Tell us about The Maker’s Story. How did it start?
The Maker’s Story started as a blog in 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 lockdowns that saw myself and many colleagues made redundant from our magazine jobs. I’d always dreamed of starting my own publication, and the situation was a final push for me to do exactly that. After a year of online-only content, the first magazine was printed and distributed to readers across the globe.

Many industries, particularly the arts, have been hit hard by the COVID pandemic. How was The Maker’s Story impacted at its peak and how has it overcome this?
Many people turned to creative outlets during the pandemic, so it was great to have a platform to support the creative industry. For The Maker’s Story, it was very touch and go when printing magazines during the pandemic. As many in the publishing industry would know, there are always challenges involved in print. Now that the fourth edition of the magazine has been published, The Maker’s Story will transition back to being an online magazine so we can ensure content will always be accessible to readers. 

What sort of content do you publish, and how often?
Feature profile pieces and Q+As that delve into the stories of creatives are the focus of The Maker’s Story - after all, it’s all in the name. We learn how they started their creative journeys, what they’ve learned along the way, and the advice they have for others. Being digital, there is a constant search for fresh content with new articles published weekly. 

Who makes up the editorial team?
Using my background in sub-editing and writing, the editorial team includes just me - like many of the solo artists that are featured on The Maker’s Story!

What role does your publication play in the wider arts community?
For many of the makers that are featured, being part of The Maker’s Story is often their first chance to introduce themselves and show their work to a wider audience. While some more well-known artists are featured in the publication, many are only towards the start of their journey. It’s also always special to hear that in reading the articles, people have been inspired to also get creative or finally feel comfortable in calling themselves an ‘artist’.

Where can readers find The Maker’s Story?
There’s a lovely community of readers and artists that support The Maker’s Story on Instagram. And while print editions have sold out, digital copies are still available online via themakersstory.com. Many articles can also be read here.