18>26 Theatre Ensemble, which includes ‘The Smelter’ - a fortnightly meet-up where participants discuss theatre, make theatre and take over the world! The program involves taking self-devised shows to festivals around Australia and includes guest talks from experts in the field, focusing on different aspects and styles of theatre, and hands-on tuition. Click here to find out more about the 18>26 Theatre Ensemble and ‘The Smelter’… Click here to check out other upcoming CIYA events and opportunities.
NT WRITERS’ CENTRE
The Northern Territory Writers’ Centre offers a range of opportunities for NT-based writers. Keep up to date by visiting their website. Click here to take a look at what’s on offer.
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6. SA NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
SAWC PROMOTED EVENTS
MUTANT STEPCHILDREN
If you write fantasy, horror, magic realism, science fiction, speculative fiction or any of the many forms of fantastic fiction usually lumped together under ‘speculative fiction’, then you might want to join the new speculative fiction writers’ group the Mutant Stepchildren. Contact Jeff Harris by phone 8258 9162 or email jlharris@senet.com.au
NORTH EASTERN WRITERS CHRISTMAS PARTY
North Eastern Writers are having a Christmas Party with special guests Jude Aquilina and Louise Nicholas followed by a poetry slam. It will be held on Thursday 18 December from 7pm at the Tea Tree Gully RSL Hall. The cost of entry is $5. Drinks and nibbles provided. RSVP and enquiries should be sent to margaret@northeasternwriters.com
TUXEDO CAT READINGS
A midsummer’s dream heatwave reading! Open mic. To be held at The Tuxedo Cat, 17-19 Synagogue Place, on Friday 16 January, from 7pm til late. Contact Jules on 0466 672 877 with any further enquiries.
RADIO ADELAIDE POETRY
Radio Adelaide’s ‘For a Peace of the Action’ program is seeking poems with a theme of peace or social justice — humour is welcome. Contact Clayton at clayton.werner@gmail.com to express your interest!
SAWC OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITERS WITH A DISABILITY
The SA Writers’ Centre was recently awarded funding through the ArtsSA Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust for a writer-in-residence to work with people who have a disability. SAWC pleased to announce that this position has been taken up by Malcolm Walker, author of The Stone Crown (Walker Books, 2008). The writer-in-residence position aims to encourage members with a disability to come in to the Centre to discuss their work on a one-to-one basis with Malcolm, or, if they’re unable to access the city, to telephone or email. For full details of meeting and submission guidelines contact the SAWC via telephone on (08) 8223 7662 or email sawriters@sawc.org.au Click here to visit Malcolm’s website.
ADELAIDE PLAINS POETS INC POETRY COMPETITION
The theme for the next Adelaide Plains Poets Inc Poetry Competition is ‘Tracks and Trails’. With a prize pool of over $500 and categories for adults, secondary school and primary school students, you won’t want to miss it! For information, contact Carolyn Cordon on (08) 85272 412 or 0418 806 490. Email holkschter@bigpond.com or write to 30 Germantown Road, Redbanks, SA, 5502. Submissions close 15 January.
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7. WA NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
NUMBAT 2009
The 2009 edition of poetry journal, Numbat, is gearing up for submissions. Poets are asked to submit works that they feel best showcase their unique poetry. Please submit (3/4) of your chosen poems in MS-Word Format, or Text, or as a file attachment. Additionally, please provide a picture, and an up to date biography with your poetry submission. Email you work to editor, David Barnes at db@aceonline.com.au Phone (08) 9361 6058, or email David at the address listed above for further information. Click here to take a look at the Numbat website.
TOM COLLINS POETRY PRIZE
The FAWWA Tom Collins Poetry Prize is an annual competition. Maximum 60 lines per poem. Prizes include: First: $1000; Second: $400; and four Highly Commended places: $150. Entry Fee is $5 per poem. Contact phone (08) 9384 4771 or email admin@fawwa.org.au Entries close 31 December. Click here to view the FAWWA website for further details.
POETS CORNER AT PAGES CAFE
Poets Union runs a get together at Perth Cultural Centre from 2 to 4:30pm on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Each sitting there is a bevy of invited readers plus spontaneous open mic outbursts. It’s hosted by Frances Macaulay Forde, and entry is free! Contact Frances at admin@poetscornerwa.com for further information.
FAWWA
The Fellowship of Australian Writers, Western Australia, run various regular workshops and special events. Click here to peruse their website and check out what’s on offer this month.
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8. TAS NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
MUDLARK WRITERS’ GROUP
Mudlark Theatre inc. are proud to be offering a new writers’ group. Mudlark encourages new writers wishing to develop skills, emerging writers who want to expand their skills and also the experienced writers to take advantage of this new enterprise. There are great benefits to be gained by being a part of a writers’ group, especially one linked to a theatre company; the most obvious is the opportunity to share ideas, problems and success’s with other writers and theatre practitioners. The opportunity to hear your work read by actors. To be exposed to visiting artists and dramaturges…and ultimately to see your script performed. Mudlark Theatre inc. extends a warm invitation to anyone wishing to write for the stage. For more information contact Stephanie Briarwood on stephanie@mudlarktheatre.com.au or P.O. Box 2120 Launceston, TAS 7250.
STOCK
Launched in December 2007 by Contemporary Art Services Tasmania, Stock was created to provide a forum for local artists, designers, writers, curators and others wanting to voice their ideas, opinions and questions about their field. It also aims to encourage quality arts writing and to support critical dialogue amongst the Tasmanian literary community. Stock welcomes new ideas for articles and may be the perfect site to launch a project or to try something experimental. Or you can contribute to one of the online discussion topics. Click here to visit the Stock website for more information.
THE TASMANIAN TIMES SEEKS POETRY
Tasmanian poets or those with a Tasmanian connection may send up to 5 poems not previously in print or electronic media and not under consideration elsewhere to peter.macrow@gmail.com There is no closing date for TTT, so you’ve got plenty of time to let the creative sparks kindle…
And… click here to see the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre website for more local opportunities.
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9. QLD NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
LOVERS OF GOOD WRITING COMPETITION
Organised through the Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW) Queensland, this competition caters for poets and short story writers in alternate years. Check with the organiser for current year’s details. First prize $250, second prize $100, two Highly Commended prizes $50. Winners announced in 'Scope', April edition. All entries must be accompanied by an entry form, stamped and self-addressed envelope, and a $5 entry fee. Postal Address PO BOX 6338, UPPER MOUNT GRAVATT QLD 4122 Contact the FAW (QLD) Convenor at nancycoxmillner@optusnet.com.au for further details. Submissions close 31 January 2009.
