Another year? Get used to it!

Here’s how you know another year has passed. You find yourself hesitating before writing a date on something: two thousand and…what? (It’s one reason cheques are increasingly rare – people muck up the year for most of January.) Second, you’re no longer sure which decade is called ‘the noughties’ (or was that a music-hall show?) and all the fuss about the Y2K Bug seems like a long time ago. Third, you’re putting up a new calendar.

The 2012 calendar is on sale now for just $5 and by buying one, you’re  supporting one of the many vendors all around Australia who are improving their personal circumstances by selling copies of The Big Issue. In 2011, we celebrated our 15th birthday, quite an achievement when many print publications are dying or have seen sales dwindle alarmingly. In 2012 – is that it really, already? – we will pass another milestone when our 400th edition is released. Four hundred of anything is generally impressive: the sports-minded may know already that only one batsman has made 400 runs in a test innings – Brian Lara of the West Indies, in 2004. (File that away for your next trivia night.) What else will we achieve? Perhaps I’ll get back to you about that in this space in a year’s time.

The calendar has evolved into a showcase of what The Big Issue magazine, published fortnightly, is all about. You’ll see many of the regular features: cartoons by Andrew Weldon, with us since the first edition in 1996; profiles of some of the magazine’s vendors; and a sampling of the artwork that gives The Big Issue its distinctive look. This year we feature some of our favourite illustrations from 2011 as well as vendor portrait photography by Andy Rasheed, James Braund, Paul Giggle, Arunas Klupsas, Ben Davies, Ross Swanborough and Peter Holcroft.

One last thing: while all in favour of recycling, I have a request. Keep this calendar. Some of the contributors may become even more illustrious than they are already. And, in time, 2012 may seem as distant as Y2K.

Alan Attwood, Editor of The Big Issue

We’re also holding an event  as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival on 27 August. Fiction edition co-editors, Melissa Cranenburgh and Jo Case will chat with writers Nick Earls and Peggy Frew. More details and tickets here.

Fiction edition giveaway (it’s pretty good!)

We’ll also be doing an excellent reader giveaway with this special upcoming edition. A Big Issue reader will win four books by four of our great fiction edition writers.

The books are: House of Sticks by Peggy  Frew, The Fix by Nick Earls, Bereft by Chris Womersley (which was shortlisted for the 2011 Miles Franklin Award) and Dark Palace by Frank Moorhouse (which won the Miles Franklin in 2001).

To be in the running, you need to write a letter to the editor (100 words or less) for publication on the Big Issue’s ‘Your Say’ page. Submissions must be  in no later than Monday 22 August. You can write about pretty much anything you think will interest our readers (although we don’t so much enjoy roadkill frittata recipes, deranged frittata conspiracy theories and/or shaggy-frittata tales). It’s going to be pretty competitive this edition, so an industrial-strength suck-up letter about how much you love The Big Issue is obviously your best bet if you’re serious about winning.

Send your ‘Your Say’ letter to editorial@bigissue.org.au. Good luck!

Apart from illustrating for The Big Issue and other magazines and newspapers, Michel has also done some great work for book publishers here and overseas. Check out Michel’s website (it’s pretty impressive!) to see more of his published work.

For more info on tonight’s talk, visit the event’s Facebook page or visit the Enmore Talks page on the Sydney Design website.

The authors selected in the open submissions category are: Laura Jean McKay, Nic Low, Josephine Rowe, Krissy Kneen, Catherine Harris and Emma Schwarcz. The edition will also feature commissioned stories from Frank Moorhouse, Nick Earls, Charlotte Wood, Chris Womersley, Peggy Frew and Amanda Lohrey.

With a whopping 16 extra pages, the seventh fiction edition will be the BIGGEST ever. Not to mention an impressive collection of local literary talent.

Sadly it will also be former books editor Jo Case’s last fiction edition. After a long association with the magazine, and three editions as the co-editor, Jo will be moving on. All the more reason to get your paws on the new edition when it is in NSW and Victoria on 26 August and in other states by 29 August.

For readers in Melbourne, there will be an official launch of the fiction edition at Readings St Kilda on 30 August, timed to coincide with the Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF).

And the edition’s co-editors will be joined by authors Nick Earls and Peggy Frew at Big Shorts, a panel about the collection at MWF on 27 August. Festival-goers can also pick up a copy of the edition from a Big Issue vendor at Federation Square after the event.

The event was hosted by Mark Carmody (ABC weather presenter in Canberra) and attended by the Minister for Community services, Joy Burch. The ACT Street Soccer team (who won the recent National Championships) mingled with the crowds and enjoyed loads of delicious birthday cake. Even the Canberra Times was nice to us! They interviewed ACT vendor Edmund and wrote this great story about our birthday.

“Our class visited The Big Issue Classroom and were inspired to really make a difference and spread the message about what they learned about homelessness,” teacher Kirsty Letts said.

“They decided to write and record a song in an attempt to spread awareness.”

The CD will be sold to students, staff and parents for $4, with proceeds going towards purchasing a magazine subscription through The Big Issue’s Women’s Subscription Enterprise – an initiative providing work, training and pathway opportunities for homeless women.

The Big Issue runs several social enterprises including a street magazine, a women’s subscription enterprise and a street soccer program. All provide opportunities for homeless and marginalised men and women to positively change their lives. Since 2009, The Big Issue has also run The Big Issue Classroom for schools to help educate students about homelessness and disadvantage.

