Steel Jackdaw is an indie art and literary magazine with power and purpose

Ethos

Steel Jackdaw Magazine (SJ) has been created as a tool for positivity, to not only celebrate the arts in all its forms but also to do some good. Environmental and social responsibility are key issues that we all face, so the magazine has a charitable focus. The launch edition was a gift to the world, sold as a ‘donate to download’ ebook, with all proceeds split equally between two chosen causes. ClientEarth, an international environmental organisation and The Nelson Trust, a local, Gloucestershire-UK based charity supporting vulnerable people.

The magazine aims to encourage people to take positive action, in their own way, to help protect the environment and support community building. Not just to raise awareness but to do something positive that creates change. To donate to charitable and environmental causes, change lifestyles, reduce our individual impact, stand up for equality and diversity, or start community projects and initiatives. Whatever that may be, do it with love, strength and passion.

Art is a proven mechanism to alleviate stress and anxiety; it boosts mental health, allows us to forget our worries, and allows our minds to drift into daydreams. In these ever-changing times, we need to be entertained, distracted, and inspired, all of which art can provide in abundance.

Our editions feature local and international creatives of all disciplines and backgrounds in a quarterly celebration of the power of creativity. We also feature businesses, brands, and organisations that do good, as well as articles and reviews from creative practitioners.

From poetry to art, photography to sculpture, and everything in between, SJ is a space for creative expression with a positive purpose. We believe that art and creative play are fundamental to well-being and can be powerful mechanisms for change.

How it works

1) People submit their uncurated work for consideration. 2) A curated selection of work is included in each edition of the magazine. 3) Editions are sold with 10% donated to our charity partners. 4) Our readers get a warm glow and feel inspired to do good.

Contributors typically have 2 pages to promote their work to the SJ readership. Think of this as an advert to showcase creative talent. We can’t accept every submission, and our selection process is based on the quality of the work submitted.

To make it through to selection, each piece needs to captivate and speak to us, and this is carefully undertaken by our editor, Jason Conway. Jason has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University, is a published poet and author, an award-winning designer, artist, and photographer, and has over 25 years of experience in the creative industry.

Digital Editions

The decision to keep the magazine as a digital ebook publication is for sustainability reasons, to reduce paper use and its carbon impact. The energy used to design the quarterly magazines and to host this website is carbon offset.

Cover art commissions

We pay creatives to create artwork for our editions. This is part of our supporting artists ethos, and successful commissioned creatives receive 2 free pages in the same edition to promote their work. If you are a creative and would like to apply for a commission, get in touch and tell us why you’d love to craft an inspirational cover for SJ!

We are a for-profit business

We operate a free submission model where contributors submit their work.

Quarterly publications are sold. However, a percentage of sales are donated to two of our chosen charity partners. We make our donations to each charity annually.

Paid advertising space is available for creative practitioners, consultants, businesses, and organisations, but they must match our ethos to be accepted.

Coming in 2024…print editions

Steel Jackdaw Magazine will soon be available in print, using print-on-demand publishing in mid-2024. All editions will be available in paper versions, and you will be able to buy your printed copy from a wide range of online publishers around the world.

Due to our wonderful readership feedback, we have decided to offer a print-on-demand option so that readers can have their own printed copy.

This is a sustainable option for us to introduce, as single copies can be ordered and will be printed on digital print presses. Single orders mean that we will never have to order print runs of magazines, which may lead to paper waste.

To the future…

Steel Jackdaw emerged into the world on Thursday, January 28th, 2021, as a brand-new arts magazine with heart and purpose. It is hoped that it will become a force for good, in its own unique way, championing the arts and being a platform that showcases artists ’ work. If you love what you read and see, please help support them however you can.

The success of Steel Jackdaw is in your hands, so please help spread the word, support the organization, and buy the quarterly publications. As part of your contribution, you will be doing good!

SJ’s History

Jason Conway conceived Steel Jackdaw during the summer of 2020.

Jason is a neurodivergent creative professional: a published poet, multidisciplinary artist, and designer. He wanted to create a project that would inspire people and send positive messages about the environment and social cohesion. Both of these issues are important to him and vital to the world.

During the Pandemic and lockdown, it was clear that people were struggling with restrictions and the great worry of a national and global emergency. Mental health issues had risen drastically, and people longed to go outdoors and craved social connections. With most people in the UK having to adjust to spending the majority of their time at home, there was a transformation of awareness and a reflection on what matters in life.

People loved to walk outside in nature or around their neighbourhood. As the world around them stalled, they saw kerbs, parks, gardens, and hedgerows rewild and clear skies devoid of plane trails. The arts and entertainment industries were crushed, leaving many with a drastic loss of income.

Jason was compelled to do something good that would shine a light of wellbeing to the world. Something that could give creatives a platform to promote their talents and encourage people to do good. And so he made the decision to start an arts magazine, called Steel Jackdaw. The name had been stored in his mind for about a year, having daydreamed about having his own poetry magazine. Steel Jackdaw is a juxtaposition and one that speaks to the opposites of synthetic and natural. Human-made environments and the natural world. It also speaks of uniqueness and the ability to stand out and be noticed, like the work of the contributors to each edition of the magazine. And so the magazine was born out of good intentions and curiosity.

Jason is AuDHD and a neurodivergence champion following a late diagnosis in December 2023.