“Our success has grown immensely”
In March last year Cherie Federico decided not to pay the fees for her masters degree at York St John, and, with the help of her trusty sidekick Dale Donley, instead set out to create a magazine devoted to contemporary arts, based in York. Nouse asks Cherie what she feels she has achieved in those few months, what she sees in the future for ‘Aesthetica’, and whether she ever paid those pesky fees.
I attended the launch back in March last year, where there appeared to be more businessmen intent on getting drunk after work than people ready to appreciate art. What do you think you have achieved since then?
Well it has nearly been one year since our launch and our success has grown immensely. Our first event, in fact, was actually people who came to support Aesthetica. Many of the businessmen were actually people from other art organisations and City Council members. We were fortunate to have had an interview on BBC Radio York that day advertising our event, which attracted many people from the general public. We even sold over 100 books on our first night. Since our first event we have produced three other issues and have changed the venue to The Golden Lion Pub [on Church Street]. We now have a great mixture of live musicians and excellent performance poetry. The magazine has grown in size and so have the events. Our last event attracted over 120 people. We had people come from London and Manchester. We are also now distributing through Borders in York, Leeds, Brighton, Islington (London), Oxford Street (London), and on the web.
You’ve mentioned in the past that you wanted to forge links between communities; do you think Aesthetica has achieved that in York?
Yes. Firstly, in the magazine we have writers who are different ages and of different nationalities together. To juxtapose poetry, fiction and artwork in this way enables a creative, diverse, and equal space with viewpoints coming from several different arenas. Our launch evenings join together several different communities. These events are free and we encourage everyone to come. We have students, professors, single mothers, grandmothers, shop workers, waitresses, cleaners – basically everyone. We encourage a sense of community through shared interests such as poetry and live music
As you started out using your tuition fee money, as a not-for-profit magazine, do you see yourselves turning a profit anytime in the near future?
I am still paying off my debts for my tuition fee money! I don’t see us making any type of profit in the near future. It is simply too soon. I believe it will take years before I can quit my full-time job!
Are you thinking of following the suit of similar art magazines and having a theme for each issue? Any sneaky previews of what they might be for forthcoming issues?
We don’t have a theme for each issue as such because what I have noticed is that natural themes develop between submissions, which reflect our times. By not stating a definite theme in issues, readers are free to choose their own. Sorry I haven’t got any sneak previews but our next issue should be out in March.
You say on your website that you started Aesthetica because you believed “there are too many closed doors in the literary and art world”, do you really believe that you have had success in making arts “accessible for all?”
That is a very good question.
I think that we will carry on doing what we are doing at the moment by keeping the cost of the magazine low (£3.50) and by keeping our events and workshops free. I believe that this is the easiest way to promote creativity, equality, and diversity: something that we believe in very much.
Who does the judging of submissions, and what kind of arguments do you and Dale have in the Aesthetica office over potential contributors?
Firstly, the Aesthetica office is my living room! Dale and I normally go through the submissions and select which ones we feel reflect our contemporary times. We are very open-minded with submissions and try to give all contributors a chance to be published in one issue or another. We also look for pieces that will work well together and that complement each other. However, we strongly suggest contributors read an issue of Aesthetica before submitting so they can get an idea of what we are looking for.
Finally, any submissions that have really caught your attention? Any from our very own University of York?
Some of our favourites include ‘What’s on Offer’ by Tony Morris. This is our opening poem [Issue One], which summarises the ethos of Aesthetica. Also ‘The Red Shoes’[Issue One] by Chloe Gill-Khan (University of York Student); Artwork from Richard Pinner ‘Reclining Self’[Issue Two]; ‘Jazz Train’ by Ian Parks [Issue Three]. It is always hard to choose favourites and we value all our contributors greatly because without them we would not be moving forward.
Aesthetica runs a worskshop to encourage up and coming talent. It is completely free, so you won’t have to fish out your student pennies. If you fancy getting your work published, then get in touch with Cherie on their website,
http://www.aestheticamagazine.com
The Aesthetica team will be releasing a CD in March 2004 with several different York musicians included in the compilation, drawing together York’s various and talented musicians in a fourteen track CD.
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