Jayden Barling wants to give artists a voice with his magazine. Photo: Supplied.
A new publication that gives a voice to Canberran musicians and artists is set to hit the streets on 14 September.
Graphic designer Jayden Barling will launch the inaugural edition of Red Ink at a party at Squeaky Clean Bar.
“I’ve always been a fan of music and art. I used to listen to my parents’ music when I was a kid,” he said.
“I love live music, and it’s getting under-appreciated and under-supported in Canberra … this ‘mag’ has been in the works for a while now, and I’m super keen to get it out into Canberra. The main goal is to highlight and celebrate the incredible talent around the city.
“I hope it grows into a platform where the arts communities connect and thrive together.”
Mr Barling feels the art scene in Canberra needs a boost.
“I don’t have [musical] artistic abilities, but I can give support when I can. The recent closure of sideways, a massive venue, means there’s not many venues left for live music in Canberra. Even Canberra bands won’t tour in Canberra,” he said.
Red Ink aims to highlight the talent within Canberra’s arts scene, providing insight into a range of artists’ minds. Each issue will offer artists a platform to talk about their views, hopes and dreams, as well as an excuse for a bit of self-promotion.
It’ll be a high-quality print, like a coffee table book, chronicling what’s happening at the time.
The recent decline in print media doesn’t deter the 25-year-old.
“I think there’s a bit of a return to older times, but I feel like we’re looping back. I’m thinking of doing digital stuff later. But there are a lot of magazines out there. There’ll be a place for us. I’m not too concerned,” he said.
Flyer for the launch of Red Ink. Photo: Supplied.
The format, frequency and size are somewhat different from old artist-focused magazines like Smash Hits and Rolling Stone.
The first edition will be 100 pages long, and Mr Barling plans to release a new edition every six months. It will be available for sale at the launch party for $45 and then cost $50 after that.
“I designed it myself and will get it published by a local printer in Mitchell. The first edition features a lot of different Canberra-based artists. There are five musicians or bands and three photographers and three visual artists. They found some questions difficult to answer, but they all have unique perspectives on things and give good insights into their perspectives and ambitions,” he said.
“I try to keep it diverse; none of the musicians are in the same genre, and I look at the whole Canberra scene … it’ll be available for sale at Squeaky Clean, and I’m hoping to get into local places like Church Public Service.”
The launch party at Squeaky Clean Bar will feature a DJ set by the duo showerciggie.
“Jackson from the set is also a visual artist who will feature in the magazine. It should be a fun launch,” Mr Barling said.
The Red Ink launch party will kick off at 6 pm at Squeaky Clean Bar on Saturday, 14 September. More information can be found on the club’s Instagram page.
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