We’ve heard your questions about The Article, and we’d love to share answers to our most commonly asked questions.
Where can I find it?
The Article is available for free at various locations across the Peace Region, like galleries, coffee shops, and theatres.
VIEW THE LIST OF LOCATIONS HERE
Can I have it mailed to me?
Following a great number of requests, we launched subscriptions for those who never want to miss an issue and prefer the convenience of The Article sent directly to their mailbox each month.
A great way to support The Article is to purchase an annual subscription for $80/year.
It’s a wonderful gift for friends and family, an entertaining addition to your waiting room or staff room, and convenient for those living outside our distribution areas.
Why did you decide to start a magazine?
We decided to launch The Article to highlight the talent in the arts and culture sector in the Peace region.
Our region is rich with visual artists, musicians, authors, poets, and cultural groups, and we wanted to share their stories with their neighbours, so we can help create a stronger community by learning more about the people who make up our community.
One thing we noticed was a huge disconnect between Alberta and B.C. The Peace Region is doing amazing things in its communities with extraordinary artists, and we want to create a bridge into that world to build a stronger arts and culture community in the Peace Region.
Before we printed the first magazine, we heard from many people that they would only hear about an event on social media after it happened. To address this, we started a free email newsletter featuring local exhibitions, performances, and concerts, and then a page in the print magazine listing these events as well.
We hope the magazine can be a go-to place for people to learn more about their neighbours and community, thereby creating a stronger and more connected community.
Why is the magazine available for free?
Short answer:
It’s important for the magazine to be accessible to people who may not be able to afford to purchase a copy or a subscription. Art is for everyone.
Long answer/Storytime:
In the early stages of developing The Article, Jesse and Melanie were working at a Christmas market in Grande Prairie to sell Melanie’s artwork and cards. On the final day of the market, a teenager who’d been working at a booth across the aisle gathered the courage to talk to Melanie.
“How can I become an artist? I want to be an artist, but everyone tells me I’ll starve if I do that,” they said.
The starving artist stereotype lives on.
The conversation we had that day with a bright and creative high schooler became one more reason we knew an arts and culture magazine was truly needed in the region. And it should be available without barriers.
In each issue, our readers learn about the artists working right here in their community. They’re able to read a variety of pathways to working in creative industries and, while it’s especially important for young people to read these stories, we’re always proud to share the work of artists, filmmakers, and writers with people of all ages.
How do I get my art in the magazine?
You can contact us at hello@thearticle.ca. We are always looking to talk to visual artists, musicians, poets, authors, actors, directors and more.
The Article’s editorial team will then decide which stories to pursue for each issue, or what art will be featured. If your art is chosen, you will be contacted by a member of The Article’s editorial team.
The Article’s stories are often decided months in advance to coincide with an issue’s theme. Still, we are always looking for artists to feature in future issues of the magazine. If you have news about an upcoming exhibition, performance, or concert, let us know so we can include it in our newsletter and calendar.
Are you looking for writers?
Short answer: Yes!
Long Answer: We are looking for authors and poets to feature in the magazine. We want The Article to represent a variety of art forms and hope to feature more Peace Region poets and authors in the magazine!
Journalist—We accept pitches from freelancers! The Article is focused on the Peace Region. We do give a preference to those living and working in the region with some editorial experience and knowledge of Canadian Press Style.
We are looking for pitches with a Peace Region connection. Feel free to contact Jesse at jesse@thearticle.ca with your pitch.
How does the magazine make money?
The magazine’s primary revenue is through the advertising you see within the pages, as well as subscriptions purchased by our readers.
The magazine’s free model for our readers is very important to us, so it certainly translates to “More advertisers = More stories.”
With less advertisers, we have to make the tough decisions to drop a story or have less pages in that issue. With more advertisers, we can include more local stories and images.
We continue to pursue advertising as the main way to financially support the magazine and pay our contributors.
Is the magazine eligible for grants?
Yes. We’re currently in conversations with a variety of funding organizations about potential grant opportunities, however, we’re learning they require publishing for one to two years before we’re eligible. If you know of available grants for new businesses or magazines, please let us know at hello@thearticle.ca.
Why should a business advertise in The Article?
It’s a great way to ensure your marketing efforts reach local residents directly. Print advertising is also a great way to reach an audience, of any age, who don’t use social media or are using it less.
We print 1,000 copies of the magazine each month and distribute them within the Peace region.
Additionally, when you purchase an ad in The Article, you have the option for us to design an ad for you. We take great care to speak the visual language of your business, and it’s created by a human! We do not use any generative AI prompts in creating The Article.
Have more questions? Feel free to reach out at hello@thearticle.ca
