Indiecon 5 — No More Borders
Sep 7th – Sep 9th 2018

Indiecon
The Independent Magazine Festival

Conference

Aug 25 – 26, 2017

#indiemagday

Aug 27, 2017

Hamburg, Germany

Tickets!
Indiemagday

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Hello, good evening, we’d like to make a difference. We can’t keep sitting on our asses while others define the values of our future society. Indiecon 2017 will provide a space for printed dreams and utopias, journalism and activism. What makes independent magazine makers from all over the world tick? Which topics are worth our attention? And what impact can small and bigger publications have?

The Monkey

News

Full schedule available now

Full schedule available now cover

Just a quick reminder: It's only four weeks left until Indiecon 2017 opens it's doors. If you haven't saved a seat, it's really about time. You can also register for workshops now and receive feedback for your editorial and design concept and your business plan - or finally join forces with the machines and expand your abilities in the area of parametric design. You’ll also meet the fastest magazine alive, a magazine that became a movie and if you like, there will be the opportunity to participate in the live production of Pioneer Paper #02 at Indiecon itself. Scroll down to check out all speakers and sessions.

New speakers confirmed

New speakers confirmed cover

Say Hi to Isabel Seiffert & Justinien Tribillion (Migrant Journal, Int), Yanyou Yuan Di (Jianzazhi Press, CN), Ryan Fitzgibbon (Hello Mr., USA), Stefan Marx (Artist, GER), Besa Luci (Kosovo 2.0, KOS), Ibrahim Nehme (The Outpost, LEB), Jeremy Leslie (magCulture, UK), Nelson Ng (Lost, CN) Megan LeMasurier (University of Australia, AU). More to come soon! Check out all speakers here.

Speakers

Steve Anglesey cover
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Steve Anglesey

United Kingdom

“Indie is the Second Annual Report album by Throbbing Gristle – self-written, self-recorded, self-performed using self-built equipment, self-published because no major would have dared; created for no-one but the artists, yet managing to inspire and connect a network of individuals”

Steve is a proud beard guy. At least we think so, because on Twitter he makes jokes about his being a guy with a beard. Anyway, as far as beard psychology goes, he checks some other boxes: he appears to be a self-made guy, because creating a new newspaper (The New European) after Brexit in a matter of weeks is as self-made as it gets. He apparently likes industrial avant-garde music and sports, he has edited a couple of sports titles as well as the website of the UK Daily Mirror. He likes food and drinks and that’s what his next project is going to be about – and I hope you've noticed by now that this has nothing to do with his beard. Looking forward to really getting to know you, Steve!

Joachim Baldauf cover
© Bruno Alexander

Joachim Baldauf

Germany

“Real Indie for me is non-capitalistic. Not focused on money, but spirit.”

Joachim is one of Germany’s most acclaimed fashion photographers. Since the 1990s he’s worked for almost every imaginable relevant outlet, including an intense collaboration with iconic Wallpaper magazine in the early 2000s. In many of his images, for example the recurring encounters with Eva Padberg or Claudia Schiffer, he seems to find intimate moments with the people on the other side of the camera, which makes them look natural and somehow more human even in extremely orchestrated settings. Together with designer Agnes Feckl he has been publishing Vorn magazine since 2004.

Teresa Bücker cover
© Jennifer Fey

Teresa Bücker

Germany

„Indie is about being stronger together.“

Teresa Bücker is the editor in chief at Edition F, an online magazine focussed on business and lifestyle for women. She speaks her mind on twitter and in her freelance work in printed and online media – and she definitely knows how to take a stand in a debate. Before she found the perfect environment for her work at Edition F, Teresa was a social media editor for German weekly newspaper Der Freitag and a digital strategist for the Social Democratic Party.

Yanyou Yuan Di cover
© private

Yanyou Yuan Di

China

“Without any interruption.”

Yuan Di, also known as Yanyou, is a photobook curator and publisher based in Ningbo, China. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jiazazhi Press, an independent publishing house determined to promote an emerging generation of progressive Chinese photographers. As part of this idea, he recently constructed and opened a photobook library in his home town.

Susanne Eigenmann cover
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Susanne Eigenmann

Germany

“Indie is authentic, surprising and likeable.”

Susanne Eigenmann works at Hamburg Kreativ Gesellschaft, a municipal institution dedicated to connecting the cultural and business spheres. She’s been nurturing creatives for a while now in workshops and tutoring sessions. She has also worked as a personal advisor to the director of the Deutsche Schauspielhaus theatre and coached artists, actors and dancers in several areas such as concept development, public relations and finance through her own consulting business.

