Hi, an update to let you know about some exciting news: Anxiety Empire is going into print.

Poet Derek Owusu on the front cover, shot by Imogen Forte.

Mental health is not just an issue for the individual.

It’s an issue of society and how we live our lives.

This is the focus of Anxiety Empire print magazine. Each quarter we will explore a different macro system of society - such as work, language, optimism - and how this impacts the mental health of us as individuals. The launch edition looks at the world of media, and we are examining this from different critical, creative and caring perspectives together with authors, artists, activists, journalists, academics, poets and media industry professionals.

The magazine doesn't give easy answers, quick fixes, or snappy motivational soundbites. Instead it embraces the complexity of us as humans, of our society, of our mental health, and how these things interlink.

While the majority of people acknowledge that racism or gender inequality are not innate, but that the structures of our society lead to these things, many of us don't fully recognise the influence of society when it comes to mental health - instead we can feel like our mental health is ours alone, something just happening inside of us, and something we each should be able to 'fix'.

Our magazine aims to broaden the narrative around mental health to see how the systems of society impact our mental health. In doing so, the magazine provides people some relief, reassurance, and impetus to create change in the society in which we live, work and love.

Mental health resources should be accessible for all

I hope you agree that mental health resources and discussion should be accessible for all, regardless of income. That’s why the magazine will be free to the public. The print run for our launch edition is 2,500 copies, and these will all be free copies distributed in London coffee shops, creative spaces, and community centres. Although it will be free to the public, magazines cost money to create - printers, photographers and writers all need to be paid - which is why we are launching a Kickstarter on January 21st to help get the magazine through production. If you’re familiar with Kickstarter you’ll know that you get rewarded for your support, and our rewards include copies of the magazine, brunch for two at one of our favourite London restaurants, tickets to the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, and 60-minute sessions in a Floatworks floatation tank.

We hope you’ll choose to support the Kickstarter - to be notified when it goes live, click here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/anxietyempire/anxiety-empire-magazine

We’d welcome your help in sharing the Kickstarter with your friends, family and wider circles who you think would like to read it,

Thanks,

Zoë