The Ark Manifesto

The Ark Manifesto The Ark Magazine is a project being started up under the banner of a simple premise: equality. We want to provide an equality of representation to artists and indeed entire genres that have been sidelined by the corporate media for reasons that have nothing to do with music and everything to do with revenue. We want to give artists for whom the popular press has no time their right to publicity, regardless of the kind of work they’re doing. And we want to frame those that have enjoyed disproportionate amounts of success due to their (either providential or purposefully manufactured) commercial marketability in a proper perspective. In short, we want to create a magazine that does what music journalism should, in theory, do. Here’s how it will work. Every issue of the Ark will feature a number of respected figures writing their own columns on the things, usually within new music (although politics, comedy and film will feature too), that they think deserve recognition. These are people who know what they’re talking about, have authority and experience in their fields, and who, through their notoriety, will turn some heads. Beyond this, the rest of the magazine (including the cover) will change from region to region. The emphasis is on local knowledge – we have no intention of pretending that a general editor in London can authoritatively provide a representation of what’s going on in the music scene of Oxford, or Glasgow, or Swansea. Regional editors will use their local knowledge to decide what gig reviews, album reviews, interviews and features will be included in the rest of the mag, and so will be able to cast light on artists and movements that otherwise wouldn’t even feature on a remotely edited magazine’s radar. There will be no bowing to corporateminded conceptions of ‘what readers what’ or cynical overemphasis of big bands. This will be objective journalism, pure and simple; reporting on the local, the interesting, and the new – all without even acknowledging, let alone conforming to, the status quo. In terms of writers, anyone can get involved. As long as they have a passion for music and culture, and a desire to promote it regardless of its commercial palatability, they’re in. Of course there will be a few rules. These have nothing to do with mediating the opinions expressed in the magazine, but are designed to ensure these opinions are expressed in a responsible and constructive way. All of our writers are entitled to take a dislike to a band or artist, but this needs to be expressed exclusively on the basis of their music. We’re trying to move away from the Heat magazine style of music journalism that places emphasis on appearance and celebrity, and phrases criticisms in the form of personal attacks. Our focus must never fall on the trivial or facile, but remain on the concept around which music journalism is centred: the music itself. Otherwise, our writer’s opinions are their own, and they are free to express them in the spirit of uninhibited discussion. We believe that this project has a very real and very exciting capacity for genuine change. The magazine will be able to galvanise and encourage local

scenes in a way that simply isn’t being facilitated in today’s London-centric music press. It will challenge the monopoly of this press over new music by providing readers with an alternative source of information – one that bows to no small-minded commercial regime. It will be the first of its kind, and it is long due. And if a lot of our ideas sound romantic or idealist, then that’s because they are – unapologetically so. We feel that a significant dose of idealism is exactly what music journalism needs right now to lift it from the commercial swamp in which it is so currently mired. We believe – genuinely – that if done right, the Ark could be one of the most important things to happen to British music journalism, and indeed British music, in recent times. If you can believe this too, without cynicism, but with the sense of uncompromising optimism that the project deserves, then get on board. *** If you want to get involved, send your name, age and location to [email protected]. We're currently looking to recruit regional editors. Each regional version will need someone to organise it: getting together writers and photographers, getting tickets to gigs, organising interviews and features etc. If you think you'd be up for it, then send us an email with 'REG ED' in the subject line as well as your name and city, explaining how you'd go about the job if it was yours - what aspects of your scene you would try to cover, what kind of features you would run, what kind of journalism you'd be doing. We don't care if you don't have that much experience - what we're interested in are ideas. Be sure to join us on facebook and twitter too: http://www.facebook.com/group.php? gid=175293360775&v=info&ref=search http://twitter.com/TheArkMagazine ***