Ryan Fitzgibbon cover
© Jonathan Daniel Pryce

Ryan Fitzgibbon

USA

“Indie means finding your motivation in challenging the status quo.”

One of the privileges of organising a magazine conference: you’re able to invite your favourites again. Ryan started his career as a communication designer at IDEO in San Francisco, in 2012 he moved to Australia to go about his own venture in storytelling. By March 2013, he had launched the first issue of Hello Mr., a magazine that has become the cornerstone for a community of men who date men, their conversations, interests, values, and aspirations. In 2014, he moved to New York where he continues to publish his biannual magazine. During his first trip to Hamburg Ryan had to hold his talk during Indiemagday after a small flight hiccup – now we can finally welcome him properly in the Golden Hall.

Heike Grebin cover
© Troppo Design

Heike Grebin

Germany

„Limitations which make you creative – hopefully.“

Originally an architect by trade, Heike had to do some detours to become a graphic designer. In the early 1990s she became part of Grappa Design, at that time an internationally renowned and quite hip design studio. Today she is a professor of communication design at the HAW Hamburg and also runs the studio Troppo Design together with Andreas Trogisch. Her teaching focuses on typographic information systems in the context of social, political and technological developments and their contemporary adaptation. Under the title “Stil/System/Methoden” she is currently conducting research on parametric design.

Michael Hopp cover
© private

Michael Hopp

Germany

“Indie is print without regrets.”

The first Indiecon in 2014 inspired Michael Hopp to start his own event series on (independent) publishing: his Blattkritik Salon has become an excellent periodical for magazine makers in and around Hamburg. As one of the founders of the indie classic Wiener and an editor of Tempo, he is used to challenging principles of writing, thinking, understanding – a position he now tries to implant into corporate publishing with his editorial office and content house Hopp und Frenz (HuF).

Kati Krause cover
© Lisa Rank

Kati Krause

Germany

“Indie is a carte blanche for radical creativity, for making magazines that verge on art. It means trying out subject matters and storytelling that readers didn’t even know they were interested in. It means forging audiences rather than following them.”

Kati has been an inspiration for us since we first met – especially because of her keen eye for editorial trends and formats as well as her own writing. She has created and worked on a variety of both digital and print publications, from independent magazines like A Mag for All Seasons and Matter to custom products like the Gestalten Journal and Freunde von Freunden’s Companion magazine. Apart from being an editor at Anxy, she currently works as Monocle’s Berlin correspondent and is writing a book about depression and social media.

Megan Le Masurier cover
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Megan Le Masurier

Australia

“The desire for a utopian space, creating what is missing.”

Megan is a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Media and Communications, University of Sydney. She used to work as a journalist and editor, today she focusses on her academic practice. Publications include work on popular feminism in magazines, indie magazines and slow journalism. She is currently researching and writing a book titled Slow Magazines: Indies in Print in a Digital Age.

Jeremy Leslie cover
© Ian Pierce

Jeremy Leslie Host

United Kingdom

“Indie is anything you dream.”

Jeremy Leslie is another longtime Indiecon comrade and one of the proverbial pillars of the magazine scene. His blog and shop magCulture are viable resources for people interested in editorial design. Every autumn, he hosts the Modern Magazine conference in London. His books, such as We Make Magazines and The Modern Magazine, have already become classics, and we’re more than excited about hearing him discuss the design and editorial approach of Migrant Journal with Justinien and Isabel.

Stefanie Lohaus cover
© Paula Winkler

Stefanie Lohaus Host

Germany

“Passionate, content-driven journalism. Avant-garde. Taking risks both content-wise and layout-wise. Being radical.”

Stefanie’s first magazine was called “Blattlaus” (greenfly). She founded it when she was 11 years old as a means of convincing her classmates of the importance of environmentalism – and also to earn some money. After finishing her Master's in Applied Cultural Sciences at the University of Lüneburg, Stefanie founded Missy Magazine together with like-minded women. She wanted to show people that feminism is cool – and very much needed in German society. Apart from being an editor and a director of Missy Magazine, Stefanie writes articles for other publications and has written a book on equally shared parenting together with her partner Tobias Scholz.

Besa Luci cover
© private

Besa Luci

Kosovo

“Indie means being self-aware and self-critical.”

