Alberta Magazines

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Huge Night for Alberta at National Magazine Awards!

It was an exciting evening for Alberta magazines last Friday, when the magazine industry across Canada gathered to honour some of its best. Top prize went to Alberta Views, winning Magazine of the Year. Woohoo!

Alberta Views also won Gold in the Essays category with Chris Turner's piece "The Big Decision."

Best New Magazine Writer was Calgary's Kris Demeanor who wrote "Get a Real Job" for Unlimited magazine.

Calgary writer Chris Koentges was the most celebrated individual winner this year, winning an impressive 2 Gold and 2 Silver awards, including a sweep of Gold and Silver in the category One of a Kind, for “L.A. Torn Mad with Footsteps” in up! magazine and “Driving Mary Siegel” (Swerve). Koentges’s article “Helen Koentges” (Swerve) won Gold in Health & Medicine and Silver in Personal Journalism.

In the Homes and Gardens category, Martin Tessler took Silver for Western Living.

It was also fantastic to see AMPA consultant Cynthia Brouse honoured for her work. She received the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement. You go Cynthia! We are all rooting for you as you battle breast cancer.

See a full list of winners at the NMAs site.

Friday, June 5, 2009

filling Station Blow-out seeks volunteers July 2 - 4, 2009

Volunteers are needed for filling Stations 5th Annual Blow-out July 2nd to 4th, 2009.

Held at Pages books in Kensington and Arrata Opera Centre, this year's festival is bigger than ever, featuring seven events: three performance events, an Independent Press & Arts Fair, The Blow-out Art Show & Sale, and two Exploding Concerts.

If you would like to participate as a volunteer, or for more information about filling Station magazine or the incredible Blow-Out festival, please email Laurie via blowout.fs@gmail.com.

More links:
Calgary Blow-Out blog

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

MagsU re-cap

This is a big week in magazine publishing, with two major professional development extravaganzas occurring. Mags University took place June 1-2 and MagNet is occurring June 3-5.

AMPA's executive director Colleen Seto is in Toronto this week for both conferences to keep abreast of the latest industry ideas, practices, improvements, speakers; to network and build contacts; and to bring everything she's learned back to Alberta. Colleen has been so busy that "there has been zero downtime," for her to recap the week's events. Watch out for her updates next week.

For the time being, check out Masthead editor Marco Ursi's Mags U recaps part 1 and part 2.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Will Work for Free

Would you work for free to get a byline? If you're like many bloggers 'employed' by The Huffington Post, the answer would apparently be 'yes.'

Publisher Arianna Huffington built an empire worth about $200 million. She has just been awarded a lifetime achievement award from Syracuse University. The distinction is not without controversy, however, as Huffington is being lambasted for her unwillingness to pay content creators.

Read Simon Dumenco's rant on the irony of Huffington's award. It seems that he is not the only one unimpressed by the pro-bono labour model, one that preys on those who want the exposure. Gawker's compiled a handy pie chart on how HuffPo pays its interns. Believe it or not, some interns even pay HuffPo for the privilege of blogging.

From this blogger's perspective, it's a sad state of affairs that gets continually perpetuated because the demand is there. Working for free is volunteering--it should be called out as such. It's fine to have volunteer bloggers and writers, so long as a substantial part of your business model isn't reliant on said free labour.

Monday, June 1, 2009

June Flywheel: Upward and Onward

Come join the Flywheeler's at Pages Books on Kensington (1135 Kensington Road NW) Thursday, June 4th for some great performances by some of Calgary's finest!

Ross Priddle
Sarah Gibbs
Helen Hajnoczky
Charlotte Gill
and Eva Tihanyi launching her new book, Truth and Other Fictions

As some of you already know, Ryan Fitzpatrick has retired from curator of this fine reading series but come out to support the new hosts Stephanie Davis and Ian Sampson. It will be a great night of readings!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

2 Calls to Artists

Filling Station, Calgary's own unique arts and literary magazine has just announced 2 open calls to artists for their upcoming Independent Press & Arts Fair and their Blow-Out Art Show and Sale!

About the Independent Press & Arts Fair: The Independent Press & Arts Fair will take place from 10-4 on Saturday July 4 2009. The tables are just $20.00 or $10.00 with the donation of a prize to the Silent Auction. Accommodation to artists producing art 'objects' rather than solely visual work will be given priority. If interested in purchasing a table, please reply to Managing Editor of Filling Station Laurie Fuhr at meditor.fs@gmail.com or 403 999 2566. Space will fill up fast so act now!

About the Blow Out Art Show & Sale: The Filling Station Blow Out is a festival which celebrates established and upcoming local writers, and also includes performance artists, visual artists, independent music, and Calgary's only Independent Press & Arts Fair. Unlike other local festivals, Blow Out puts clear emphasis on our Calgary literary community and plays a key role in energizing its members. The event also serves as Filling Station Magazine's most crucial annual fundraiser.
Due to restrictions for hanging art in the Arrata Centre (a Heritage building), we challenge artists to find new and interesting means of displaying their art for this show. For visual artists, items can be affixed with wall-friendly materials like white Uhu tack, displayed using traditional free-standing options like easels or stand frames, or use can be made of unexpected solutions like laundry drying racks, planters, bicycles, etc. Interested artists, please send images along with an artist statement including contact information for artwork purchase inquiries and pricing for work to curator Janet Biagioni at janet@luciddesigns.ca. Artists may set up their work on Thursday, July 2 from 6-10 PM or on Friday, July 3 from 6-7 PM. Art will be on display July 3 and 4 during other events of the Blow Out including 2 reading and performance events, the Independent Press & Arts Fair and 2 concerts. A reception will take place from 12-4 on Saturday July 4 including music and refreshments.

These events take place in the heart of downtown Calgary in the beautiful Arrata Opera Centre (1315 7 Street SW, Calgary, AB), a converted cathedral. Just steps from 17th Ave SW, every event is full of passers-by, patrons who've heard of the events through media, postering and word of mouth!

About the Filling Station Magazine & The Blow Out: Filling Station Magazine is an innovative Calgary literary & arts magazine with national distribution. They are a non-profit society registered with the Government of Alberta. This year, Filling Station Magazine's 5th Annual Blow-Out will take place on July 2 at Pages (1135 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, AB) and July 3-4 at the Arrata Opera Centre.

For more information, check out http://calgaryblowout.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Amber Webb-Bowerman's Spirit Shines On

One year ago today, the Alberta magazine publishing industry lost an indefatigable bright light. Writer, journalist, mentor and friend to many, Amber Webb-Bowerman was killed in a murder-suicide where Joshua Lall also took the lives of his wife and two girls.

At a news conference Tuesday, the focus was on moving forward and continuing Amber's spirit. The Amber Webb-Bowerman Memorial Foundation announced that it will offer six annual scholarships per year to students in journalism and arts programs. The foundation has so far been supported through donations from across Canada.

Says Bowerman's widower and foundation president Chris Bowerman, "It's creating something positive out of something devastating and meaningless. It seemed impossible that we could not keep her spirit alive. She had too much spirit, too much life and energy and enjoyment of life for it to just go away."

"I think what we've done is we've transferred some of that energy into positive change," said Bowerman. "The inspiration was, and always will be, Amber. She was an extraordinary person and an exceptional journalist."