‘Island’ magazine partners with MONA

Monday, 2 March 2015 Books+Publishing

Tasmania-based literary magazine Island has announced it will form a ‘literary partnership’ with Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).

The partnership initially involves the magazine being promoted by the museum, which attracts around 300,000 visitors a year. MONA will also be ‘invited to submit bespoke content and ideas for Island to consider’.

‘[Island editor Matthew] Lamb and [MONA founder David] Walsh see the partnership as essentially using MONA as a framing device to help put Island magazine on show, to help amplify its explorations of all aspects of literary culture. So if Island is seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of MONA,’ the magazine said in a statement.

In an introductory note to the next issue of Island, Walsh writes: ‘My lust for literature, and my lust for collecting, has led me to seek a trophy journal.’

According to the Australian, Walsh has invited Island readers to contact him if they’re opposed to his involvement, suggesting that if enough readers do so he will step back and simply make a financial contribution to the magazine—‘although a financial contribution is not something that Island has sought from me’.

The partnership coincides with the magazine’s recent announcement that it will be print-only from 2015, and will increase its print run by 200% and add more stockists.

Category: Local news