National Operations Manager Sally Hines applauded the students for their initiative: “With more than 100,000 homeless people on the streets each night, tackling homelessness is everyone’s responsibly, so it’s wonderful to see these students do their bit to make a difference.”

The CD was launched at the school on June 24. Anyone interested in buying a copy can contact the school on 9700 1333.

Having helped thousands of Australians who have experienced homelessness get back on their feet, The Big Issue today celebrates its 15th anniversary.

CEO Steven Persson said the occasion marked a major milestone for the country’s largest and most successful social enterprise.

“The Big Issue has changed the lives of thousands of homeless and marginalised men and women by giving them the chance to earn an income and reconnect with the community,” Mr Persson said.

The social enterprise started with a street magazine, which was launced on the steps of Flinders Street Station in June 1996. It has grown to include three other programs: The Community Street Soccer Program, The Big Issue Classroom and, most recently, The Big Issue Women’s Subscription Enterprise. All provide opportunities for homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people to positively change their lives.

Since inception, The Big Issue magazine’s brightly clad vendors have sold more than six million magazines on streets across the country, earning more than $13.2 million in income.

Editor Alan Attwood said the magazine’s growing popularity was reflected by the latest Roy Morgan readership figures, which show a 57% readership increase to 242,000 a fortnight in the year to March, the largest percentage increase among magazines in Australia.

“The magazine has struck a chord with readers – it’s surviving, and indeed growing at a time when print publications are struggling. Our 15th anniversary gives our vendors and readers the opportunity to rflect on how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved together.”

Vendors buy the magazine for $2.50 and sell it for $5, pocketing the difference. Since 1996, about 3500 people acriss Australia have been recruited and trained as vendors. There are currently more than 450 vendors nationally, including 138 in Victoria.

Also in this issue:

As the world turns to digital cameras, photojournalist Steve McCurry takes the last roll of Kodachrome slide film on a farewell tour; Anna Krien talks to author Jay Griffiths about her fictionalised retelling of the passionate life of Frida Kahlo; after grappling with literary giant, Shakespeare, director Kenneth Branagh’s next challenge is comic-book Norse gods; and in ‘Roving Eye’ a professional photographer leaves his bulky equipment at home and photographs Vietnam the way a tourist would.

Our ‘Vendor Profile’ is Chris from Canberra. This issue’s ‘Streetsheet’ contributors are from Melbourne vendors De and Wayne, Jan from Canberra and Frank from Perth. There’s also an artwork by Adrian from Melbourne.

Ms Kent will offer her personal insight on the Prime Minister’s take on female leadership, drawing on the interviews she conducted for the 2009 biography.

She joins keynote speaker, Carol Schwartz AM, a leading Melbourne philanthropist and businesswoman, member of the City of Melbourne Enterprise Advisory Board and Chairman of Our Community.

The Third Sector Women’s Leadership Seminar is an event for professionals interested in leadership in business, the community, and politics.With an initial focus on women, speakers will also draw more widely on their greater experience to provide insight into leadership development of relevance to all sectors. There will also be ample professional development and networking opportunities in the panel session and interactive workshop.

The program includes:

• Presentation from acclaimed biographer Jacqueline Kent, author of The Making of Julia Gillard.
• Keynote Address by Carol Schwartz AM, a leading Melbourne philanthropist and businesswoman. Ms Schwartz is Executive in Residence at the Melbourne Business School, member of the City of Melbourne Enterprise Advisory Board, director of the philanthropic Trawalla Foundation, Chairman of Our Community and Deputy Chair of the Australian Women Donors Network.
• Presenters Jo Swift CEO of Kids Undercover and Patrizia Torelli Chair of OnSide Victoria. Ms Swift will talk about organisational change and the leadership required to achieve business goals, and Ms Torelli will talk about leadership interaction amongst culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Victoria.
• Professional development and networking opportunities during the interactive panel session, workshop, and during the buffet-style lunch.
• Workshop with SACS Consulting, a human resource and organisational psychology consulting firm, on the myths and truths of leadership development.

The Seminar will be held on Wednesday 21 July, from 9.00am–4.00pm at Rydges on Swanston, Carlton, Victoria.

Registration has been discounted to $479 for all not-for-profit and community organisations. A donation of $50 from each registration will be made to the International Women’s Development Agency.

Visit www.celebratethirdsectorwomen.com.au for more information, or contact Stephanie Fielden on 03 9248 5175 or at conferences@gs-press.com.au

Register NOW to avoid missing out!

The Big Issue in Brisbane will hold its Film Night Fundraiser with the screening of Russell Crowe’s new epic, Robin Hood on Thursday May 13. It’s the fifth time Crowe and Scott have collaborated, back in 2001 they worked in propelling the blockbuster, Gladiator, to five Oscars.

This time the successful duo have teamed up with another award winning Australian actor, Cate Blanchett, to make it the first time this quintessentially English tale will be told with two Antipodeans in the lead roles.

The Big Issue invites members of the public to be the first to see Crowe play the legendary Robin of Loxely at the Barracks Cinema at 6pm on Thursday 13th May.

Tickets are $20 and include a complimentary glass of champagne or juice along with a copy of Filmink movie magazine. All money raised goes to support The Big Issue in Brisbane. To purchase a ticket call 07 3036 4420.