What are we doing and why? This question, which can be seen as either simple or very fundamental, also goes some way to define the universe in which Besa Luci has been spinning for the past seven years. As co-founder of Kosovo 2.0, a magazine that already carries the reinvention of a country in its title, she has been tackling the status quo and numerous conventions from day one. One reason why they’re still around: the complex, tri-lingual product does not only criticise but also takes its subjects and readers seriously (for as long as possible at least). Besa studied political science, international relations and journalism and received her Master's degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia. She also passes her experiences on as a teaching assistant at the Journalism Department of the University of Prishtina.

Stefan Marx cover
© Linus Bill

Stefan Marx

Germany

“No corporation involved.”

Stefan Marx is a Hamburg based artist. In 1995 he set up his own T-Shirt Label “The Lousy Livin company”, a platform for his drawings published on T-Shirts. Since then he has worked for numerous Skateboard & T-Shirt Labels worldwide. His work has been exhibited internationally and has received awards and prizes including the Lichtwark grand and a grand for young arts in Hamburg. His book “85 Zeichnungen” (Rollo-Press) were selected as one of the Most Beautiful Swiss Books in 2009. Marx is also involved with Smallville Records. All of their releases are visually defined by his drawings. Marx graduated at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg and focused on Typography and Cultural Studies & Communication Theories. At Indiecon 2017 Marx will guide us through the ins and outs of independent artist publishing.

Ibrahim Nehme cover
© Lara Shabb

Ibrahim Nehme Host

Lebanon

“Indie is disconnecting from the system to find freedom.”

Once we had met Ibrahim for the first time at the 2015 edition of Indiecon, we just couldn’t let go of him. Not only is he pleasant company, but his mindchild The Outpost has also kept surprising us with every new issue. To this day, the tightly knit “magazine of possibilities in the Arab world” regularly comes up in discussions and in the backs of our minds. With the print edition currently discontinued (make sure you get a copy of the issues that are not already sold out!), we had to search for another pretext to invite him again – so we asked him who he would love to meet up with and interview. He recommended Besa Luci as a guest because they share a common belief: that storytelling can have a tremendous influence on society. And maybe he will also tell us something about the new endeavours he is planning himself …

Klaus Neuburg cover
© Fabian Weiss

Klaus Neuburg

Germany

“Indie is doing it anyway.”

Klaus studied architecture but quickly decided to design printed pages instead of buildings. Together with his friend and business partner Sebastian Pranz he runs an editorial and design office called Buero Zoo. For quite some time they've been publishing Froh! – a magazine featuring stories for a good society. Every issue focuses on a broad topic like light, luxury or transit. Together with photographer Fabian Weiss the team also travels around to pass on their notion of independence to students and young magazine makers in Georgia, Moldova and elsewhere as part of their Publish Yourself programme. Klaus teaches design at Ruhrakademie Schwerte and worked as a guest professor at HFBK Hamburg.

Nelson Ng cover
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Nelson Ng Host

Singapore/China

“Indie is about having a strong belief in something.”

During last year’s Indiecon, Nelson basically blew our minds with his brief insight into the cosmos of independent publishing in China. He talked about editorial experiments under difficult circumstances, an evolving publishing culture and its quick, technology-driven emergence and development. It was clear from the start that we wanted to learn more – so we asked him to put us in touch with publishers he knew in Shanghai and beyond. He will talk with Yanyou Yuan Di about Jiazazhi press – and probably let us know what he’s up to with his own Lost magazine.

Rose Nordin cover
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Rose Nordin

United Kingdom

“Indie is in line with D.I.Y. – making projects happen with few resources and with a lot of personal investment.”

Rose is currently a freelance graphic designer based in London, with a particular interest in self-publishing and DIY culture. She is the co-founder and graphic designer for the One Of My Kind (OOMK) zine and publishing collective focused on women, art and activism. In addition to OOMK, Rose runs a Risograph printing press in East London and researches self-publishing practices, e.g. in Malaysia. She has also produced publications with the publisher Book Works, Serpentine Galleries, and The Museum of London, among others.

Sebastian Pranz cover
© Simon Roth

Sebastian Pranz

Germany

“Indie is creating alternative public spheres.”

