Josh Einbinder-Schatz
Photo/Graphics Editor

“CRED Magazine” is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and most people have never even heard of it. In a nutshell, “CRED” is a magazine of art, visual and writing, for the youth, made by the youth. The website explains their mission: “to amplify the voice and vision of young Philly.”

“CRED’s” first issue was published in January 2012, and all 10,000 copies “vanished,” from the 95 locations where the magazine was made available, in only two days. Luckily it’s free. “CRED” is published three times a year — January, May, and October. The brochure explains, “Based on an industry standard of three readers per copy, the magazine is expected to reach more than 30,000 Philly residents.”

“CRED” did not just pop up out of thin air and become hugely successful overnight (it took two nights). The publication is run by The Village of Arts and Humanities, an organization in North Philadelphia that has been nurturing artists, especially children, since 1989.

“The Village,” as it’s referred to by some, has a similar mission to the magazine, though rather than spreading the voice of the young artists, The Village’s goal “is to support the voices and aspirations of the community through providing opportunities for self-expression rooted in art and culture.” In 2012, The Village received a Knight Foundation Grant, an Impact100 award, and the Philadelphia Cultural Fund Youth Arts Enrichment award for “CRED Magazine.”

“CRED’s” Editor In Chief, Aviva Kapust, explained some of the thinking behind the magazine, saying art “gets created and then disappears.” The decision to create a print publication had to do with the fact that young people wanted something more permanent than just another online blog. Kapust added, “Art and writing are tangible things. We wanted to make sure that we focused on print.” According to an article by Katherine Rochester of Philadelphia Weekly, “‘CRED’ has big plans. ‘The dream is that this can be a model that can be replicated in other cities,’ says Kapust, who has plans to assemble a how-to kit after the third issue. ‘It’s so important for kids to know that they should keep making things.’”

Rochester went on to say, “‘CRED’ proves that taking young people seriously means putting them at the helm and paying them to do it. One-third of the total budget for ‘CRED’ is currently paid out to youth staff and contributing artists in small amounts ranging from $20-$40. It’s a refreshing model in a world where the obligatory, unpaid internship is a financial scourge on the backs of students everywhere.” Kapust’s input was that “CRED” is, “promoting the young creative economy without having a thousands of dollar overhead for adults,” she says.

“CRED Magazine” is a great publication and something that has the potential to revolutionize youth art communities around the country. It’s seen astounding growth and support throughout many different areas of Philadelphia, including the opening of their own store on South Street where they sell youth produced art, give out copies of the magazine, and hold events supporting and culturing the arts. Not only does “CRED” have the potential, the plan is already paying off: Ceaphas Stubbs, the 22 year old whose artwork donned the inaugural cover, said, “I’ve never had my work published for a magazine before. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going.” Mr. White, an art teacher at Neshaminy, added a similar sentiment, saying, “Any venue in which artists or writers or anyone can publish their work is extremely valuable and something we should all stride to do.”
Find more information on “CRED” by visiting their website, www.credmagazine-philly.com, or by stopping in at the CRED OnSite gallery and workspace, located at 325 South St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19147