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Elska – A year of local boys and local stories

web-300-2Elska Magazine which was launched one year ago, is celebrating its first anniversary this month.

Elska has been making its mark as a unique and groundbreaking member of the small community of national LGBT publications.

Its simple goal is to meet, photograph, and present the local men living in cities around the world and has become acknowledged as an honest, unbiased and authentic title.

For each issue, Elska’s small team travels to a different city and takes to social media to call for local men of all ages, races, sizes, and styles to participate.

There is no selection process, no specific type of man sought – everyone is welcome. Then each person gets a photoshoot out in the city or in their home, wearing their own clothes or nothing at all. The images are un-airbrushed, the locations are real, and the themes are always about the person, giving a most personal experience.

Adding to that intimate feeling is that each person writes a short story from their life in the city to accompany their photo spread, letting you get to know them and their town, and reminding you that these are not just models but real people.

web-300“In the beginning, Elska was just an experiment”, says editor and founder Liam Campbell. “I loved travel, culture, language, and photography; and I wanted to find some way to mix it all together. I just went to that first city, Lviv, shot a bunch of guys, and stuck them in a zine with some stories. But then I started to hear from readers about how much Elska touched them, how seeing all kinds of men, all treated as equally beautiful, lifted them. In a world where it can feel like the only way to be validated is to look like a porn star, Elska shows other types of men, yet without fetishising them. But that doesn’t mean we won’t include a guy just ‘cos he’s pretty – everyone is welcome!”

In its first year Elska released seven ‘bookazines’: Lviv (Ukraine), Berlin (Germany), Reykjavík (Iceland), Lisbon (Portugal), Taipei (Taiwan), Istanbul (Turkey), and Cardiff (Wales).

The coming year will see Elska expand its portfolio, covering issues in Europe, Asia, North America. Toronto (Canada) will be the eighth edition.

Elska Magazine is sold in over thirty-five retailers worldwide or for order online.

In addition to the classic print ‘bookazine’, there is also a tablet/iPad version.

For a list of stockists and details of the subscription service, click here:

Council admits error at historic Woodingdean site

Anger as City Council admits error resulting in the erection of phone mast at historic Woodingdean site.

web-600Woodingdean residents are furious following a mistake by Brighton and Hove Council’s Planning Department which has resulted in the erection of a 12.5 metre telephone monopole and two equipment cabinets on Warren Road in front of the area’s historic cottages.

The error has come to light following an investigation by local Councillor Dee Simson after initial construction of the equipment cabinets began last week despite permission for the telecommunications company’s initial application in March being refused on May 23.

After requesting Planning Enforcement officers attend the scene, Cllr Simson was later notified that council officers had failed to issue the decision notice outlining the refusal in the required time of 56 days.

Cllr Dee Simpson
Cllr Dee Simpson

Cllr Simson said: “The incompetence in this whole situation is unbelievable. Woodingdean residents are now left with a 12.5metre phone mast that should never have been allowed to be erected. Residents met their democratic obligations by submitting written objections to the mast along with myself and others so why can’t the council fulfil theirs? The people of Woodingdean are quite understandably very upset that such a structure is being placed in front of the village’s historic cottages which they consider precious to the community. It will completely change the street scene.”

Councillor Steve Bell added: “It is not good enough for the Council to simply apologise for an error of this kind which has only come to light because I pushed for further investigation. Something must be done.”

 

 

Sign up for MindOut’s Living Library

MindOut is again joining up with the University of Brighton to run a Living Library – where people are the books and students are the readers.

web-600Students will get the opportunity to meet and discuss the experience of living with a stigmatised identity from the Human Books. These events have been described as “life-changing” and “eye-opening”

♦ You can get involved!
♦ Be a Book for a day

Talk 1-1 to readers about your book title and respond to any questions they may have about your lived experience.

Examples of titles include: bisexual parent, genderqueer, male anorexia, refugee, self-harm, anxiety.

There will be two library events but you don’t have to take part in both.

You can be an Assistant Librarian for a day

Help support the smooth running of the event by explaining the ground rules to each reader and book, introducing readers to their books and ensuring both have good support.


Event: MindOut’s Living Library

Where: Brighton University, Falmer Campus

When: Tuesday, October 25 & Tuesday, November 1

Training provided: Monday October 17

For more information, or to sign up, email: emma.crossland@mindout.org.uk

Or telephone: 01273 234 839

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