#I went out and bought this magazine for you fellow Unis!

[shint0buri]

Yuto for Junon magazine, May 2022

[rummitummi-blog]

The state of undervalued design in SG

I’ve thought about this for a really long time, and something I’ve come to realise after being Melbourne for 10 months is that design is so completely underrated and undervalued in Singapore, and I do think it is part of the reason why our design/arts scene is so underdeveloped for an economically thriving city.

Just this morning, I went for the Melbourne Art Book Fair and checked out a whole bunch of independent writers, poets and artists, and then I bought 2 copies of this indie magazine that I really liked. It didn’t come cheap- at $25 a copy, I debated with myself if I really had to have it because it’s not a need, plus I’d have to lug it back home to Singapore in May. But then I texted my sis and she kinda reaffirmed that I should get it, because really, how many of such high quality magazines can we find back home?

I spoke to Beth, the editor and designer who started the magazine and learnt a little about her motivations for starting it, and how she basically quite her full-time job to do this. Later on, at a panel discussion that I managed to catch, the 4 different indie magazine editors talked about how they made their magazine, and about the different hurdles they had to jump over to make their magazines a reality.

A little about what I learnt

1. Publishing a magazine (without the ugly ads we hate in commercial ones) is really expensive. I still remember all the times in uni when we had to print our portfolios and each 30 page a5 booklet with perfect binding would cost something like $75 and up, and sure even with bulk copies, the prices don’t go down that much unless huge print runs are made (like commercial mags). So I do think that as readers, if we love the content, we shouldn’t be cheap about asking why the magazine is so expensive. If we don’t pay for it, who’s going to feed the editors and contributors? My principle is to pay for value. Honestly, after asking myself, the only magazines that are rip offs are the commercially “mid-range” priced ones with boatloads of gossip and fodder that do nothing for your brains.

2. None of these publishers were willing to compromise quality just to feed their readers stupid ugly ads that had no place in the publication. This is why I love indie magazines! They all wanted to put out only the best content, and if they were going to have ads, that the ads actually appealed to their readers and were relevant. Seriously, many indie magazines have to put out the highest quality content because it’s so important to sell each copy when they are mostly self-funded.

3. The publishers produce great content and pay their writers, photographers, designers to produce that high quality print we love, so why are we always so cheap? I have so much respect for the people who start something and remunerate fairly, and then only paying themselves last. In no way am I being sponsored but I do think there is a reason beautiful independent magazines cost so much - it is more than just the content but the presentation, and the user experience! The paper stock we love, the on-point colours, and binding, they have their details cared for. It’s the reason why some magazines are just more enjoyable to read because you don’t notice how easy it is to flip through it. 

A good way to think about it is that if we don’t support the people who make things we love, the work they do is going to be unsustainable for them and then, magazines (or crafts, etc.) we love will disappear. ):

Which leads me to the 4th point, or my tiny epiphany..

4. We don’t have enough money, and never will feel like we have enough, but support for the arts is important unless we want beauty to die out. For years, I’ve heard all my friends and fellow design practitioners complain about how the art and design scene in Singapore SUCKS BIG TIME. How everything is so sterile, so commercial, and made for the masses. “Singaporeans go to museums to take insta-worthy photos and call themselves cultured”, is something I’ve heard over and over. But if we expect only our government to fund the arts scene, how far can that go? Isn’t that why all the creatives who are serious about their craft and wanting to be at the top of their game leaving the country?

Most times (and alot of times in Singapore) people like to be cheap and have everything for free, and we all know a creative sibling, relative, or friend whose work we think is absolutely gorgeous, but who is always busy with projects and yet still struggling financially and not being paid his/ her dues. Shouldn’t we as consumers, try to change that by actively validating their work and not asking them to do things for us for free? Or by asking for “discounts” all the time?

-

What are your thoughts about paying for creative works? Or what is a fair payment for your photographers, designers, videographers or architects, etc ?