THE JOSEPHINE ULRICK LITERATURE AND POETRY PRIZES 2009
Griffith University’s School of Arts on the Gold Coast administers the prizes on behalf of the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Foundation for the Arts. $40,000 in prize money in 2009! $10,000 First Prize, $5,000 Second Prize, 2 x $2,500 Commended for a 1000 - 3000 word short story and $10,000 First Prize, $5,000 Second Prize, 2 x $2,500 Commended for an up to 200 line poem or suite of poems. Entries close 30 January 2009. Click here for further guidelines and entry forms. All enquiries can be directed to Clare Keys (07) 5552 8093 email: c.keys@griffith.edu.au
QUEENSLAND WRITERS’ CENTRE
The Queensland Writers’ Centre advertises various workshop, event, and competition opportunities for Queensland-based writers. Click here to view their website.
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10. ACT NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
ACT WRITERS’ CENTRE
Click here to view the ACT Writers’ Centre website for information on a range of upcoming writers’ groups, workshops and other literary opportunities. Be sure to check out their January school holiday program, offering various workshops for younger and emerging writers.
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11. NSW NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
VIBEWIRE INC ANNOUNCES A GLOBAL YOUTH FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP FOR YOUNG FUTURE CHANGE-MAKERS
Vibewire is looking for young social entrepreneurs who are passionate about a social or environmental issue and want to increase awareness by reaching out to wider audiences and contributing to social change.
Thanks to the generous support of Global Youth Futures, Vibewire is offering two scholarships to an individual, group or organisation with an innovative approach to addressing, highlighting and advocating around issues in their community, drawing people in rather switching them off.
Global Youth Future's vision is to connect and collaborate to co-create new futures – the kind of futures we want to live in. Its mission is to support and provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs to share and develop their skills, to understand the future in its complexity and to explore innovative and sustainable solutions to social and environmental issues.
The scholarship aims to support a young individual or team over the course of at least 3 months by providing them with residency at Vibewire's Hub (sQuareOne) in Sydney/Ultimo. Recipients get mentorship and will have the opportunity to further develop their skills and expertise as well as to build new networks and partnerships through Global Youth Futures and Vibewire.
Scholarship recipients will be required to report back to Global Youth Futures on an ongoing basis or as required, take part in a review process after 3 months and prepare a final evaluation report of their project. They will also be expected to attend a ‘Futures Dreaming’ weekend planning workshops and assist with one of Global Youth Future's events in 2009.
To apply please fill in application form attached addressing the selection criteria and outlining your project plan, motivation, resources etc. Applications are viewed and selected on a rolling basis.
For further info please contact Annie at info@vibewire.net or call (02) 9660 6591. Click here to visit the Vibewire website.
ANNOUNCING THE 2010 NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL THEME!
Jeff Khan, Artistic Director, is delighted to announce the theme for the 2010 Next Wave Festival: ‘No Risk Too Great’
The 2010 Next Wave Festival will explore the role of risk in a risk-averse culture. Under pressure to conform, we have all become experts in micro-managing our own behaviour. But is this self-surveillance distracting us from the bigger risks, the more un-manageable ones which are increasingly – and radically – changing our world? Just what does “risk” actually mean in these volatile times? In a wider culture of risk management, how prepared are we to make decisions that are brave, courageous or transgressive? Where is the line between our own personal, moral and ethical worlds, and the codes and principles which circulate in the broader context of contemporary culture? What is our capacity to draw, hold or cross this line? What are the real risks of our time, what are the risks worth taking, and what is our role as individuals, and as artists, in relation to them? How can we act boldly and imaginatively, in art and in life?
That also means that the call for Kickstart applications is now open. Kickstart is Next Wave’s non-Festival year development program, providing amazing opportunities for artists to realise their most ambitious ideas, all in anticipation of the 2010 Next Wave Festival. Next Wave provide cash, a workshop program and comprehensive mentoring and support. If this sounds like it could be for you, click here to download an application pack from the Next Wave website.
QUEEN C
Sauna Productions inc. studios in association with B Sharp present Queen C, written by Laura Ruohonen and translated by David Hackston. A dazzling and poetic work by one of Finland's leading playwrights, Queen C is the story of the enigmatic 17th century Swedish monarch. Queen C is an adult fairytale where everything is both possible and permissible. A sensual, raucous, human portrayal of an uncompromising woman, that poses provocative questions about sexuality and the nature of identity. Ticket cost is $29. Performances will run from 27 November to 21 December, on Wednesday to Saturday: 8:15pm, Tues 7pm, Sun 5:15pm. Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. For bookings, call (02) 9699 3444 or click here to visit the Belvoir Theatre website.
NIDA SUMMER PROGRAM
NIDA’s Summer Program offers short courses in dramatic writing for adults and young people. Work with industry professionals at NIDA as part of our famous summer program to develop or refresh your professional skills.
Scriptwriting for Film TV (for ages 16 years and older) will run from 12 to 16 January. The cost is $525. Focus on telling a story on screen. Practice your skills in scriptwriting to unfold drama on screen through dramatic structure, dialogue and character. Take into consideration industry requirements for formats and styles from feature films to television comedies or series.
Develop a Film Treatment (for ages 16 years and older) will run from 19 to 23 January. The cost is $525. Under the guidance of an industry expert, turn your idea for a film into a professional standard treatment. Consider industry formats and develop ways of effectively depicting characters, their stories, and other relevant information.
Writing for young people: Dramatic Writing (for ages 12 to 15 years) will run from 5 to 6 January. The cost is $195. Dramatic story-telling starts with the writer. From a central event create tension, characters, dialogue and plot. Stretch your imagination by creating short and original scripts.
Further information is available on (02) 9697 7626 or via email open@nida.edu.au A full Bookings can be made online by clicking here.
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12. VIC NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
BOOK ABYSS WRITING COMPETITION
The Book Abyss Writing Competition is open topic. Applicants may submit entries up to 1,000 words. Relevant genres include: Auto/Biography, Children/Young Adult, Crime, General Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction, History, Education/Reference, Indigenous and Travel. Include a cover letter with your name, address, word count, title and email address, along with your entry. First prize is $200, second prize is $90, and third prize is $50. An entry Fee of $10 applies. Submissions close 1 February. Contact Wayne Proudfoot on (03) 54485059, or email service@thebookabyss.com.au
The Book Abyss postal address is PO BOX 6046, WHITE HILLS VIC 3550. Click here to view the Book Abyss website for further details.
