The CSPA QUARTERLY is currently seeking a (Co) Lead Editor to work with our current Lead Editor in sustaining the publication and transitioning to eventually become a Lead Editor themselves.
The CSPA Quarterly is a publication arm of the Centre for Sustainable Arts. It is meant to give a longer format and deeper space for exploration than some online platforms provide, and to reflect the myriad ways in which sustainability in the arts is discussed, approached and practiced. The publication features reviews, interviews, features, artist pages, essays, reflections and photos. It is a snapshot of a moment in time, a look at the many discussions in sustainability and the arts through the lens of a particular theme. It is part of a rigorous dialogue.
Our reach is wide: we want it to be wider.
We have more than 6,000 followers on social media, more than 1,500 subscribers to our email newsletter, our website receives 3,500-6,000 hits per month. Our CSPA Quarterly is accessed by institutions and artists worldwide via JSTOR and other platforms. We are a crucial resource for artists and art organizations who are researching, embodying, promoting and re-inventing sustainability.
This Co-Lead Editor would work with us to:
- Assist in developing an archival, digital publication of the CSPA Quarterly
- Assist in developing and sustaining new income streams for the CSPA Quarterly
- Plan issues for 2024 and beyond, assuming sole Lead Editorship in that year
- Sustain the Quarterly and its continued relevance.
This is a volunteer position. We know how that sounds. Currently, the CSPA works within a hybrid academic/commercial context, where the labor of editing and contributing is seen as an extension of academic research, and is therefore unpaid. It currently exists and functions on systems of privilege, based on the income, time, and access of its organizers. That’s a problem we want to change.
Our current income streams include:
- Fees from publication access on JSTOR
- University Grants
- Issue purchases on MagCloud
- Subscriptions on Patreon
Right now, these incomes only cover Quarterly design costs. But we’d like to change that. We’re looking for someone to help us amplify our current efforts at generating revenue and supporting our contributors. We want to pay people. The Lead Editor position at the Quarterly has always been volunteer/unpaid, with contributors and Guest Editors receiving a free subscription for their work.
We’d like to build on our crucial work thus far, and stand even more firmly at the nexus between academic and popular research in Sustainable Practice in the Arts. We’re seeking someone with resources that would enable them to engage in this work, and who could use those resources to expand our platform to those who do not have such access. We need someone who is passionate about our efforts, extending opportunities to others, and amplifying the fantastic work of the many artists engaging with sustainability on a cultural, ecological, social and economic level. We hope that person is you.
Please send letters of interest and a website or CV to editor@sustainablepractice.org
