News / Rife Magazine
Pioneering Bristol magazine to cease publication
Watershed’s flagship online magazine will no longer exist come the end of July after supporting and publishing young creative talent in Bristol and the South West for nearly a decade.
Rife Magazine, the product of Watershed’s 2014 Bristol Talent Lab programme, has become one of the city’s major platforms for creative voices, having launched the careers of 35 in-house contributors and reached an audience of over a million readers.
But last week, the cinema and registered charity announced the closure of its much-loved magazine to refocus its funding from journalism to creative technology and film.
is needed now More than ever
The decision comes as a result of feedback from current staff and previous contributors responding to an increased desire for career support in different creative media sectors.
A letter to the Rife Community Re: The future of talent development at Watershed https://t.co/KqKW3zlRVI
— Rife Magazine (@rifemag) July 12, 2022
Speaking about Rife in a statement, executive producer Jo Lansdowne and talent lead Victoria Tillotson said: “We are very proud of it. But it’s now eight years since Rife began and the landscape of opportunities for young people in Bristol has significantly shifted.”
They added: “An authentic and impactful young peoples’ programme will always be core to the Watershed offer. From the re-location of our dark rooms to the opening of Pervasive Media Studio, we are an organisation that seeks to act in a timely manner, that avoids competing with others in the city and adds value where we can.
“We know that bringing Rife to an end will be a disappointment to some. But by continuing to be led by young people themselves, we know that what comes next will be just as good.”
While Rife will no longer produce new content from the end of the month, it will showcase existing publications throughout the autumn in a “campaign of celebration”, remaining online as an archive where all previously published work will continue to be accessible to the public.
Plans for the future development of Watershed’s enrichment offerings are underway. In the interim, projects will continue through work experience at Pervasive Media Studio, Film Academy courses, Pretty Digital’s Grrrl Games Creative Labs for video game design and more.
For those seeking inclusive entry-level work experience in journalism, Bristol 24/7 offers week-long editorial placements throughout the year. Contact experience@bristol247.com to apply.
Main photo: Watershed
Read more: 30 of Bristol’s most inspiring under-30s
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