Small magazines. Opinion varies about the circulation numbers that constitute a small magazine,but with an annual circulation of less than 5,000, filling Station is definitely a small magazine. Due to both proposed changes to the criteria for providing funding to small magazines through Canadian Heritage, and the danger that other funding bodies could follow suit, small magazines are nervous about the potential of losing their means to publish. For some of us, it’s the first time we’ve considered the possibility. But as worrisome as it is, it may just be a much needed wake-up call.

Since filling Station began publishing in 1994, we have prided ourselves on being truly non-profit. We have avoided the use of paid advertising and donors; instead, we have participated in ad swaps. We have never charged money at our would-be fundraisers; instead, we have provided free entry to our budding fellow writers and interested listeners. In short, aside from a small amount of sales revenue, all of our publishing money and events assistance has come from grants. All filling Station Collective members are volunteers. We’ve been very well-intentioned, and we certainly plan to stay that way. filling Station Magazine is a rare place to fill up on some of the most innovative and original poetry, fiction, non-fiction,and art being created in Canada. We believe these pages provide a vital alternative to the mainstream and the cliché, one that’s definitely worth protecting. We’re hoping our grantors will continue to feel the same, but we need to be prepared. It’s obvious now that we should have been prepared all along.

And so, we’re going to start doing things a little differently. We’re going to decide a little fundraising isn’t evil. We’re going to seek a few of only the most suitable, arts-related ads and donors, varying methods of subsidy so we can better manage our fate. We’re going to update our web presence (including online ordering), make better use of social media, and get some content online. We’re going to expand our annual Blow-Out festival, now in its fifth year. We’re going to sell subscriptions like mad. And,best of all, we’re going to redesign and improve our magazine inside and out so that everyone – including granting bodies and you, dear enlightened readers – can see we are not only determined to survive, but to thrive like never before. Like Al Purdy’s house (check out Jean Baird’s article about his house in this issue), we have the advantage of a strong foundation. With tenacity, hard work, and the support of those we have sheltered over 45 issues, our walls will stay standing no matter what our square footage. Barring that, we’ve got this nice heavy cardstock... who’s got some glue?