Sebastian’s interest lies in the transformation of societies through media and journalism. After finishing his PhD in sociology he started working as a publisher and co-founded Buero Zoo, a studio focusing on sustainable corporate publishing, which he runs together with Klaus Neuburg. For even longer they've been publishing Froh! – a magazine featuring stories for a good society. Every issue focuses on a broad topic like light, luxury or transit. Together with photographer Fabian Weiss the team also travels around to pass on their notion of independence to students and young magazine makers in Georgia, Moldova and elsewhere. He worked as a guest professor at HFBK Hamburg and is currently teaching as a deputy professor at Hochschule Darmstadt – another part of his overall editorial and design mission for society at large.

Indhira Rojas cover
© Michelle le

Indhira Rojas

USA

„Indie is creative freedom, freedom to invent and make things on your terms and follow that vision. It's taking the risk to pursue your ideas outside of traditional frameworks, and in that process finding your own path.”

Indhira is a designer and the founder and creative director of Anxy. For over a decade she has worked at the intersection of branding, editorial, and interaction design for publications such as The Bold Italic, Once, Modern Farmer, Atlas Obscura and the platform Medium. All digital, but well, who cares these days? She co-leads a design and publishing consulting studio in Berkeley, California, under the name Anagraph.

Timo Rychert cover
© Heike Ahrens

Timo Rychert

Germany

„The moment you find out what Indie is, it stops being Indie.”

When graphics designer Timo Rychert first discovered the power of scripting a while back, it completely changed his view on the world. Since then, automation and generative design have been heavily influencing his perspective and work. Last year he presented his •••-Magazine at Indiemagday, a zine-ish publication that creates itself automatically on the push of a button. As a lecturer at HAW Hamburg, he introduced scripting and automation to students. He’s also one of the developers behind the design-friendly scripting library basil.js.

Sara Schurmann cover
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Sara Schurmann

Germany

“For me magazines are indie, if the editorial team developed the idea independently and not on behalf of a client. Which doesn’t mean you can’t work with or for publishing houses.”

Sara is a co-founder and was the editorial manager of the women’s magazine F Mag, which brought some indie spirit into the publishing house Gruner + Jahr. It featured a young woman with a Bengal light on the cover and recipes for frying – unfortunately the project ended after just one issue. The editorial team continues to work independently on smaller projects under the name Frankly. At the moment Sara works as Chief Copy Editor for Vice Media and is amongst other things responsible for the VICE Magazine. Before that, she completed the Henri-Nannen school for journalists and worked for the Berlin-based newspaper Tagesspiegel.

Isabel Seiffert cover
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Isabel Seiffert

Switzerland

“Being independent means highlighting stories and showing perspectives that are not bound to financial interests or sensationalist requirements.”

Isabel is one half of the Zurich-based design office Offshore Studio, which she founded together with Christoph Miler. At Migrant Journal she works as an art director and co-editor. Apart from doing commissioned work she also designs and publishes her theoretical reflections on art and media as well as the necessity for print publishing.

Justinien Tribillon cover
© Justinien Tribillon

Justinien Tribillon

United Kingdom/France

“Being independent means highlighting stories and showing perspectives that are not bound to financial interests or sensationalist requirements.”

Most people look at a city as tourists and maybe with a Top Ten list in their hands. Justinien brings some other tools to the table: ideas, concepts, images, quantitative and qualitative data. Together with architectural firms, municipalities and research centres he tries to uncover the fabric of urban life. As a writer, Justinien works for The Guardian and other publications such as the magazine on urbanism MONU. As a PhD candidate at University College London he researches the divide between Paris and the Banlieue. And please don’t ask us when he managed to co-found and edit two issues of Migrant Journal as well.

Andreas Trogisch cover
© Troppo Design

Andreas Trogisch

Germany

”You get the idea and you do it.“

Andreas is a designer, programmer and photographer. As a founder of Grappa Design (1989 in East Berlin) he was one of the pioneers of integrating computers into drafting and design processes. To this day he’s constantly searching for intelligent combinations of design and technology. Apart from his work for the studio Troppo Design, he develops software in the context of design and administration under the label “ArchiFile”, which focuses on databased publishing. You can also meet him at exhibitions or book releases for his photographic works.

Steven Watson cover
© Tom Medwell

Steven Watson Host

United Kingdom

"Indie is unstoppable."

Steve has been with the Indiecon from the beginning and besides being a distribution pioneer, he’s also a magazine lover, brilliant expert and just a great guy to hang out with. We listen to his podcast, read his blog and try to get a piece of him as often as we can, e.g. during the yearly Stack Awards. When we searched for a contact to London-based The New European, naturally, Steve was our go-to-guy.

