Spacing (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Spacing is a three-times-yearly magazine published in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. Focusing on issues affecting Toronto's public realm, Spacing was originally published by the Toronto Public Space Committee
in house until it was spun off as a wholly independent magazine after the first issue. (The two organizations support each other on occasion.)
Launched in December 2003, the magazine has been critically acclaimed by Toronto Star
, The Globe and Mail
, the National Post
and Utne Reader
magazine, the latter of which nominated Spacing the best new title at its annual independent magazine awards in 2004, and nominated the magazine again in 2006 for Best Local Coverage and Best Design. In 2006, Spacing won a Canadian National Magazine Award for "Best Editorial Package" for the 'History of our Future' issue. Noteworthy Toronto photographers, Matt O'Sullivan, Rannie Turingan, Miles Storey and Sam Javanrouh, are known for the street-scene photos featured in Spacing issues. Past Spacing issues have focused on pedestrians in public space, street postering , public art, and public transit, the future plans for the city that were never developed, the top 10 public space issues for the 2006 municipal elections, and profiles of Toronto's intersections.
The cover of each issue of Spacing features a prominent headline related to that issue's theme:
Spacing is also widely known for creating and selling the Toronto subway button series, which replicates the tile patterns and colours of every Toronto subway station. They have also been instrumental in putting on social events around the city, often collaborating with local political and heritage organizations. For the 2006 municipal election, Spacing hosted 'The Political Party' in which the leader contenders, Jane Pitfield and incumbent David Miller
read pre-prepared speeches to a raucous crowd of over 500. Spacing has twice co-hosted 'Toronto the Good' parties at Fort York
at the foot of Bathurst Street, and the Distillery District off Parliament Street
by the Don River
in Toronto
. Advocacy for public transit is a key element of the magazine's editorial focus, and as such they have hosted parties, conferences, and exhibitions in support of the Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC).
The magazine has four daily blogs: Spacing Toronto,Spacing Montreal,Spacing Atlantic, and Spacing Ottawa. All follow a similar group blog format providing commentary, links, and events for local urban issues. Spacing's website also features Spacing Photos, a photoblog that highlights images based on a theme captured by a wide-range of Toronto photobloggers. The Spacing Votes blog was created for the 2006 city election, and was active from September 2006 to November 2006. It was written by the Spacing editors alongside guest columnist John Lorinc, the author of The New City: How the Crisis of Canada's Cities is Shaping Our Nation, and writer for Toronto Life
on urban affairs.
Spacing also produces the biweekly postcast, Spacing Radio hosted by CBC National Radio News anchor, David Michael Lamb. The podcast launched in early 2009.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Focusing on issues affecting Toronto's public realm, Spacing was originally published by the Toronto Public Space Committee
Toronto Public Space Committee
The Toronto Public Space Committee is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that defends the city’s public space from corporate and private forces, including cars and outdoor advertising...
in house until it was spun off as a wholly independent magazine after the first issue. (The two organizations support each other on occasion.)
Launched in December 2003, the magazine has been critically acclaimed by Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
and Utne Reader
Utne Reader
Utne Reader is an American bimonthly magazine. The magazine collects and reprints articles on politics, culture, and the environment from generally alternative media sources, including journals, newsletters, weeklies, zines, music and DVDs...
magazine, the latter of which nominated Spacing the best new title at its annual independent magazine awards in 2004, and nominated the magazine again in 2006 for Best Local Coverage and Best Design. In 2006, Spacing won a Canadian National Magazine Award for "Best Editorial Package" for the 'History of our Future' issue. Noteworthy Toronto photographers, Matt O'Sullivan, Rannie Turingan, Miles Storey and Sam Javanrouh, are known for the street-scene photos featured in Spacing issues. Past Spacing issues have focused on pedestrians in public space, street postering , public art, and public transit, the future plans for the city that were never developed, the top 10 public space issues for the 2006 municipal elections, and profiles of Toronto's intersections.
The cover of each issue of Spacing features a prominent headline related to that issue's theme:
- The fight to save postering
- Everyone is a pedestrian
- Work and play
- The history of our future
- The new beautiful city
- Searching for the better way
- What kind of city do you want?
- At the crossroads
- Water
- Is Toronto ready to be a green city?