MUSE 4: BETTER SORRY THAN SAFE
The University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association is seeking creative contributions in all literary genres from all writers, Australian and international, graduate student or not. They especially want work that teeters on the brink of going too far. Think daring, rather than experimental. When choosing what to submit, keep in mind the golden rule: better sorry than safe. All submissions published will enter the Muse/UMPA Creative Writing Prize. Click here for further details.
That’s all for 2008… Happy holiday season! Stay tuned for the return of Express Media’s members’ newsletter in the New Year, with the publication of our January issue. In the mean time, keep up to date by visiting the Express Media Website
1. WORD FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As 2008 rolls over, Express Media is trying to focus on the flipside – 2009 and then some. We would like to thank you for your support throughout the year and wish you the best during the holiday season and beyond.
This is the final newsletter for 2008 but we promise to keep rolling them out next year. Our thanks goes to electronic publications intern Tess Jaeger for writing and collating them each month. Her tireless scouring of internet sites, newsletters, media releases and random people has been wonderful.
Finally, all of us at Express Media would like to express our deepest sadness at the death of Dorothy Porter. Dorothy had been a past Express Media mentor (of current General Manager Emily Andersen), a Voiceworks guest, and a keen supporter of the organisation. Our deepest sympathies go to her loved ones and readers.
Take care,
Bel Schenk
Artistic Director
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2. COMING UP AT EXPRESS MEDIA
VOICEWORKS #76 – BUDGET
Voiceworks is seeking submissions for issue #76, BUDGET. The deadline is 11 January.
Email editor@expressmedia.org.au with any questions, pitches or brilliant ideas.
And check out the Regular non-fiction opportunities section on the Express Media Website for developments on how to contribute non-fiction to Voiceworks.
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3. FEATURE
Origins: 2008 John Marsden Prizewinners Owen Kirkby and Bryce Wolfgang Joiner reflect on the births of their respective creative entries
The announcement of this year’s John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers winners went down splendidly at Express Media’s long-awaited showcase, held earlier this month in Melbourne’s City Library. As with every year, the 2008 award ceremony offered the opportunity to reflect, not only upon what makes a great piece of writing, but also the personal and artistic origins of an author’s work. Express Media’s essential purpose is to recognise and encourage younger and emerging writers and text-based artists to keep creating and expressing themselves. The John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers is a most ambitious, and generous award. Each year voluminous entries are whittled down to short-lists containing just a fraction of its entrants. These lucky few are recognised as Prizewinners and Runners up. These lucky few are recognised as Prizewinners and Runners up.
But the spirit of competition can sometimes, inadvertently, overshadow other important aspects of creative writing as a process. Great writing does not originate with recognition. It is born with a writer’s confidence to romantically pick up a pen, or, realistically, sit down in front of a computer screen. It exists through the willingness of an individual to re-conceptualise what comes from experience, into imagination. Read more here.
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4. NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES – ALL STATES
HILL OF CONTENT BOOKSHOP 2008 HAL PORTER SHORT STORY COMPETITION
The Hill of Content Bookshop 2008 Hal Porter Short Story Competition is open for short stories, any style, up to 2,500 words. Prize is $1000. Entry fee is $5.50. Cheques made out to East Gippsland Art Gallery. No entry form required. Mail entries to Hal Porter Short Story Competition, East Gippsland Art Gallery, 2 Nicholson St, Bairnsdale, VIC, 3875. Email further enquiries to pedrom53@bigpond.net.au Submissions close 19 December.
THE LIFTED BROW
The Lifted Brow is seeking submissions for its fifth issue until 1 January 2009. The Lifted Brow is an independent journal. As well as ‘straight’ fiction, essays, interviews, poetry, art portfolios and comics, they are looking for scrappy, innovative stuff. For this issue they have a special interest in publishing a film script, a critical-type film essay, or a play script. Submissions will be read and responded to by 1 February. Send your submissions to editors@theliftedbrow.com
GOING DOWN SWINGING
Going Down Swinging is a Melbourne-based international literary journal publishing poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, flash, comic art, graphic art and a spoken word CD, twice a year. They are now calling for submissions for their 28th issue, due for release May 2009: new, unpublished poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, comic and graphic art and spoken word recordings. All GDS contributors are paid for inclusion in the magazine. Submissions close 1 January 2009. Click here to visit the Going Down Swinging website for further information.
MEDLEY MAG
Medley Mag is a new online magazine sharing the diverse cultural experiences of Australia's youth. It is a youth-driven celebration of cultural diversity, which bridges cultural, socio-economic and geographic boundaries to community involvement. Contributions for publication are required from young people, aged 12 to 25 years. Submit virtually anything related to the issues of culture, diversity, migration and human rights: artwork, poetry, short stories, reviews, essays, feature articles, etc. This is a unique opportunity for young people to produce a publication that showcases their talents, opinions, concerns, challenges and successes. For further information or contact the editor, Georgina, at info@medleymag.com.au. Click here to visit the Medley Mag website.
POTTER’S FIELD
Potter’s Field 3 is a print anthology of tales from the graveyard. Submissions of stories between 2000 to 8000 words that will scare readers, but not stories that will make them gag. Deadline is 31 December 2008. Click here to visit the website for further information and submission guidelines.
FILM BLOG
‘Culture Unplugged’ is a new online venue with weekly blog catering to film-makers, film-lovers and conscious creatives/citizens. Its organisers are now looking for writers who wish to blog and engage with a global audience. Compensation will be based on expertise, experience and efforts required. Click here to visit the ‘Culture Unplugged’ website for further details. Email your profile, interest and samples to apply@cultureunplugged.com
STOP DROP AND ROLL
Stop drop and roll is a new quarterly magazine based in Melbourne. The magazine is now open to submissions from established and emerging writers from Australia and around the globe. Email the editor sean@stopdropandroll.com.au or click here to visit the website for more information.
ARTS ANGELS SHORT STORIES 2009
Arts Angels in Canada is looking for stories and poems to be included in a book of fictional stories and poetry. The deadline is 31 December 2008. Each published author accepted will receive two free copies of the book on publication, plus successful writers will be able to buy the book at a reduced cost. For more information contact artsangels@shaw.ca, addressing attention to Margaret Hinchliffe in the subject line.
OZWORDS
Subscription to Ozwords, the newsletter of The Australian National Dictionary Centre is free. The write-up includes word competitions and articles on word history. Readers wishing to subscribe should send their snail mail address to Ozwords Subscription Manager, GPO Box 2784, Melbourne, VIC 3001.
INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION
The International Poetry Competition is open to young people under 30 years of age. There is no entry fee. Send only one unpublished poem, which has never been awarded a prize (maximum 50 lines). The general theme is ‘Roads’. Three winners will be awarded a prize of $500 each and publication. Special prizes for the best poems of people under 16! Submissions close 9 January. Click here for further information and submission guidelines.
LAURA LITERARY AWARDS
The Flinders News Prose Awards are now open for submissions. There are three sections under which applicants may enter: 1. Open: short story, max 1500 words, prize $200, 2. Young adult (13-18): max 1000 words, prize $50 and 3. Junior (under 13): max 500 words, prize $25. The C.J. Dennis Poetry Awards for poems up to 60 lines. Open prize: $200. Young adult (13-18) prize: $50. Junior (under 13) prize: $25. The fee for open sections is $10 per entry. All student entries are free! Submissions close 20 February. Click here for further guidelines and entry forms.
ALAN MARSHALL SHORT STORY AWARD 2009
Nillumbik Shire Council invites writers from across Australia to enter this annual short story competition held in memory of the great writer and former resident of Eltham, Alan Marshall. The competition is to be judged by Sophie Cunningham, editor of Meanjin. $2000 Open Section First Prize; $1000 Open Section Second Prize for stories up to 2,500 words; $1000 Local Writers’ Section Prize for stories up to 2,500 words by writers who live, work or study in the Shire of Nillumbik; $400 Young Writers’ Section Prize for stories up to 1,000 words for writers aged between 15 and 19 years. Click here to visit the Nillumbik Shire Council for further details and to download entry forms. Email artsinfo@nillumbik.vic.gov.au, or telephone (03) 9433 3359 for further information. The Alan Marshall Short Story Award is presented by Nillumbik Shire Council in partnership with the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service. Entries close at 4pm Friday 20 February.
COTTONMOUTH
Cottonmouth is a Perth-based performance and publishing venture that held its first event in February 2008. Held monthly, the Cottonmouth performance project showcases spoken-word artists, poets, sound artists, playwrights, new media practitioners and other emerging and established performers in the field of narrative art. The venture also publishes a monthly zine, which is open for submissions from local, interstate and international writers. Click here for submission guidelines, event information and the word on Perth’s cultural beat.
CROSSOVER AUSTRALIA 2009
Calling all writers, theatre directors, filmmakers, digital media artists, web developers, composers, and choreographers! Applications are now open for Crossover Australia 2009. Crossover Australia is a residential laboratory where the primary goal is the development of conceptual prototypes for groundbreaking interactive project. This year Crossover Australia is stressing that ‘our definition of cross platform is not solely in the digital area and we are looking for ways to expand notions into crossovers into live performance, visual arts and writing’. Participation is free but places are limited so get in quick. Click here for more information.
If you want to spread the word on news, events or opportunities for writers in new media, mail Crossover Australia at
storyofthefuture@australiacouncil.gov.au.
WET INK
Wet Ink is currently seeking submissions! Wet Ink is a quarterly magazine that focuses on publishing fiction, poetry and non-fiction by new and emerging writers. It is distributed throughout Australia and in more than 40 countries. As well as poetry, non-fiction and literary-style fiction, Wet Ink is interested in high-quality work in all genres (e.g., crime, sci-fi, romance, horror, thriller, speculative etc) and those with light-hearted themes. There are no word count restrictions – extremely short pieces are welcomed and long work will be considered. All published work receives payment. Click here for further details and to view submission guidelines.
RIGHT NOW
Right Now is a student driven publication that stimulates inclusive discussion about domestic human rights law development and implementation in Australia. Right Now takes a unique and dynamic approach to presenting contemporary legal issues in an informal, non-academic way. Right Now publishes visual art that responds to human rights, and it’s now open for submissions. Please click here to check over past editions before submitting.
Right Now prefer articles to be between 600 and 800 words, but if this is too limiting, they can consider publishing an article of up to 1000 words as a feature. Right Now appeals to a wide audience so articles should be non-academic in tone. Right Now does not publish footnotes. Click here to submit articles via email in Word document format.
If you have any questions about the submission process, or are wondering what kind of topics the Right Now Ed team are interested in, please don’t hesitate to contact them at info@rightnow.org.au.
SKETCH
Sketch is a literary art and design journal currently seeking unsolicited submissions in the form of cartoons, digital art, fiction, graphic design, interviews, journalism, literary reviews, non-fiction, paintings, photography, poetry, sculpture and sketches. Click here for submission guidelines and further information.
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5. NT NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
NT LIBRARY INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
‘Re-building Afghanistan’ will run from 11 December to 16 January in partnership with the Canadian High Commission, Ausaid, Aust Dept Defence and DFAT. This exhibition of beautifully coloured photographs, depicting scenes from Afghanistan, aims to raise awareness and understanding of the work that the UN-sanctioned international taskforce, including Canadians and Australians, is undertaking in an effort to rebuild Afghanistan - one of the most fragile nations in the world. Click here to view a promotional flyer for the exhibition. Click here to view other upcoming special events at the Northern Territory Library.
CORRUGATED IRON YOUTH ARTS
If you are 18 and over, check out the 18>26 Theatre Ensemble, which includes ‘The Smelter’ - a fortnightly meet-up where participants discuss theatre, make theatre and take over the world! The program involves taking self-devised shows to festivals around Australia and includes guest talks from experts in the field, focusing on different aspects and styles of theatre, and hands-on tuition. Click here to find out more about the 18>26 Theatre Ensemble and ‘The Smelter’… Click here to check out other upcoming CIYA events and opportunities.
NT WRITERS’ CENTRE
The Northern Territory Writers’ Centre offers a range of opportunities for NT-based writers. Keep up to date by visiting their website. Click here to take a look at what’s on offer.
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6. SA NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
SAWC PROMOTED EVENTS
MUTANT STEPCHILDREN
If you write fantasy, horror, magic realism, science fiction, speculative fiction or any of the many forms of fantastic fiction usually lumped together under ‘speculative fiction’, then you might want to join the new speculative fiction writers’ group the Mutant Stepchildren. Contact Jeff Harris by phone 8258 9162 or email jlharris@senet.com.au
NORTH EASTERN WRITERS CHRISTMAS PARTY
North Eastern Writers are having a Christmas Party with special guests Jude Aquilina and Louise Nicholas followed by a poetry slam. It will be held on Thursday 18 December from 7pm at the Tea Tree Gully RSL Hall. The cost of entry is $5. Drinks and nibbles provided. RSVP and enquiries should be sent to margaret@northeasternwriters.com
TUXEDO CAT READINGS
A midsummer’s dream heatwave reading! Open mic. To be held at The Tuxedo Cat, 17-19 Synagogue Place, on Friday 16 January, from 7pm til late. Contact Jules on 0466 672 877 with any further enquiries.
