The Modern Magazine 2015
Our annual ModMag conference takes place on Thursday 29 October. Expect a celebration of creative editorial design as well as forward-looking advice and opinion on the future of our industry.
We’re excited to confirm the final additions to our line up for ModMag. Monocle editor Andrew Tuck, talking about the strategy behind their radio station; Mushpit editors Charlotte Roberts and Bertie Brands; and editor/co-founder of The Alpine Review, Louis-Jacques Derveau. These extend the line-up to cover most areas of contemporary magazine-making: mainstream, independent, zine, digital, audio, free and branded. It adds up to an unmissable day of forward-looking, innovative publishing.
Our speakers:
Scott Dadich, editor-in-chief, Wired US
Louis-Jacques Derveau, The Alpine Review
James Fairbank, head of brand, Rapha
Grashina Gabelmann, editor-in-chief, Flaneur
Charlotte Heal, design director, Kinfolk
Kati Krause, editor/writer katikrause.com
David Lane, editor-in-chief, The Gourmand
Sophie Lovell, editor-in-chief, Uncube
Ibrahim Nehme, editor, The Outpost
Matt Phare, creative director, Stylist, Shortlist
Charlotte Roberts and Bertie Brandes, Mushpit
Andrew Tuck, editor, Monocle
Tickets are now sold out.
We may receive some returns – please email info@magCulture.com if you want to be put on the wait list for these.
ModMag15 takes place at Central Saint Martins, Kings Cross, London, N1C 4AA from 9am until 530pm.
See examples of our speakers’ magazine work on the ModMag tumblr.
All speakers confirmed at time of posting but liable to change.
We are unable to refund tickets once bought.
Huge thanks to our partners for their support:
More about our speakers:
Liv Siddall
Liv is a London-based writer and copywriter who was previously editor and features editor at It’s Nice That and is now contributing to the likes of AnOther Magazine, St James's Correspondent, Freunde von Freunden and a selection of independent online and print publications. She is also the Assistant Editor of Riposte.
Liv will be introducing the speakers and generally keeping order.
Scott Dadich
Scott established himself as one of the leading contemporary voices in editorial design as creative director of the US edition of Wired between 2006 and 2010. He helped launch the magazine’s ground-breaking iPad app, going on to lead the development of Condé Nast’s app strategy. In 2012 he returned to Wired as editor-in-chief, since when he has built one of the most formidable editorial creative teams in the world.
Scott has overseen the revamp of both the print and web versions of the magazine. In the past year, stories such as an exclusive interview and photo shoot with Edward Snowden and special issues with both Bill Gates and blockbuster Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan have seen Wired’s total audience grow by 40 percent.
His work has been recognized with more than 100 national design and editorial awards from organizations such as ASME, SPD, the Art Directors Club, American Photography, American Illustration, the Society of Illustrators, and the Type Directors Club. This will be his first conference appearance in the UK since 2009.
Scott will be talking about his reinvention of Wired and Wired.com.
Louis-Jacques Darveau
Louis-Jacques is the publisher and co-editor of The Alpine Review, an award winning and critically acclaimed compendium of ideas and perspectives that shape our complex world. Ambitious, physically imposing, fiercely independent and slightly contrarian, The Alpine Review has refused to succumb to the impetus of the ‘business model’, refusing ads and sponsorships and is released ‘at times’. The long-awaited third issue is set to be released later this year. He is also the general manager at Totem, Canada’s leading content and service design agency, which was a pioneer of large-scale content programs before branded content even became a ‘thing’. His interests include issues related to complexity, turbulence, good governance and the good society.
James Fairbank
James is the head of Brand and Central Marketing at Rapha, where he recently oversaw the launch of the member’s magazine Mondial. Founded in 2004, Rapha creates the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world and Rapha.cc is an online emporium of performance roadwear, accessories, publications and events, all celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding. James is a passionate and committed road cyclist and writer.
James will be talking about how Rapha use content online, and how that experience led to the recent launch of the print magazine Mondial.
Grashina Gabelmann
Grashina’s home base is Berlin where she is one of the two editors-in-chief of Flaneur. The magazine is her main focus right now, though she is also completing a degree in North American studies and has several book and project ideas for which she will hopefully soon find time.
Grashina will be describing her magazine’s unique working process.
Charlotte Heal
Charlotte runs a London based design and art direction studio specialising in art and fashion projects. Having graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2007, Charlotte’s approach to design has been shaped by over eight years in the industry working on publications like Love, Lula Magazine and Town&Country. Most recently she headed up the Creative Direction and redesign of Kinfolk magazine in 2014 and is now the Design Director of the publication. Charlotte complements her studio practice with lecturing both in the UK and abroad and her work has been showcased in numerous magazines and publications.
Charlotte will be introducing her approach to editorial design via here relaunch of Kinfolk.
Kati Krause
Kati Krause is a writer, editor and consultant in Berlin whose work revolves around magazine-making and magazine-thinking – the value of brand, the importance of community and the meaning of depth and slowness. In the past year, she has worked with Matter magazine, Gestalten Publishing, Aargauer Zeitung, Rémy Martin and Krautreporter, and her mosr recent own publication was A Mag for all Seasons.
Kati will be discussing what websites should learn from magazines.
David Lane
David is the co founder, creative director and editor-in-chief of the award-winning food and culture journal The Gourmand. Alongside the publication David runs Lane & Associates, a consultancy specialising in creative direction, content and curation. L&A have produced work for clients as diverse as Google; Airbnb; The Hayward Gallery; Somerset House; Ninja Tunes, and Stella Artois.
