Heard of slow food? In the age of instant communication, there is a slow words movement at hand. The Philadelphia based literary magazine
Apiary is set to release its second issue on June 3 with a
First Friday launch party at The Painted Bride Art Center, which includes a screening of Apiary's public access show,
The Apiary Mixtape.
The 150 plus page illustrated semiannual, brought to life by a $4,000
Kickstarter campaign, has quickly attracted top names in the city's literary community, including Jim Cory, Lamont Steptoe, Nina 'Lyrispect' Ball and Janet Mason, but even more impressive are Apiary's young contributors, who represent the great diversity of culture to be found in Philadelphia.
Lillian Dunn is one of the founders of Apiary and serves on the editorial team, which, she says, reflects the diversity of Apiary's content. "Two of us live in South Philly, one in North Philly, and one in West Philly." Apiary was partially inspired by a multicultural reading series run by co-editor Tamara Oakman.
"We started out of a desire to read something exciting," says recent Swarthmore College graduate Dunn, who considers Apirary a much needed central location for writing not seen elsewhere. "Literature is one way to access other people's reality. It makes your brain light up in a way that statistics don't."
The Apiary website has a
comprehensive local literary calendar that will have your head spinning, listing multiple events nearly every day of the month.
Apiary's upcoming launch party at the Painted Bride promises a cross section of Philly literary scenes, a mission the magazine takes to heart, with MC J Mase III, members of the Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement, readings from Apiary authors, plus live music from Kuf Knotz and jazz trio Peace Love Power The Unity. Issues of Apiary will be available at the event or at these local outlets: Bindlestiff Books, Penn Book Center, Brickbat Books and Wooden Shoe.
Source: Lillian Dunn, Apiary Magazine
Writer: Sue Spolan