- The car and the city
- The people issue
Spacing is also widely known for creating and selling the Toronto subway button series, which replicates the tile patterns and colours of every Toronto subway station. They have also been instrumental in putting on social events around the city, often collaborating with local political and heritage organizations. For the 2006 municipal election, Spacing hosted 'The Political Party' in which the leader contenders, Jane Pitfield and incumbent David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
read pre-prepared speeches to a raucous crowd of over 500. Spacing has twice co-hosted 'Toronto the Good' parties at Fort York
Fort York
Fort York is a historic site of military fortifications and related buildings on the west side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fort was built by the British Army and Canadian militia troops in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to defend the settlement and the new capital of the...
at the foot of Bathurst Street, and the Distillery District off Parliament Street
Parliament Street
Parliament Street is the name of several places including:*Parliament Street, Exeter, one of the world's narrowest streets in Exeter, England...
by the Don River
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Advocacy for public transit is a key element of the magazine's editorial focus, and as such they have hosted parties, conferences, and exhibitions in support of the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC).
The magazine has four daily blogs: Spacing Toronto,Spacing Montreal,Spacing Atlantic, and Spacing Ottawa. All follow a similar group blog format providing commentary, links, and events for local urban issues. Spacing's website also features Spacing Photos, a photoblog that highlights images based on a theme captured by a wide-range of Toronto photobloggers. The Spacing Votes blog was created for the 2006 city election, and was active from September 2006 to November 2006. It was written by the Spacing editors alongside guest columnist John Lorinc, the author of The New City: How the Crisis of Canada's Cities is Shaping Our Nation, and writer for Toronto Life
Toronto Life
Toronto Life is a monthly Canadian magazine about entertainment, politics and life in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto Life also publishes a number of annual special interest guides about the city, including Home Decor, Stylebook, Eating & Drinking, Real Estate and Weddings. Established in 1966,...
on urban affairs.
Spacing also produces the biweekly postcast, Spacing Radio hosted by CBC National Radio News anchor, David Michael Lamb. The podcast launched in early 2009.
Awards
- Nominated in the 2006 Independent Press Awards for Best Local Coverage and Best Design.
- Won the 2006 Award of Merit in the publications category from Heritage Toronto.
- Received the 2005 National Magazine Award for Best Editorial Package for its The History of Our Future issue (Spring/Summer 2005, #4) over magazine heavyweights Saturday NightSaturday Night (magazine)Saturday Night was a Canadian general interest magazine. It was founded in Toronto, Ontario in 1887.The publication was first established as a weekly broadsheet newspaper about public affairs and the arts, which was later expanded into a general interest magazine. The editor, Edmund E. Sheppard,...
, Report on BusinessReport on BusinessReport on Business, commonly referred to as simply ROB, is the financial section of The Globe and Mail, a large Toronto-based Canadian newspaper. It is the most lengthy completion of economic news in Canada, and is considered an integral part of the newspaper...
, and Canadian GeographicCanadian GeographicCanadian Geographic is the bimonthly magazine of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society . It was first published in May 1930 under the name Canadian Geographical Journal. The society's objective was to produce a popular magazine dealing primarily with Canadian geography...
, among other nominees. - In January 2006, the readers of Toronto’s Eye WeeklyEye WeeklyEye Weekly was a free weekly newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was owned by Torstar, the parent company of the Toronto Star, and was published by their Star Media Group until its final issue on May 5, 2011. The following week, Torstar launched a successor publication, The Grid.-...
chose Spacing’s daily blog the Spacing Wire as the Best Local Blog of 2005. - Nominated for a 2005 Canadian Newsstand Award for Best Newsstand Issue, small magazine for its The History of Our Future issue (Spring/Summer 2005, #4).
- In September 2005, Spacing’s subway button collection placed 3rd in the Top 5 Wearable Self-Promotion Items of 2005 presented by HOW Design magazine.
- In October 2005, Coupe Design magazine also showcased the subway button collection as one of 2005’s top design items.
- In January 2005, the issue Everyone is a Pedestrian (Spring/Summer 2004, #2) was awarded the Best Single Issue Design by Applied Arts magazine.
- In December 2004, nominated for Best New Title in Utne Magazine’s Independent Press Awards.