David will be talking about the redesign of The Gourmand and relaunch of their website.
Sophie Lovell
Sophie s a freelance writer, editor, curator and consultant in architecture and design. She joined uncube magazine, the international digital magazine for architecture and beyond, as editor-in-chief in 2013. She and her small Berlin-based team seek to push the boundaries of digital publishing whilst retaining the feel of the analogue. Uncube is, she says, ‘like print, but without the paper yet with all the multimedia advantages of digital’.
Ibrahim Nehme
Ibrahim is founder and editor-in-chief of The Outpost. Published from Beirut and dubbed ‘a magazine of possibilities’, The Outpost is a print publication that aims to become a catalyst for social change in the Arab world. Since its launch in September 2012, it has become an important voice. The Guardian referred to it as ‘a successor to the Economist’, Buzzfeed named it as one of ’15 magazines you need to read’, and it was selected on Monocle Radio as one of the top 3 magazines of 2014. More recently The Outpost was awarded Best Magazine at the Magpile Magazine Awards 2014.
Matt Phare
Matt is creative director and a co-founder of Shortlist Media, pioneers of the ‘freemium’ publishing model. Matt created the much-imitated look and feel of the first free, men’s general interest weekly, ShortList which went on to win many awards and change the media landscape. He then went on to create the iconic look of Stylist magazine, one of the biggest women’s media channels in Britain. Matt also created the design of digital brands Emerald Street and Mr Hyde, and most recently Stylist’s digital edition, chosen by Apple as one of Europe’s 20 best apps of last year. Matt started out interning at Smash Hits and loves magazines as much now as he did then.
Charlotte Roberts and Bertie Brandes
Mushpit was dreamed up in 2011 by then 21-year olds Bertie Brandes and Charlotte Roberts. Working in fashion as a bored writer and bored stylist respectively, they found solace in the pages of cult 00’s magazine Cheap Date and anti-consumerist bible Adbusters. Inspired to create our own London-centric alternative they blazed a trail of destruction through several versions of InDesign leaving behind six totally insane A5 zines and a penchant for throwing a lot of parties. Now working on the third A4 full colour issue of the magazine we are proudly advert-free and just as proudly chasing every penny to make ends meet. Distributed globally, we feature London’s most interesting and political artists, photographers and designers and are constantly on the lookout for new people to bully into contributing. Most importantly, we really aren’t trying to sell you anything. Promise, pinky swear.
Andrew Tuck
Andrew has been the editor of Monocle since launch, joining the company in late 2006. Since then he has been central to the development of all of Monocle’s editorial projects including the radio station, Monocle 24, and the move into book publishing – he is the editor of The Monocle Guide to Better Living, The Monocle Guide to Good Business and The Monocle Guide to Cosy Homes, plus the brand's new collection of city travel guides. Andrew also presents shows across Monocle 24, including his own weekly programme about city living, The Urbanist. He is a regular speaker at conferences on urbanism, quality of life and the media.
Andrew will be sharing the strategy and thinking behind the Monocle24 digital radio station.
All speakers confirmed at time of posting but liable to change.
FAQs
Give us the details
Thursday 29 October, 9am–17.30pm in the LVMH Theatre, Central St Martins University of the Arts London, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AA
What is The Modern Magazine 2015?
The day consists of a series of talks from influential magazine makers from across the world. It is a relaxed event, with speakers mingling with the audience. The magCulture pop-up shop will also be open during breaks, and we’ll end the day with a few drinks and reflect on what we’ve seen/heard.
What is The Modern Magazine about?
The day will be an inspirational celebration of contemporary editorial creativity. All areas of magazine publishing are included: mainstream, independent, free, branded and digital. We’ll hear from publishers, editors and designers about how they’ve risen to the challenge of today’s magazine market.
Who is The Modern Magazine for?
Anyone interested in and/or intrigued by what making a magazine means in the 21st century. The audience ranges from senior publishing creatives (publishers, editors and art directors) to freelancers, journalists, illustrators and designers. Believers and skeptics, professionals and students from all over the world.
What language is used?
All presentations will be given in English.
Who runs The Modern Magazine?
The Modern Magazine is organised by London editorial studio magCulture. Founder Jeremy Leslie programmes the day, broadly basing the choice of speakers on the content of the magCulture online Journal. It is independent of any other organisation.
When did The Modern Magazine start?
The first event took place in 2013 to mark the launch of Jeremy Leslie’s book The Modern Magazine. Following its success, we decided to make it an annual event and 2015’s edition is set to be the best yet!
Will the day be live-streamed/recorded?
The Modern Magazine is intended as a one-off live event meaning we won’t be recording the event.
What does my ticket cover?
You get full access to the day’s talks, catering including lunch, and a drink or two at the end of the day. Everyone gets a goodie bag too.
When do I receive my ticket?
All purchases will be confirmed by immediate return email. In the week leading up the day you will receive a PDF ticket by email. If multiple tickets are ordered by one person they will receive the complete order, to be distributed to the individual attendees. If you require a tax invoice please email us (shop@magCulture.com).
How do I get there?
The venue is five minutes walk from Kings Cross tube station (Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & CIty, Piccadilly, Victoria and Northern Lines). Kings Cross, Euston and St Pancras train stations are also local, the latter providing easy links to mainland Europe.
Why are the tickets so expensive?
We would love to charge less, but organising an event of this scale costs money. If we sell enough tickets we hope to cover our costs, and if we attract some sponsorship we put that back into the day itself. We don’t make a profit from the day.
Why can’t there be an event like this in my city?
There can! Email us (events@magCulture.com).
But I thought print was dead….
Wake up!