RADIO ADELAIDE POETRY
Radio Adelaide’s ‘For a Peace of the Action’ program is seeking poems with a theme of peace or social justice — humour is welcome. Contact Clayton at clayton.werner@gmail.com to express your interest!
SAWC OPPORTUNITIES FOR WRITERS WITH A DISABILITY
The SA Writers’ Centre was recently awarded funding through the ArtsSA Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust for a writer-in-residence to work with people who have a disability. SAWC pleased to announce that this position has been taken up by Malcolm Walker, author of The Stone Crown (Walker Books, 2008). The writer-in-residence position aims to encourage members with a disability to come in to the Centre to discuss their work on a one-to-one basis with Malcolm, or, if they’re unable to access the city, to telephone or email. For full details of meeting and submission guidelines contact the SAWC via telephone on (08) 8223 7662 or email sawriters@sawc.org.au Click here to visit Malcolm’s website.
ADELAIDE PLAINS POETS INC POETRY COMPETITION
The theme for the next Adelaide Plains Poets Inc Poetry Competition is ‘Tracks and Trails’. With a prize pool of over $500 and categories for adults, secondary school and primary school students, you won’t want to miss it! For information, contact Carolyn Cordon on (08) 85272 412 or 0418 806 490. Email holkschter@bigpond.com or write to 30 Germantown Road, Redbanks, SA, 5502. Submissions close 15 January.
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7. WA NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
NUMBAT 2009
The 2009 edition of poetry journal, Numbat, is gearing up for submissions. Poets are asked to submit works that they feel best showcase their unique poetry. Please submit (3/4) of your chosen poems in MS-Word Format, or Text, or as a file attachment. Additionally, please provide a picture, and an up to date biography with your poetry submission. Email you work to editor, David Barnes at db@aceonline.com.au Phone (08) 9361 6058, or email David at the address listed above for further information. Click here to take a look at the Numbat website.
TOM COLLINS POETRY PRIZE
The FAWWA Tom Collins Poetry Prize is an annual competition. Maximum 60 lines per poem. Prizes include: First: $1000; Second: $400; and four Highly Commended places: $150. Entry Fee is $5 per poem. Contact phone (08) 9384 4771 or email admin@fawwa.org.au Entries close 31 December. Click here to view the FAWWA website for further details.
POETS CORNER AT PAGES CAFE
Poets Union runs a get together at Perth Cultural Centre from 2 to 4:30pm on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Each sitting there is a bevy of invited readers plus spontaneous open mic outbursts. It’s hosted by Frances Macaulay Forde, and entry is free! Contact Frances at admin@poetscornerwa.com for further information.
FAWWA
The Fellowship of Australian Writers, Western Australia, run various regular workshops and special events. Click here to peruse their website and check out what’s on offer this month.
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8. TAS NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
MUDLARK WRITERS’ GROUP
Mudlark Theatre inc. are proud to be offering a new writers’ group. Mudlark encourages new writers wishing to develop skills, emerging writers who want to expand their skills and also the experienced writers to take advantage of this new enterprise. There are great benefits to be gained by being a part of a writers’ group, especially one linked to a theatre company; the most obvious is the opportunity to share ideas, problems and success’s with other writers and theatre practitioners. The opportunity to hear your work read by actors. To be exposed to visiting artists and dramaturges…and ultimately to see your script performed. Mudlark Theatre inc. extends a warm invitation to anyone wishing to write for the stage. For more information contact Stephanie Briarwood on stephanie@mudlarktheatre.com.au or P.O. Box 2120 Launceston, TAS 7250.
STOCK
Launched in December 2007 by Contemporary Art Services Tasmania, Stock was created to provide a forum for local artists, designers, writers, curators and others wanting to voice their ideas, opinions and questions about their field. It also aims to encourage quality arts writing and to support critical dialogue amongst the Tasmanian literary community. Stock welcomes new ideas for articles and may be the perfect site to launch a project or to try something experimental. Or you can contribute to one of the online discussion topics. Click here to visit the Stock website for more information.
THE TASMANIAN TIMES SEEKS POETRY
Tasmanian poets or those with a Tasmanian connection may send up to 5 poems not previously in print or electronic media and not under consideration elsewhere to peter.macrow@gmail.com There is no closing date for TTT, so you’ve got plenty of time to let the creative sparks kindle…
And… click here to see the Tasmanian Writers’ Centre website for more local opportunities.
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9. QLD NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
LOVERS OF GOOD WRITING COMPETITION
Organised through the Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW) Queensland, this competition caters for poets and short story writers in alternate years. Check with the organiser for current year’s details. First prize $250, second prize $100, two Highly Commended prizes $50. Winners announced in 'Scope', April edition. All entries must be accompanied by an entry form, stamped and self-addressed envelope, and a $5 entry fee. Postal Address PO BOX 6338, UPPER MOUNT GRAVATT QLD 4122 Contact the FAW (QLD) Convenor at nancycoxmillner@optusnet.com.au for further details. Submissions close 31 January 2009.
THE JOSEPHINE ULRICK LITERATURE AND POETRY PRIZES 2009
Griffith University’s School of Arts on the Gold Coast administers the prizes on behalf of the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Foundation for the Arts. $40,000 in prize money in 2009! $10,000 First Prize, $5,000 Second Prize, 2 x $2,500 Commended for a 1000 - 3000 word short story and $10,000 First Prize, $5,000 Second Prize, 2 x $2,500 Commended for an up to 200 line poem or suite of poems. Entries close 30 January 2009. Click here for further guidelines and entry forms. All enquiries can be directed to Clare Keys (07) 5552 8093 email: c.keys@griffith.edu.au
QUEENSLAND WRITERS’ CENTRE
The Queensland Writers’ Centre advertises various workshop, event, and competition opportunities for Queensland-based writers. Click here to view their website.
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10. ACT NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
ACT WRITERS’ CENTRE
Click here to view the ACT Writers’ Centre website for information on a range of upcoming writers’ groups, workshops and other literary opportunities. Be sure to check out their January school holiday program, offering various workshops for younger and emerging writers.
