Brand-new Manchester-based music publication, SEEN magazine is hosting a launch party on Saturday 29th October at The Whitworth’s Bound Art Book Fair
Created by global majority and marginalised communities, the magazine was born in 2021 with a bold anti-racist manifesto.
Founded to counter the London-centric narrative that often dominates music journalism, SEEN magazine aims to celebrate unheard voices, allowing communities to narrate their own stories and heritage, while connecting with global scenes linked to Britain’s colonial history.
SEEN was founded by three music industry professionals living in Manchester with funding from Arts Council England and Manchester Music City.
The SEEN founders are; Tunde Adekoya, the Artistic Director of Big People Music and Big People Community CIC, who is of Nigerian – British – English – London – Mancunian descent. Kamila Rymajdo also forms part of the team, a journalist and academic, who predominantly writes about music, the creative industries and popular culture.
Balraj Samrai, a musician, facilitator and record label director from the Midlands, UK, completes the founding trio. He has been based in Manchester for over 15 years, working in both the music and education sectors.
The first issue celebrates Manchester music, spotlighting the migration journey of Somalia hailing musician HMD who’s settled in Moss Side via Denmark and DJ Paulette, who’s written about the need to unionise DJing.
The magazine also explores club cultures and social movements that have come out of music, including the feeling of belonging and joy that Manchester’s fledgling amapiano movement has provided for the city’s South African community and a reflective account of the UK’s South Asian undergrounds.
For Bound Art Book Fair SEEN presents a panel discussion with the founders and writers Tayyab Amin and Santina Robinson, whose work also features in Issue One.
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