Colophon 2009 Kick Off at Press Conference in Luxembourg with (from left to right):
Mayor Paul Helminger, producer and curator Mike Koedinger, Casino Luxembourg Manager Jo Kox and Minister for Communications, Jean-Louis Schiltz.

Missing on the picture: Jeremy Leslie (UK) and Andrew Losowsky (USA), the two co-curators.

Only 5 weeks to go! Don’s miss it, register now

“A weekend devoted to the independent magazine scene, filled with encounters, exhibitions, talks, workshops, movies and networking events”

50 hours of talks, panel discussions, presentations. 15 exhbitions in 14 venues. Pre-Programme here.

Second edition of the international magazine symposium in Luxembourg.

Colophon is an international biennial which brings together in Luxembourg, during the weekend of March 13 to 15, 2009, a public from around the world to celebrate excellence and innovation in the independent magazine industry.

With a circuit of fifteen exhibitions spread across Luxembourg City and approximately forty hours of conferences, creative roundtables, presentations and workshops, Colophon reaches out to a number of different audiences. The symposium attracts an international crowd hailing from the four corners of the earth. For this second edition, the organisers are planning to transform the entire city for the duration of this one weekend in March. In addition to the symposium, which addresses both professionals and students, the Luxembourg general public and that of the Greater Region will be able to visit the many exhibitions, participate in the daytime workshops intended for children and attend the nightly festivities.

Initiated in 2005 by Mike Koedinger, Jeremy Leslie and Andrew Losowsky— three media professionals—, Colophon was born within the framework of “Luxembourg and the Greater Region, European Capital of Culture 2007” and in collaboration with Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain. Its success was instant with visitors coming from 25 different countries.

Political support

“For the City of Luxembourg, its trades people and its cultural players, Colophon 2009 is set to have an important economic impact, because it will be beneficial for consumption, especially if you consider the 2,000 nights of hotel bookings which it will generate,” says Paul Helminger, Mayor of the capital and ‘patron’ to the symposium. “But beyond this economic impact, it is also the positive impact on our brand image and the promotion of the City of Luxembourg throughout the whole world which is of interest to us.” And promotion there certainly will be, because if the event’s main purpose is to celebrate the independent magazine, the magazines return the favour  with gusto with more than one hundred of them offering up an advertising campaign diffused throughout 35 countries of the world at a value of approximately 450,000 €. To this effort can be added the related reports in the international press, newspapers, blogs and digital magazine sites on the Internet.

“It’s an event that perfectly articulates Luxembourg’s ambition to continue developing its role as a centre of excellence for the associated activities of the media and ICT. Colophon is a fresh illustration of the dynamism of the sector and helps to position Luxembourg on a new and promising axis,” declares Jean-Louis Schiltz, Minister for Communications and ‘patron’, within the Government, of the symposium.

“The independent magazine is at the centre of innovation in the written press”, explains Mike Koedinger, initiator and one of the curators. “It is a place of freedom and excellence in creation; where media professionals can express themselves without constraints. It is here that they create for themselves the trends of the international market.”

Exhibition Circuit

As far as the exhibitions go, a veritable circuit is proposed which winds its way through the capital. First stop is the Luxembourg Casino – Forum of contemporary art, to pick up the Colophon programme (10 € including its map of the city and valid entry to all the venues) and to see the first major exhibition “WE MAKE MAGAZINES” which allows you to discover 110 independent magazines, from 30 countries, in interviews, in pictures, and of course, to flip through.

Next, ten cultural venues – from gallery beaumontpublic to the Chapel of the Abbey Neumünster Cultural Arts Centre while passing by the Museum of the History of Luxembourg City or the kiosk of the AICA — will host the exhibitions for “TEN GUEST MAGAZINES”. From Berlin, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Paris and even from Mexico, these magazines, originating in ten different countries, will appropriate these Luxembourg cultural venues over the period of one weekend. Here one will find, among other things, Sang Bleu (subcultures and tattoos), Good (a magazine “for people who give a damn”), Kasino A4 (melancholic magazine), Volume (architectural project) or BabyBabyBaby (contemporary cultures).

Direction Mudam for “BEYOND KIOSK - MODES OF MULTIPLICATION” where Christoph Keller assembles 500 selected publications originating from his archives of 6,500 artists’ books, magazines, videos and catalogues. This itinerant and evolutionary show presents “the most relevant independent editions of contemporary art” and has been shown in twenty institutions since 2001. For its passage in Luxembourg, the installation of the publications is entrusted to Italian designer Martino Gamper.