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11. NSW NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
VIBEWIRE INC ANNOUNCES A GLOBAL YOUTH FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP FOR YOUNG FUTURE CHANGE-MAKERS
Vibewire is looking for young social entrepreneurs who are passionate about a social or environmental issue and want to increase awareness by reaching out to wider audiences and contributing to social change.
Thanks to the generous support of Global Youth Futures, Vibewire is offering two scholarships to an individual, group or organisation with an innovative approach to addressing, highlighting and advocating around issues in their community, drawing people in rather switching them off.
Global Youth Future's vision is to connect and collaborate to co-create new futures – the kind of futures we want to live in. Its mission is to support and provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs to share and develop their skills, to understand the future in its complexity and to explore innovative and sustainable solutions to social and environmental issues.
The scholarship aims to support a young individual or team over the course of at least 3 months by providing them with residency at Vibewire's Hub (sQuareOne) in Sydney/Ultimo. Recipients get mentorship and will have the opportunity to further develop their skills and expertise as well as to build new networks and partnerships through Global Youth Futures and Vibewire.
Scholarship recipients will be required to report back to Global Youth Futures on an ongoing basis or as required, take part in a review process after 3 months and prepare a final evaluation report of their project. They will also be expected to attend a ‘Futures Dreaming’ weekend planning workshops and assist with one of Global Youth Future's events in 2009.
To apply please fill in application form attached addressing the selection criteria and outlining your project plan, motivation, resources etc. Applications are viewed and selected on a rolling basis.
For further info please contact Annie at info@vibewire.net or call (02) 9660 6591. Click here to visit the Vibewire website.
ANNOUNCING THE 2010 NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL THEME!
Jeff Khan, Artistic Director, is delighted to announce the theme for the 2010 Next Wave Festival: ‘No Risk Too Great’
The 2010 Next Wave Festival will explore the role of risk in a risk-averse culture. Under pressure to conform, we have all become experts in micro-managing our own behaviour. But is this self-surveillance distracting us from the bigger risks, the more un-manageable ones which are increasingly – and radically – changing our world? Just what does “risk” actually mean in these volatile times? In a wider culture of risk management, how prepared are we to make decisions that are brave, courageous or transgressive? Where is the line between our own personal, moral and ethical worlds, and the codes and principles which circulate in the broader context of contemporary culture? What is our capacity to draw, hold or cross this line? What are the real risks of our time, what are the risks worth taking, and what is our role as individuals, and as artists, in relation to them? How can we act boldly and imaginatively, in art and in life?
That also means that the call for Kickstart applications is now open. Kickstart is Next Wave’s non-Festival year development program, providing amazing opportunities for artists to realise their most ambitious ideas, all in anticipation of the 2010 Next Wave Festival. Next Wave provide cash, a workshop program and comprehensive mentoring and support. If this sounds like it could be for you, click here to download an application pack from the Next Wave website.
QUEEN C
Sauna Productions inc. studios in association with B Sharp present Queen C, written by Laura Ruohonen and translated by David Hackston. A dazzling and poetic work by one of Finland's leading playwrights, Queen C is the story of the enigmatic 17th century Swedish monarch. Queen C is an adult fairytale where everything is both possible and permissible. A sensual, raucous, human portrayal of an uncompromising woman, that poses provocative questions about sexuality and the nature of identity. Ticket cost is $29. Performances will run from 27 November to 21 December, on Wednesday to Saturday: 8:15pm, Tues 7pm, Sun 5:15pm. Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. For bookings, call (02) 9699 3444 or click here to visit the Belvoir Theatre website.
NIDA SUMMER PROGRAM
NIDA’s Summer Program offers short courses in dramatic writing for adults and young people. Work with industry professionals at NIDA as part of our famous summer program to develop or refresh your professional skills.
Scriptwriting for Film TV (for ages 16 years and older) will run from 12 to 16 January. The cost is $525. Focus on telling a story on screen. Practice your skills in scriptwriting to unfold drama on screen through dramatic structure, dialogue and character. Take into consideration industry requirements for formats and styles from feature films to television comedies or series.
Develop a Film Treatment (for ages 16 years and older) will run from 19 to 23 January. The cost is $525. Under the guidance of an industry expert, turn your idea for a film into a professional standard treatment. Consider industry formats and develop ways of effectively depicting characters, their stories, and other relevant information.
Writing for young people: Dramatic Writing (for ages 12 to 15 years) will run from 5 to 6 January. The cost is $195. Dramatic story-telling starts with the writer. From a central event create tension, characters, dialogue and plot. Stretch your imagination by creating short and original scripts.
Further information is available on (02) 9697 7626 or via email open@nida.edu.au A full Bookings can be made online by clicking here.
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12. VIC NEWS, EVENTS, OPPORTUNITIES
BOOK ABYSS WRITING COMPETITION
The Book Abyss Writing Competition is open topic. Applicants may submit entries up to 1,000 words. Relevant genres include: Auto/Biography, Children/Young Adult, Crime, General Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction, History, Education/Reference, Indigenous and Travel. Include a cover letter with your name, address, word count, title and email address, along with your entry. First prize is $200, second prize is $90, and third prize is $50. An entry Fee of $10 applies. Submissions close 1 February. Contact Wayne Proudfoot on (03) 54485059, or email service@thebookabyss.com.au
The Book Abyss postal address is PO BOX 6046, WHITE HILLS VIC 3550. Click here to view the Book Abyss website for further details.
MUSE 4: BETTER SORRY THAN SAFE
The University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association is seeking creative contributions in all literary genres from all writers, Australian and international, graduate student or not. They especially want work that teeters on the brink of going too far. Think daring, rather than experimental. When choosing what to submit, keep in mind the golden rule: better sorry than safe. All submissions published will enter the Muse/UMPA Creative Writing Prize. Click here for further details.
That’s all for 2008… Happy holiday season! Stay tuned for the return of Express Media’s members’ newsletter in the New Year, with the publication of our January issue. In the mean time, keep up to date by visiting the Express Media Website
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Broken Pencil news
Broken Pencil Newsletter - December 2008
Hello Everyone! A belated welcome to winter and our newest issue. Broken Pencil's latest issue -- #41, The Humour Issue -- is out now! Featured in this issue: Katie Crown and the new generation of comic wunderkinds get profiled. Erin Kobayashi interviews Blert author Jordan Scott. Plus we have an exclusive excerpt from Lovers Spit Zine, a stealth tell-all about Canada's indie darlings Broken Social Scene. If you're not already one of our loyal and beloved subscribers, order your copy now at: http://www.brokenpencil.com/store/
We're currently hard at work on issue #42, which will be available in January. We plan to ring in 2009 with an in depth look at tabloid newspapers and their zine origins, a profile of Conundrum Press, an examination of whether the creation of good art is directly related to the amount of funding available, and another 60 pages of excerpts, reviews, fiction, comics and much more.
