ABOUTStorytelling is a very powerful tool and throughout history we have used narratives to change people’s vision of the world, to create culture. Stories have the unique power to inform the uninformed and allow people to imagine alternative views of what society can be. They can be passed down through the generations in a similar way to a family heirloom. Throughout the history of the Left people have told stories of unrepresented voices and the unheard to help inspire meaningful change.
Never before has there been a greater need for an alternative vision for society, with the mainstream media co-opted by a small group of billionaires to project their ideals of what society should be for their own narrow selfish interests. How many property shows are there? How many shows are there promoting celebrity culture? How many law and order shows are there? Stories that give another account of society’s injustices or that celebrate everyday life have over time been squeezed out of the national dialogue. Corporations use advertising to bombard the public through every avenue possible, in every corner of life, spending billions of pounds in the process. The right wing media have in effect created a tight grip on the national narrative.
Left Cultures is a contemporary space to champion all kinds of voices on the Left, whether that be Socialist, Communist, Anarchist or anything in between. The Left has always been fizzing with ideas to change society and Left Cultures 1 will be celebrating the Left’s cultural past, discussing gems of storytelling within film, literature, music, art and poetry. It will do this by asking over 50 culture creators practicing today who are willing to stand up and fight for their beliefs to tell a personal story of how culture from the past has influenced and inspired them. All the points of reference from both past and present come together to make a wonderfully rich, diverse and beautifully illustrated lexicon of Left Culture. As Tony Benn said ‘there is no final victory, as there is no final defeat. There is just the same battle. To be fought, over and over again. So, toughen up, bloody toughen up’.
Purchase Issue 1.
Never before has there been a greater need for an alternative vision for society, with the mainstream media co-opted by a small group of billionaires to project their ideals of what society should be for their own narrow selfish interests. How many property shows are there? How many shows are there promoting celebrity culture? How many law and order shows are there? Stories that give another account of society’s injustices or that celebrate everyday life have over time been squeezed out of the national dialogue. Corporations use advertising to bombard the public through every avenue possible, in every corner of life, spending billions of pounds in the process. The right wing media have in effect created a tight grip on the national narrative.
Left Cultures is a contemporary space to champion all kinds of voices on the Left, whether that be Socialist, Communist, Anarchist or anything in between. The Left has always been fizzing with ideas to change society and Left Cultures 1 will be celebrating the Left’s cultural past, discussing gems of storytelling within film, literature, music, art and poetry. It will do this by asking over 50 culture creators practicing today who are willing to stand up and fight for their beliefs to tell a personal story of how culture from the past has influenced and inspired them. All the points of reference from both past and present come together to make a wonderfully rich, diverse and beautifully illustrated lexicon of Left Culture. As Tony Benn said ‘there is no final victory, as there is no final defeat. There is just the same battle. To be fought, over and over again. So, toughen up, bloody toughen up’.
Purchase Issue 1.
TEAM
Phil Wrigglesworth -
Concept, Editorial and Creative Direction
Colum Leith - Editorial Direction
Marco Ugolini - Graphic Design
Axel Feldmann - Image Treatment
Hollin Jones - Copy Editor
Heather Savage - Social Media
Jack Jones - Website Design
Published by Left Cultures, leftcultures.com
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter
STOCKISTS
AKIN, Norwich
Arnolfini, Bristol
Book Haus, Bristol
Bookmarks, London
Colne Bookshop, Colne
Colours May Vary, Leeds
Dundee Contemporary, Dundee
Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham
Forma Arts and Media, London
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburugh
Good Press, Glasgow
Here Gallery, Bristol
Housmans Bookshop, London
La Biblioteka, Sheffield
Lighthouse, Edinburgh
Magalleria, Bath
Magculture, London
Magazine Heaven, London + North Hants
News From, Nowhere Liverpool
October Books, Southampton
Pics and Ink, Croydon
Pigeon Books, Portsmouth
Rare Mags, Stockport
Storysmith, Bristol
Rubicund, Falmouth
Unitom, Manchester
Village Books, Leeds + Manchester
INTERNATIONAL
Edicola 518, Perugia Italy
Frabs Magazines, Forli Italy
IMS Kaasrui, Antwerp Belgium
Multi Arts, Taiwan
NIBS, Melbourne Australia
Papercut, Stockholm Sweden
Reading Room, Milan Italy
Rosa Wolf, Berlin Germany
The Athenaeum, Amsterdamn Holland
Phil Wrigglesworth -
Concept, Editorial and Creative Direction
Colum Leith - Editorial Direction
Marco Ugolini - Graphic Design
Axel Feldmann - Image Treatment
Hollin Jones - Copy Editor
Heather Savage - Social Media
Jack Jones - Website Design
Published by Left Cultures, leftcultures.com
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter
STOCKISTS
AKIN, Norwich
Arnolfini, Bristol
Book Haus, Bristol
Bookmarks, London
Colne Bookshop, Colne
Colours May Vary, Leeds
Dundee Contemporary, Dundee
Five Leaves Bookshop, Nottingham
Forma Arts and Media, London
Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburugh
Good Press, Glasgow
Here Gallery, Bristol
Housmans Bookshop, London
La Biblioteka, Sheffield
Lighthouse, Edinburgh
Magalleria, Bath
Magculture, London
Magazine Heaven, London + North Hants
News From, Nowhere Liverpool
October Books, Southampton
Pics and Ink, Croydon
Pigeon Books, Portsmouth
Rare Mags, Stockport
Storysmith, Bristol
Rubicund, Falmouth
Unitom, Manchester
Village Books, Leeds + Manchester
INTERNATIONAL
Edicola 518, Perugia Italy
Frabs Magazines, Forli Italy
IMS Kaasrui, Antwerp Belgium
Multi Arts, Taiwan
NIBS, Melbourne Australia
Papercut, Stockholm Sweden
Reading Room, Milan Italy
Rosa Wolf, Berlin Germany
The Athenaeum, Amsterdamn Holland