INSIDE Facing Pages 2012 Celebrating magazine culture and touching all its aspects, that's what Facing Pages promised and delivered. Being asked to moderate the lectures, discussions and presentations gave me a front row view of the entire programme.

Here I'd like so share some additional thoughts and reflections. As a festival Facing Pages widened its horizon touching practically every aspect of independent publishing, taking a small step towards more established, independent titles, studio's, solid and convincing, connecting (expression of ) self-expression art and (the relation to ) commerce. Very much graphic design driven, a kaleidoscope  with several exhibitions, the fine offer of Athenaeum bookshop Amsterdam and open library. Personally, specially during the lectures, this felt like taking the audience into a magazine - a live magazine if you will - with all its diversity the medium has to offer.

Simon Esterson covered 'the golden age' of magazines, highlighting some of the biggest and best American and British (consumer) titles including Esquire -the essential literary men's magazine- next to Fortune -the very luxurious business publication with a hefty cover price of one dollar and which was delivered by courier at the time- via titles such as Harper's Bazaar up to British (Man) About Town, Nova The Face, Arena and ID. Highlighting the incredible work of Art Director Alexey Brodovitch, his approach for the double page and the importance of the pace of the magazine. He was one of the first graphic designers who was very much involved with the content of a publication, shaping the visual language into a dynamic whole. Making magazines is all about team work, between the editor, photographer, and art director to aim for the best possible result, in the best cases with an element of surprise, for something you have not seen before. Magazines give a sense of urgency, strictly within the limits of their segment, topic or theme and rhe time frame in which ('big' trade or consumer) magazines are or must be produced - deadlines are essential to get the job done. One of the best editors Ingrid Sischy (Art Forum, Interview magazine, and special contributor to the New Yorker and Vanity Fair) once said; "if we did not have deadlines, the job would never get done. You would continue to edit."

Magazine presentation Mono.Kultur highlighted how personal taste, the need to express, individuality and sharing personal ideas, can add up to an intriguing publication. Being produced within a (design) company, Mono.Kultur has a solid base to grow from - many (creative) studio's worldwide feel the need to express themselves in print form and deliver the finest outlet of visual ideas. Titles such as OK Parking and It's Nice That can exist in exactly this way, with a company as solid back bone.

 The magazine doctor, bladendokter Carolien Vader, seeks to improve existing titles and develop new magazines. Her approach to define and reach an audience, i.e. readership adds to the facts that magazines should have a reason for existence, to aim for a recognizable identity and pace of the entire book. Magazine - or better yet - zine presentation prove all about self publishing, self expression, breaking any, every and/or all rule/rules. Kutgitaar, Despeeched, Slanted or Pstr each and all reflect the need to express, share and reach out. Budgets are a strict minimum or simply non-existent. A strong voice, a entirely free graphic design approach, and high level of visual creativity, seen from a very personal, individual level or given community.

Talking about money - a topic simply no one can deny or ignore - the Money Talk at Facing Pages connected limited print runs, distribution and actually selling independent creative (art) magazines. Studio Room is a very renowned (magazine) design studio, with a clear, crisp, recognizable design language, showing intriguing case studies at Facing Pages. TEXT LIBRARY grew from a personal project into a traveling event/exhibition, well positioned between digital and print.

Dutch design magazine Items is celebrating it's 30th anniversary this year. A bit like a man coming into an independent phase of his life, this respectable publication is on its own feet after a series of difficulties with publishers and uncertainty of funding. Due to the uncertain non-guarantee situation regarding advertisers, the editors will continue to be alert as the financial health of this venture is concerned. Being independent and seeking a balance between editorial authority and the demand of sponsors or advertisers remains a challenge for many publications. The presentation of Lustlab showed a very strong visual identity, info-graphics, cross media installations ... and continuously asking amazing questions, searching deeper, different and sometimes simply shamelessly daring questions, seeking the innovative and unseen.

STRAK showed a good sense of humour, relaxed irony and a clear mind for reality to suggest a different way of financing their next issue: selling "space on their bodies" by finding sponsors to write names (or logo's?) written on the editors shoulder, arm, torso, breast, leg or derrière - and publishing these images in the next issue. Why not? The typography lecture of Laura Meseguer took the audience on a trip of the brightest and best iconic magazine titles, art directors and fonts, from Agha up to Knapp, Baron and Brody. Club

Donny takes urban habitants (back) into nature. Each issue can be taken apart, a strict set of images chosen from their website, where visitors can contribute and upload. The spring 2002 issue of Jop van Bennekom's RE magazine - themed It is Spring 2007 - is clearly the visual inspiration in form and typography for this 'city zine'. The Live Review by Michael Bojkowski showed how deeply personal magazines, and our relationship to this dynamic medium, really is. Personal, informative, entertaining and e en emotional and mind bending at times (or at its best). Jeremy Leslie made the connection between contemporary magazines, the digital age, his love for print and the PRINT x DIGITAL matrix.

The best from his magculture blog has been collected on a (newspaper)sheet. Digital remains illusive, print literary still feels good. Der Wedding showed a deeply personal, and why not, deeply emotional way of looking at the world and translating this in a open, sometimes straight forward and sometimes very poetic way. The German magazine market is so incredibly big and diverse, that so many more individual publications make it to a wider or even national distribution ... or beyond.

 Cover Junkie Jaap Biemans explained from experience what works on a cover, what does not, and what generates guaranteed attention. His blog coverjunkie is a must to follow (as is bladendokter and magculture, to list some mentioned above) A selection of the coverjunkie blog also made it ... into a print version. Appreciation to The entire organization, staff, team, creatives and happy faces for making this event a reality. I can only hope every one visiting the event or website will be inspired and motivated to do their own magazine format, and /or look at magazines in a different way - always with open eyes and keep on discovering.