Death Match:
North America's Most Dangerous Short Story Contest
The second annual Indie Writers Deathmatch is underway. Only one writer will be left standing! We are now accepting entries for the contest. Enter a short story and you could win cash prizes, publication in Broken Pencil, and literary bragging rights baby! The deadline for entry is end of December. Enter North America's boldest literary challenge right now at: http://www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch/
New Fiction Online
Band Names by Tor Lukasik Foss appears in BP 41, on stands now, and has just been added to the website. This story is freakin' funny. Read it now here.
Heartbreak for Dummies by Ashley Little is part of our new ongoing online only short story series. Check it out here.
December Zine of the Month
Rocket Robin Hood
David Pietila 440 Mary St. N., Hamilton, ON L8L 4W9, $6
History, art and more from the classic Canadian cartoon. Thoughtful, well written and researched, this zine delivers memory-jarring flashbacks of the profoundly strange, even surreal, cartoon that marked both a nadir and a low point for Canadian toons. Read the full review here.
Indie Artist in Residence
Our newest Indie Artist in Residence is Montreal poet and sports enthusiast David McGimpsey, author of (most recently) Sitcom (Coach House Books) Check out what he has to say: http://www.brokenpencil.com/indieartist/
Indie Market Place
Are you a zine maker? A record label? A basement creator of wacky and wonderful things? Then the Broken Pencil Indie Marketplace was made for you. Hawk your wares! Promote your zine, blog, or book! Make yourself known and reach BP readers for super cheap! Latest advertisers include No Media Kings - website hosting for as low as $6.50 a month, and Get Bent Records, an independent music label focusing on the grassroots development of musicians that share a do-it-yourself attitude, ethical philosophy, and penchant for great sound. Check out these and all our great indie marketplace advertisers here: http://www.brokenpencil.com/indiemarketplace/
Contact Tara at ads@brokenpencil.com for rates and availability.
Canzine 2008
The annual festival of zines and independent arts fair took place October 2008 in Toronto and was a great success. It was an incredible day! Roughly 170 vendors showed up to sell their wares, and around 1000 people came to browse. The comedy show and readings were hilarious, and Faisal Qamar won the 1-2 Punch Authors Pitch Contest (authors get 2 minutes to pitch, and judges get a minute each to respond) with his pitch about immigrating to Canada and learning to survive on $10 an hour. Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers and to everyone who came to check out the event. See you next year! (The picture is from Open Book Toronto - click on the link to read their review and to see more pictures.)
Photos and related press:
http://www.openbooktoronto.com/articles/canzine_2008
http://torontoist.com/2008/10/funniest_canzine_ever.php
http://poetency.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-speech-breaks-out-at-canzine.html
http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=924253
Call for Submissions
We're looking for new contributors for the magazine. Send your ideas for articles on the subject of independent cultural production to us, or volunteer to review books, zines, comics, and more. Our editor Lindsay Gibb, editor@brokenpencil.com, is standing by. Also, if you have a zine, CD, video, book or ezine you would like reviewed please send them our way. Complete info about submitting your ideas or becoming a bp reviewer here: http://www.brokenpencil.com/about/submit.php
Upcoming Workshops and Events
Hey, there's something new on the BP blog almost everyday! Events, zine gatherings, general weirdness and more: http://www.brokenpencil.com
Contacting Us
Founded in 1995 and based in Toronto, Canada, Broken Pencil is a website and a print magazine published three times a year. It is one of the few magazines in the world devoted exclusively to underground culture and the independent arts. We are a great resource and a lively read! A cross between the Utne Reader, an underground Reader's Digest, and the now defunct Factsheet5, Broken Pencil reviews the best zines, books, websites, videos, and artworks from the underground and reprints the best articles from the alternative press. Also, ground breaking interviews, original fiction, and commentary on all aspects of the independent arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention.
Hey, want to say something about our magazine, let us know about an upcoming event, send in a zine or website or CD for review or maybe do a piece for the mag? Don't be shy! We want to hear from you. Send us an email at editor@brokenpencil.com, or a letter at PO Box 203, Station P, Toronto, On, M5S 2S7 Canada, or call us at 416-204-1700.
Hello Everyone! A belated welcome to winter and our newest issue. Broken Pencil's latest issue -- #41, The Humour Issue -- is out now! Featured in this issue: Katie Crown and the new generation of comic wunderkinds get profiled. Erin Kobayashi interviews Blert author Jordan Scott. Plus we have an exclusive excerpt from Lovers Spit Zine, a stealth tell-all about Canada's indie darlings Broken Social Scene. If you're not already one of our loyal and beloved subscribers, order your copy now at: http://www.brokenpencil.com/store/
We're currently hard at work on issue #42, which will be available in January. We plan to ring in 2009 with an in depth look at tabloid newspapers and their zine origins, a profile of Conundrum Press, an examination of whether the creation of good art is directly related to the amount of funding available, and another 60 pages of excerpts, reviews, fiction, comics and much more.
Death Match:
North America's Most Dangerous Short Story Contest
The second annual Indie Writers Deathmatch is underway. Only one writer will be left standing! We are now accepting entries for the contest. Enter a short story and you could win cash prizes, publication in Broken Pencil, and literary bragging rights baby! The deadline for entry is end of December. Enter North America's boldest literary challenge right now at: http://www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch/
New Fiction Online
Band Names by Tor Lukasik Foss appears in BP 41, on stands now, and has just been added to the website. This story is freakin' funny. Read it now here.
Heartbreak for Dummies by Ashley Little is part of our new ongoing online only short story series. Check it out here.
December Zine of the Month
Rocket Robin Hood
David Pietila 440 Mary St. N., Hamilton, ON L8L 4W9, $6
History, art and more from the classic Canadian cartoon. Thoughtful, well written and researched, this zine delivers memory-jarring flashbacks of the profoundly strange, even surreal, cartoon that marked both a nadir and a low point for Canadian toons. Read the full review here.