Next, drop in at Extrabold to see the installation of Australian magazine SNEAKER FREAKER before going to the Carré Rotondes for the two “Luxembourg” exhibitions. DESIGN BACKSTAGE where the Design Luxembourg association is showing samples of work from a score of its members to demonstrate the importance of design beyond its aesthetic aspect. “Good design solves problems and adds value to products and services,” underlines president Guido Wolf. And to finish, tribute to CAFÉ CRÈME, the first international magazine published in Luxembourg. “During our ten years of existence, from 1986 to 1995, we displayed the work of approximately 150 contemporary photographers,” explains Paul di Felice and Pierre Stiwer, the founders of Café Crème.

All the exhibitions will be open throughout the weekend, but they can also be visited during the NIGHT of the MAGAZINE Friday March 13 when all the locations will welcome visitors until 10 PM, after which the party continues at the Carré Rotondes.

The symposium

A hyper intensive programme encompassing forty hours of presentations and discussions spread out over the three days of the symposium in two distinct spaces at the Luxembourg Casino – Forum of contemporary art.

And just like any real magazine, the symposium will be informative and diverting at the same time. Thus, it will propose many formats: panel discussions, lectures, on stage interviews-dialogues, Pecha Kucha presentations (presenting an idea in 20 images, each one has the screen for no more, and no less, than 20 seconds) or markets for photography portfolios and graphic illustration that bring together a hundred creatives.

And how, with all these magazine lovers united in one place, could they not want to launch the creation of a new magazine together? The three curators take up the challenge and invite the public to collaborate and carry out, together, a 100 page magazine over the course of the three days. To facilitate this, a “newspaper office - graphic studio” workshop will be installed at the Casino Luxembourg and, through periodic multiple briefings, the missions will be given out to interested parties. At the symposium closing, during a ceremony with the participation of Minister Jean-Louis Schiltz, the digital version of the magazine will be shown on the big screen at the Philharmonie.

To prolong the pleasure, a film cycle dedicated to media is on the programme at the Municipal Cinematheque during the month of March, and a kiosk of magazines of the world will be installed at the Luxembourg Casino in collaboration with Fellner Art Books.

In spite of the fact that the financing is not yet entirely in place, Mike Koedinger remains optimistic a few weeks before the event: “We have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the Government, of the City of Luxembourg, and of many cultural institutions and private cultural players as well as private partners. We have succeeded in getting all its actors to collaborate in making Luxembourg the place of excellence to accommodate this international event. And today we ask that Colophon be perennialised to become ‘Colophon - International Independent Magazine Biennial’ in Luxembourg.”

1. Pecha Kucha Presentations
2. My favourite Magazine – Shows
3. Portfolios’ Markets: Photography, Illustration & Editorial Design
4. Making a Magazine
5. Magazine Store
6. Playlists by Magazines

In three one-hour-sessions, twenty-one creatives will broadcast their ideas thoughts on the themes: « What is a Magazine ? », « The perfect magazine » and « My Colophon 2009 ».

Each presentation will show 20 images during for exactly 20 seconds each, after which they must stop talking. Hosted by Philippe Schlesser, the Luxembourg Ambassador for Pecha Kucha Nights.

Why not join in? - CALL FOR ENTRIES

How does a Pecha Kucha Session work ?

1. Choose one or more of the three themes (see above)
    
2. For all but « My Colophon2009 ». You send us an e-mail with following information: - the selected your chosen theme, - a name / title for your show, - if possible:  two lines about your basic idea of your show. For all themes, send us - your details (firstname name, profession, company/organisation, city and country as well as URL, e-mail, mobile nr).
    
3. Wait to receive a confirmation of your registration (after selection).
    
4. Create a Powerpoint-compatible file with 20 visuals. (Keynote and other formats are NOT accepted), or a folder with your name as the title, containing 20 JPGs  (max file size 450kb) numbered with your initials in the following format : PK-001.jpg, PK-002.jpg, etc.
    
5. For all but « My Colophon2009 » send your 20 visuals to pechakucha@colophon2009.com asap, first in, first served.. For “My Colophon2009”. email the slides to us by 12pm on Sunday.
    
