Magazine Publishing in Vancouver, B.C.
How the Thriving Arts and Literary Industry Could be Affected
Jul 23, 2009
Canada's magazine industry is a thriving, but competitive industry in which every year dozens of magazines flounder only to have dozens more launched.’s area is certainly the hub for its magazine publishing industry, as it is dotted with arts and literary publishing studios, representing a large component of magazines in British Columbia.
Canada Council and the Arts
However, what many do not know is that within this closely knit group of magazines is a diversity of talent and topics. Although the majority of magazines are funded and sponsored by Canada Council of the Arts, Canada’s national agency created by the federal government in 1957 to “foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts.” With that said, the following is a selection of some of the more established magazines in Vancouver.
FRONT Magazine
A journal of contemporary art and ideas, featuring work by new, emerging, and established local and international writers and artists, FRONT publishes new work in writing, poetry and photography, as well as performance-related and interdisciplinary practices. Published five times a year, each issue is themed and has a shelf life of two months. With a circulation is 5,000 copies, with an estimated readership of 12,500, FRONT is distributed free across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Victoria, and Kamloops, and is available at news stands across Canada through distribution with the Canadian Magazine Publishers Association. Readers include a diverse mix of artists, writers, curators, art professionals, cultural critics, designers and academics.
Ricepaper Magazine
Published by the Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop, Ricepaper is a national literary arts magazine committed to providing voice and venue to a vibrant and evolving Asian Canadian identity and culture. A forum for inclusive, representative and progressive dialogue, Ricepaper showcases the quality work by artists, scholars, and cultural producers that reflects the diverse interests of Asian Canadians. By providing an alternative mainstream media for both readers and advertisers, Ricepaper strives to connect the local, national, and global community by challenging the parameters of how Asian Canadians are perceived and defined.
Vancouver Review
A quarterly of new writing and reviews published by the Vancouver Review Publication Society, an incorporated non-profit society with charitable status, Vancouver Review focuses on West Coast culture and the arts. Intelligent, lively, and opinionated, its articles often express what it means to live in today's British Columbia through sharp and witty commentaries, essays, creative non-fiction, poetry, reviews, and visual art.
Geist
Originally a German-Canadian arts and literary publication, Geist has evolved into a magazine of ideas and culture made in Canada with a strong literary focus and a sense of humour. An intellectual, inclusive and offbeat, each issue reflects a convergence of fiction, non-fiction, photography, comics, reviews, little-known facts of interest, poetry, cartography and the ubiquitous Geist crossword puzzle.
The Tyee
In November of 2003 The Tyee began its swim upstream against the media trends of the day. With a mandate dedicated to publishing lively, informative news and views, the Tyee is an independent alternative media outlet unaffiliated with any large corporations.
BC Business
By focusing exclusively on business in British Columbia, BCBusiness provides behind-the-scenes coverage, chronicling major deals and putting faces to the major players. Published for more than thirty years, BCBusiness is a leader in the magazine market, consistently earning kudos on the local and national stages. Its objective is to provide readers with relevant, comprehensive, and provocative commentary on the issues, trends, and people shaping business in British Columbia.
Vancouver
A magazine that informs, guides and entertains people who are engaged with the city of Vancouver, Vancouver combines quality journalism and service-driven pieces, it chronicles and reflects Vancouver's emergence as a dynamic international city.
The Canadian Immigrant
With content comprised of successful immigrant profiles, the Canadian Immigrant’s mission is to inform, educate and motivate every immigrant, whether they are planning to immigrate, are new to the country and are going through the settlement process or are longstanding members of Canada. The Canadian Immigrant helps immigrants settle in Canada by providing information, tools, resources and strategies for personal growth and success. We want to help immigrants to become successful contributors to both the Canadian economy and society.
Financial Threats by Stephen Harper's Canadian Conservative Federal Government
Although the magazine industry is flourishing in Canada, it has increasingly been under pressure by the Canadian Conservative federal government. Prime Minister Stephen Harper had recently sparked a culture war in the federal election campaign with a claim that "ordinary people" don't care about arts funding. As a result, it will be interesting to see whether Canadians will be seeing cuts in the federal-sponsored arts and publishing industry.
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