Fabian Weiss cover
© private

Fabian Weiss

Germany

“Indie is doing what you like and listening to your heart. If you love what you do others will follow and like it.”

Fabian is always where the stories are. Right now that seems to be in Tallinn, Estonia, but it may be that next week he’ll be somewhere in the Baltics, Eastern Europe or even further east. His projects explore cultural changes in personal structures within a broader assessment of the surrounding culture. That basically means: he gets close without losing his eye for the big picture. Besides his photographic work, he conducts workshops on creating magazines from scratch in record time within the Publish Yourself! framework. In Hamburg, he worked as a visiting professor at the HFBK and co-hosts the Indiecon Summer School.

Schedule

Friday

Whole Day
Store

Indiecon Island

Saloon

Browse and buy independent magazines from all over the world – at the conference and on Indiemagday.

Whole Day
Workshop

Live Publishing: Pioneer Paper

Entree

Yes, we’re doing it again. All guests at Indiecon are kindly invited to become part of the Pioneer Paper, a documentation of the conference and beyond. Please give us a hint if you want to take part: info@indiemags.de.

1:00 pm

Doors Open

Come in, come in! We celebrate your arrival with coffee and “Franzbrötchen” pastries.

2:00 pm
Talk

The Magazine Someone Just Had to Do

Golden Hall

It could have been done on more beautiful paper, it could have been done with attention to typography and layout. But maybe everything was perfect as it was, because less than two weeks after the Brexit vote, The New European was available on British newsstands. And while many were still weeping or ranting, the newly born newspaper held up optimism and celebrated it with wit and humour. A year in, The New European features a printed edition, a podcast and a weekly newsletter – not to mention encouraging mugs and shirts (we especially like the one that says “Look this is a bit awkward but I just want to make it clear that I personally voted to stay in.”). In Hamburg, Steve Anglesey will tell us about how he and a couple of colleagues started their ad-hoc career in print publishing, how they convinced their publisher of the idea and how it developed after the initial Brexit hysteria was over.

3:30 pm
Talk

The Magazine That Celebrates Complexity

Golden Hall

Tell us about an interconnected world: the four creators of Migrant Journal all met in person for the first time at the release event of issue 1 in London. Up till then, Justinien Tribillon, Catarina de Almeida Brito, Isabel Seiffert and Christoph Miler had been scattered all over Europe, convening only in virtual space. It says a lot about the strength of a concept if it withstands all the interference of remote work. The magazine draws a lot of its persuasiveness from it's intellectual capacity as well as it's clean and solid, almost technical look and feel. It might have been tempting to reduce the topic of migration to an abstract, almost detached birds eye view. The editorial team of Migrant Journal chose a different path: it stays empathetic and conveys ideas and concepts with a deeply humanitarian touch.

5:00 pm
Talk

The Magazine About the World Within

Golden Hall

With the world around us in turmoil, we often fail to recognise the signs and symptoms from our world within. Anxy is a visually brilliant deep dive into human psychology, addressing personal narratives and mental health issues through an artful and creative lens. Anxy is not about problem-solving but more about sitting with people’s experiences and understanding them deeply. “People carry stories that one could've never imagined, yet, we walk around pretending to each other that everything is ok”, writes founder Indhira Rojas – she and editor Kati Krause will introduce the magazine in a conversation with Megan Le Masurier.

6:00 pm
Screening

The Magazine That Became a Movie

Golden Hall

When Joachim visited us last year, he had just returned from a retreat in the woods where he apparently built a tree-house. He brought a soothing air to the Villa and some advice from his personal and professional experience as a photographer and magazine publisher. This time he’s got a new and special issue in his luggage: Vorn 9 comes in the form of a movie. As always, creatives from Joachim’s personal and professional sphere were invited to contribute. We’ll have an exclusive insight into the outcome in a brief conversation and a screening.

7:00 pm

Barbecue

Garden

Saturday

Whole Day
Workshop

In-depth: Business Planning

Library

It’s numbers time: If your business experience stems from regular sessions with Count Count, this is your chance. Consultant Dr Susanne Eigenmann offers four prospective or running independent magazines the opportunity for an exclusive feedback session on their finances and business plans. One condition: other magazine makers will be present (don’t be afraid, others did it before). If you’re interested in participating, please let us know beforehand so we can get in touch to make preparations: info@indiemags.de.