6. Show up at the venue min. 20 minutes before the show starts (see timetable)
    
7. Present! Each person shows 20 images. You have 20 seconds to show each image. You have no control over this. It will be programmed on a computer, so you should be fast and we recommend you practice your presentation. The presenstation should be in English.
   For hints on how to present at Pecha Kucha, read this article :
   http://www.aqworks.com/2007/07/03/pecha-kucha-nights-and-beer-a-sober-guide-to-better-presentation-skills/

In three one-hour-sessions, one on each day of Colophon2009, twelve magazine-lovers will talk about «their favourite magazine » for 12 minutes each.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

1. Select your favourite magazine! It can be a single issue of a magazine, or your favourite magazine brand.
    
2. Tell us briefly who you are, what your favourite magazine is and (very briefly) why. Send a mail to favmag@colophon2009.com and let us know on which day(s) you would be available (see timetable, there’s a show on everyone of the 3 days)
    
3. If chosen, you’ll receive confirmation and info in which session you’ll be in.
    
4. You travel to Luxembourg, bring one or more copies of your favourite magazine, and show up min. 20 minutes before the show starts (see timetable)
    
5. You’ll get introduced and then invited to speak (in English) for 12 min. about your favourite magazine. We won’t be using Powerpoint for these sessions – instead we’ll have a live camera filming down onto you flipping through the pages while talking, and the images will be shown live behind you on the big screen.

In seven themed one-hour-sessions, approx. 100 photographers, illustrators and designers, professionals and students, will be invited to display their work and be available for face-to-face discussions.

CALL FOR ENTRIES

1. Select 5-10 works and send them to portfolio@colophon2009.com before February 12th. Write in the subject of the mail the name of the session (example: photography / professsional; illustration / student)
    
2. Tell us briefly who you are (first name name, company/organisation/school, city and country, URL, email and mobile number). And don’t forget to let us know on which day(s) you would be available (see timetable, there’s a marketplace on everyone of the three days).
    
3. If chosen, you’ll receive confirmation and info on which session you’ll be in.
    
4. You travel to Luxembourg, bring your portfolio (print or laptop) and show up min. 20 minutes before the marketplace begins to be assigned your table.
    
5. You’ll have one hour to show your work, make contacts and get new work!

In just three days, the visitors of Colophon 2009 will make a 100-page magazine. There will be an initial briefing by the curators and the editor, a flatplan and a call for entries for writers, photographers, illustrators and designers. About 55 hours later, a magazine will be published online and sent to print. In the « We Make a Magazine »  room, all editors and designers, writers and visual artists at Colophon2009 will be invited to produce the magazine. Seven « Editor’s Briefings » will be given, each containing missions for those in attendance and the Colophon Team,along with internationally acclaimed art directors and editors, will help make it happen.

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Register now to be a part of the team!

1. Write us a quick mail and tell us who you are and what you do : makingamagazine@colophon2009.com
    
2. You’ll get a mission statement and a listing of missions, deadlines, etc.
    
3. Show up on Friday March 13th at 11am at the «Making a Magazine»-Room at Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain. There will be several «Editors’ Briefing»-Session and «Collecting and selecting the work»-sessions over the weekend (see timetable).

Buy independent magazines from around the world at our special temporary magazine store, created in collaboration with Fellner Art Books (www.fellnerbooks.com). Magazine publishers can get their publications in the store by registering here: www.colophon2009.com/store

While chatting, grabbing a sandwich, and browsing magazines, listen to music selected specially selected by 30 different magazines from around the world.

> CALL FOR ENTRIES : Create the soundtrack to Colophon2009!

1. Select 60 minutes of music that both represents your magazine and is suitable for the relaxing atmosphere of a magazine lounge (where people read and talk)
    
2. Send a CD of the music, including a track listing, to : Colophon2009, Playlist, PO Box 728, L-2017 Luxembourg (Europe) before Feb 20th.
    
3. Send a mail to playlist@colophon2009.com with a) a listing of the tracks of your playlist (name of songs, interprets), and b) the latest cover of the magazine, c) firstname, name, function of the person who did the selection
    
4. Come to Colophon2009 and enjoy the music!

Challenged? Read this!

Find our Partner Hotels here!

Download hotel list (pdf, 1.14MB)

Under the Patronage of Mr Paul Helminger, Mayor of Luxembourg-City

Under the Patronage of Mr Jean-Louis Schiltz, Luxembourg’s Minister for Communications

With the kind support of the Ministry of the Economy & Foreign Trade

And the Minister of Tourism

National Office of Tourism

Luxembourg City Tourist Office

University of Luxembourg

Thank you to all our Media Partners, as we have crossed 100 partners!

But Colophon wants another 30! Help us to promote the culture and industry of the independent magazine and be one of 150 international magazines supporting Colophon. To join Colophon, say « We want to become a Media Partner! » here.