Indie Artist in Residence
Our newest Indie Artist in Residence is Montreal poet and sports enthusiast David McGimpsey, author of (most recently) Sitcom (Coach House Books) Check out what he has to say: http://www.brokenpencil.com/indieartist/
Indie Market Place
Are you a zine maker? A record label? A basement creator of wacky and wonderful things? Then the Broken Pencil Indie Marketplace was made for you. Hawk your wares! Promote your zine, blog, or book! Make yourself known and reach BP readers for super cheap! Latest advertisers include No Media Kings - website hosting for as low as $6.50 a month, and Get Bent Records, an independent music label focusing on the grassroots development of musicians that share a do-it-yourself attitude, ethical philosophy, and penchant for great sound. Check out these and all our great indie marketplace advertisers here: http://www.brokenpencil.com/indiemarketplace/
Contact Tara at ads@brokenpencil.com for rates and availability.
Canzine 2008
The annual festival of zines and independent arts fair took place October 2008 in Toronto and was a great success. It was an incredible day! Roughly 170 vendors showed up to sell their wares, and around 1000 people came to browse. The comedy show and readings were hilarious, and Faisal Qamar won the 1-2 Punch Authors Pitch Contest (authors get 2 minutes to pitch, and judges get a minute each to respond) with his pitch about immigrating to Canada and learning to survive on $10 an hour. Thank you to our sponsors, volunteers and to everyone who came to check out the event. See you next year! (The picture is from Open Book Toronto - click on the link to read their review and to see more pictures.)
Photos and related press:
http://www.openbooktoronto.com/articles/canzine_2008
http://torontoist.com/2008/10/funniest_canzine_ever.php
http://poetency.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-speech-breaks-out-at-canzine.html
http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=924253
Call for Submissions
We're looking for new contributors for the magazine. Send your ideas for articles on the subject of independent cultural production to us, or volunteer to review books, zines, comics, and more. Our editor Lindsay Gibb, editor@brokenpencil.com, is standing by. Also, if you have a zine, CD, video, book or ezine you would like reviewed please send them our way. Complete info about submitting your ideas or becoming a bp reviewer here: http://www.brokenpencil.com/about/submit.php
Upcoming Workshops and Events
Hey, there's something new on the BP blog almost everyday! Events, zine gatherings, general weirdness and more: http://www.brokenpencil.com
Contacting Us
Founded in 1995 and based in Toronto, Canada, Broken Pencil is a website and a print magazine published three times a year. It is one of the few magazines in the world devoted exclusively to underground culture and the independent arts. We are a great resource and a lively read! A cross between the Utne Reader, an underground Reader's Digest, and the now defunct Factsheet5, Broken Pencil reviews the best zines, books, websites, videos, and artworks from the underground and reprints the best articles from the alternative press. Also, ground breaking interviews, original fiction, and commentary on all aspects of the independent arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention.
Hey, want to say something about our magazine, let us know about an upcoming event, send in a zine or website or CD for review or maybe do a piece for the mag? Don't be shy! We want to hear from you. Send us an email at editor@brokenpencil.com, or a letter at PO Box 203, Station P, Toronto, On, M5S 2S7 Canada, or call us at 416-204-1700.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tape Projects newsletter
TAPE PROJECTS NEWSLETTER THUR 27-11-08
CHRISTMAS EDITION- LAST PLUG FOR THE YEAR
1.TAPR 06/07- MELBOURNE EXHIBIT OF NEW TAPE PROJECTS RECORDS AND BOOKS SAT 06-12/08
2.GIRLS BOYS MACHINES MEDIA ARTS GRAD SCREENING FRI 28-11-08, 7.30pm
3.AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPES OPENING @ KINGS ARI, FRI 28-11-08, 6pm
4.TEAM AUSTRALIA OPENING @ CARLTON HOTEL, THUR 4-12-08, 5pm
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1. TAPR 06/07 Flip Book – Locked Groove Project Launch
http://tapeprojects.org/files/images/TAPR0607.JPG
TAPR 06/07- MELBOURNE EXHIBIT OF NEW TAPE PROJECTS RECORDS AND BOOKS.
ONE NIGHT INSTALLATION/ PERFORMANCE BY MARK N, DYLAN MARTORELL, PAUL RODGERS, TAPRS + MORE. BOX SETS & OTHER PUBLICATIONS ON SALE.
EARLY! 6 – 8.30PM SAT 6TH DEC 2008
UPSTAIRS AT 1/81 BOUVERIE ST. CARLTON
FREE ENTRY
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. Girls Boys Machines 2008 – THIS FRIDAY 28-11-08, 7.30pm at The Capitol Theatre
http://tapeprojects.org/files/pdf/GBM_2008.pdf
The annual RMIT Media Arts graduate screening
Friday Nov 28th
7.30pm
CAPITOL THEATRE
113 Swanston Street Melbourne
FREE ENTRY
RMIT Media Arts is pleased to present our annual 2008 gradate screening. Situated within the School of Art, Media Arts embodies many different ways of exploring moving image culture through the lens of contemporary art practice and represents works from a range of activities and outcomes including: traditional and non-traditional animation; video art; narrative and live performance. Typically cross disciplinary in nature, students come to Media Arts from a variety of art practices and bring with them a rich combination of ideas and techniques, blurring the distinctions of art, popular culture, and the moving image.
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. Australian Landscapes – Eugenia Lim, THIS FRIDAY 28-11-08, KINGS ARI, 6pm
http://tapeprojects.org/files/images/Australian_Landscapes.JPG
Australian Landscapes explores the shifting social and geographic terrain of Greater Melbourne. Referencing Peter Weir’s 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', Australian Landscapes documents the shift in our sense of place and belonging from the bush to the suburbs. Self-portraits and video capture Eugenia as a blonde-wigged multicultural Miranda, a ghost of Australia past and present, lost not in the wilderness of Hanging Rock, but in the highways, pokie venues, living spaces and new developments that increasingly shape our landscape.
28 November Until 20 December 2008
Opening: Friday, November 28, 2008 at 6:00pm
Location: KINGS Artist Run Initiative
Street: 1/171 King Street
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Team Australia – THURSDAY 4-12-08, CARLTON HOTEL GALLERY, 5pm
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=46166400906
4 – 20 December 2008
Opening: Thursday, December 4, 2008
Time: 5:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Carlton Hotel Gallery
Street: 193-199 Burke Street
Jeremy Drape , Emily Ferretti, Veronica Kent, Annika Koops, Brendan Lee, Natalie Ryan,Kiron Robinson, Utako Shindo, Jackson Slattery, Salote Tawale, Glenn Walls
Curated by Veronica Tello
___________________________________________________________________________________
See yas in 2009!
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