Whole Day
Workshop

In-depth: “Blattkritik” Magazine Review

Crimson Hall

Have you ever wondered if your Mum is telling you the truth about how great and beautiful your magazine is? Maybe it’s time for a reality check. Michael Hopp brings more than 30 years of magazine experience to the table and a keen understanding of the mechanics that make a publication great. The best thing about it: not only does Michael bring up the painful subjects, he’s also interested in a constructive dialogue to move your magazine forward. If you want to participate, please let us know in advance: info@indiemags.de.

9:30 am
Keynote

The Ins and Outs of Independent Art Book Publishing

Golden Hall

Stefan Marx grabbed our attention two years ago. For the first Indiemagday at the Oberhafen Hamburg, the artist designed a limited edition offline shirt in cooperation with his friends from Tissue Magazine. Ever since, Stefans' peaceful but somehow provoking black and white drawings have been on our radar – they're on skateboards, walls, shirts and vinyl records all over the world. When we spotted the Marx wall-painting at the AMP Club near the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2016, we thought: this guy has to be connected to print. He certainly is. Publications such as "Fuck Reality", "I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE TELLING YOU", "This Sounds a bit like Goodbye" or "I'm sleeping in my clothes next to the books" have made their way to book fairs around the planet (e.g. to New York, Tokyo, Melbourne). Stefan will guide us through the ins and outs of independent art book publishing.

10:30 am
Talk

The Man Who Makes Visions in Small Cases

Golden Hall

When we first held the tiny cigarette case in our hand we knew it was something special. When opened, it reveals a tiny magazine, featuring slightly unsettling photographs from Chinese weddings. “Until death do us part” has been recommended as one of the photobooks of the year by The New York Times, it is based on a collection of pictures salvaged in a recycling plant near Beijing. Most of the photobooks published by Yanyou open up a window into private life in China, with a special focus on the work of young photographers. At Indiecon he will show some of his recent work and talk about the situation of independent publishers in China.

11:00 am
Workshop

In-depth: Parametric Design

Library

Let’s just say: graphic design is not as analogue as it seems. Heike, Andreas and Timo will convey how technological innovation and the wish to make the world a little bit better have always inspired creatives. Starting with the avant-garde in the early 20th century, Heike will show how artists and designers used systematic design rules to enhance their efficiency but also to create new ideas. Andreas and Timo will introduce two contemporary applications for data-driven design and publishing: the interface between databases and design software (e.g. Filemaker and InDesign) and coding with basil.js, a scripting library which can be used in InDesign for simple automation as well as layout experiments.

12:00 pm
Keynote

The Magazine That Stands Up in Difficult Times

Golden Hall

Hello Mr. has always been one of the go-to mags when we were looking for inspiration. It’s beautiful, keen and witty, but its special quality is something else: Hello Mr. is a genius example of how to make a magazine that takes a clear stand without getting dumb in the process. Let’s just say it’s a quality you don’t want to miss in in the US right now. One reader basically says it all in his review: “Hello Mr. has never been more important.” In Hamburg, Ryan will introduce some fresh ideas for joining forces in independent publishing.

1:00 pm
Panel

The Magazines That Fight Normal

Golden Hall

One of our long-standing magazine hypotheses: changes in society correlate with a rise in independent publishing. In any case, with a range of new feminist indiemags on the market, we thought it was time to discuss some of the concepts and their impact on changing gender roles. Stefanie Lohaus chairs the conversation, her Missy Magazine has become a positive beacon for young women and an influential voice in the feminism discourse. Teresa Bücker and the online magazine Edition F caters for women’s career and personal interests - the platform has become a business itself in doing so. F-Mag, a oneshot magazine created by Sara Schurman and other former trainees of the Henri Nannen school for journalists, tried to make a difference at the women’s section of the newsstand – an environment that’s still dominated by beauty tips and diet plans. Rose Nordin and OOMK (One Of My Kind) blur the lines between journalism and activism by using a firm DIY approach to form creative spaces in which diversity is cherished.

3:00 pm
Talk

The Magazine That Builds a Nation

Golden Hall

Since the declaration of independence in 2008, Kosovo has been in a strange state - constantly between turmoil and an utter lack of lasting change. The magazine Kosovo 2.0 has become a hub and an important platform for who the editors call “politically and socially aware and active people”. Three languages (Albanian, Serbian, English), an online edition and a brilliant print archive make it quite a monolith in the country's media landscape. Its topics are as broad as its mission – they range from political news to personal interviews, the printed magazine has e.g. featured a sports issue, a religion issue and a sex issue. If you start reading, you feel that this is not to serve some niche markets but because the magazine attempts to question and sometimes re-imagine a whole society and state. Let’s see where this mission leads them.

4:30 pm
Keynote

The Fastest Magazine Alive

Golden Hall

The Indiecon Summer School is a five-day intensive course in independent publishing that will be held for the second time in the week before the Indiecon. It brings together emerging talent from the domains of design, photography, illustration, journalism and the arts. In a rapid publishing project, the participants will produce a printed magazine named 41–43 which features a single topic. The experienced makers of Froh! magazine will lead participants through all stages of the production process – the result will be displayed for the first time during this session and also presented and sold at Indiemagday on Sunday.

5:00 pm
Keynote

The Science of Indie

Golden Hall

Whatever we say about independent publishing, Megan has most likely written it down already. No kidding. We read everything she writes on the topic and we dwell in sentences like this: “Through their construction of global niche communities around editorially unique visions of difference in almost every aspect of our lives, indies provide an alternative to mainstream ways of thinking, representing and being”. Her article on independent magazines and the rejuvenation of print in a digital age was one of our inspirations to start Indiecon in the first place. In Hamburg, Megan will take us for a spin in her fields of interest and maybe explain what independent publishing has to do with eating bowls of penne in front of a McDonald's.

Indiemagday

Free Trade Zone for Printed Goods
AUG 27 2017, Oberhafen, Hamburg

Join third "Indiemagday – Free Trade Zone for Printed Goods” in Hamburg’s Oberhafen. Let’s celebrate the diversity of independent magazines and their smart and fearless micro publishers.

During the last Sunday in August, we transform a warehouse in a former freight yard into Magazine Mania. Find collectibles, hidden treasures and special offers. Buy, sell or swap mags, zines, comics and other printed goods.

There will be a huge collection of national and international indiemags – brought to you by the makers themselves and some of the most amazing stores in Germany. You will also find other printed goods like books, posters, comics, post cards and many big or small gifts made of paper. Come by and flip the pages, talk, eat and drink.

Indiemagday
Oberhafen, Halle 4
Stockmeyerstr. 41
20457 Hamburg

Information

Preliminary Timetable

Sunday Aug 27, 2017

  • 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM / Buildup and Registration
  • 10:00 AM / Open Doors!
  • 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM / Magazine Mania
  • 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Collective Cleanup

All #indiemagday figures are subject to error, the may change at any time. Please check again shortly before the event.

Displays

Any private seller gets a stack of europallets as a basis for his or her display (L×W×H 80cm × 120cm × 72cm). You can build on it – the maximum height is 150cm for opaque surfaces due to fire regulations.

You will have to build your own display. Stack your mags, add some flashlights, a look-out, a pole for your speaking parrot – however you wish. Just make sure to build a safe construction! There might not be electricity at each individual space and wireless access is limited.

Prices

EUR 10 for a single space, EUR 50 for two pallets (small is beautiful). If you are a professional reseller, please let us know. It will be a little more expensive, but since you own a business, we hope you'll manage. All income will be reinvested into making this an awesome day! The money will be used to create a fine surrounding, to set up a bar and a help desk for all your questions, a charging station and other useful stuff.

What to bring

You can present, sell or swap magazines and other printed goods. If you want to sell anything else, please get in touch beforehand. There will be a food market and a kiosk which will offer drinks and snacks at fair prices.

Buildup

Buildup is between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, please register and pay during this period at the helpdesk on site.

Getting there

You can find us here: Halle 4, Stockmeyerstr. 41, 20457 Hamburg

Any questions?

Get in touch via e-mail, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – or browse our magazine collection on Tumblr. ヽ(°◇° )ノ

FAQ

General Questions

  • What is Indiecon?

    Indiecon is a festival for independent magazines. It includes a conference, to be held on Aug 25 – 26. This is issue four, in 2014, we explored what Indie is and constitutes. In 2015 we had a look at what it means to make a magazine and how it pays the bills. Last year's Indiecon focussed on the Indiemag community and its pioneering character.

    We are also running Indiemagday, a free trade zone for printed goods on Aug 27 at Hamburg’s Oberhafen.

  • The order form is not working

    Sorry for that. If you want to apply for Indiecon Conference, please send an email with the following information to info@diebrueder.com:

    Name
    Number of normal tickets:
    Number of business tickets:
    Billing Address:
    I publish:
    I want to visit Indiecon because:
    I am interested in presenting my mag at Indiemagday: yes/no]

    If you want to reserve a spot to exhibit and sell your magazines at Indiemagday, please send an email with the following information to info@diebrueder.com

    Name:
    I publish:
    Private Person / Reseller: yes/no
    Number of europallets:
    Billing address:

Indiecon

  • How do I get a ticket for the conference?

    You can apply for a ticket using the form on this website. We'll get back to you with confirmation as soon as possible. Why the formality? It's very simple: Indiecon is small and cosy and we only have 100 seats. That's why we prefer people who really produce a mag themselves. It makes no odds whether the circulation is 100 or 100,000. But if you yourself aren't publishing a magazine yet, it could be that we'd give someone else priority for the ticket. But please don't be upset! You can still be in on the act at #indiemagday at the Oberhafen.

  • Why have the prices gone up since last year?

    After every Indiecon we asked the guests whether they were fine with the pricing, and both times the majority said they would be ok with paying a little bit more. Same as publishing an independent magazine, Indiecon has been self-exploitation to a certain degree, and we try to reduce that at least for all our friends who are involved and cook, carry stuff or make music. Since Indiecon is still running as a non-profit project, you can be sure that all the money you spend will be used to make the festival a more worthwhile experience. Also - sorry to say that now - but you had the chance to buy an early bird ticket for the old price. Hope you're all ok with that.

  • I can’t pay that much. What can I do?

    We realise that 110 euros is a lot of money – especially if you’re currently putting all your time and cash into producing a magazine. But we promise you that Indiecon is worth it. And food and drinks are included. So please pay for a ticket if you possibly can. However, because we wouldn’t want to exclude anyone with a genuine burning interest in the subject, we are giving away a certain number of tickets to helpers this year, free of charge. You can apply for these by sending us an email (see above). And if it doesn’t work out, we’ll hopefully see each other at the open and public Indiemagday in the Oberhafen.

  • I’ve paid – where’s my ticket?

    We will send all tickets out in a batch at the beginning of August.

  • Is it possible to return the ticket?

    No, I’m afraid it isn’t – sorry. We need to be able to rely on our budgeting at least to that extent. But you can always transfer the tickets to someone else. Please give us a quick call if you plan to do that.

  • What will be done with my money?

    The revenue from the sale of tickets as well as the money from our supporters will cover the costs of the event: food, drinks, fringe programme, advertising, travel and accommodation for speakers and helpers. Indiecon is a non-profit, all revenue will go back into the event.

  • Do I have to register for sessions?

    There are only a limited number of places available for workshops on Saturday. We'll send you an e-mail in advance for pre-registration.

  • Are all the events in English?

    Some panel discussions and speeches are likely to be in English and some in German. We will try to provide professional translation (German/English only) on site.

  • Can I sell my magazine at Indiecon?

    You can of course sell your magazine at Indiemagday – just register by sending us an email (see above). You can also send us a sample copy and we’ll consider your mag for the shop at Indiecon Conference – no guarantees for that, though.

Indiemagday

  • How can I participate

    If you want to sell your own magazine, please register by sending us an e-mail (see above). If you just want to read and stroll it’s even easier: Just drop by.

    If you plan on selling anything but printed goods, please get in touch beforehand.

  • What are the prices?

    EUR 10 for a single space, EUR 50 for two pallets (small is beautiful). If you need another setup and/or if you are a professional reseller, please let us know. It will be a little more expensive, but since you own a business, we hope you’ll manage. All income will be reinvested into making this an awesome day! The money will be used to create a fine surrounding, to set up a bar and a help desk for all your questions, a charging station and other useful stuff.

  • Where can I put my magazines?

    Any private seller gets a stack of europallets as a basis for his or her display (L×W×H 80cm × 120cm × 72cm). You can build on it – the maximum height is 150cm for opaque surfaces due to fire regulations. You will have to build your own display. Stack your mags, add some flashlights, a look-out, a pole for your speaking parrot – however you wish. Just make sure to build a safe construction! There might not be electricity at each individual space and wireless access is limited.

  • When do I have to be there?

    Buildup is between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM, please register and pay during this period at the helpdesk on site.

  • What happens when I get hungry?

    There will be a food market and a kiosk which will offer drinks and snacks at fair prices.

  • Any other questions?

    Just ask: info@indiemags.de

Supporters

These companies and organisations help making Indiecon possible.

Friends