We had the good fortune of connecting with Currant Jam Magazine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Currant Jam, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Currant Jam is a non-profit organization and publication founded by Marie Claire Marchant (art director), Emily Ann Zisko (poetry & literature editor), and Brooke Hallie Metayer (features editor). With Marie’s background in visual art, Emily’s background in writing, and Brooke’s background in journalism, the trio created a unique publication that serves as an art book meets literary journal meets local DIY glossy magazine.

It all started in January 2023 when Marie asked Emily and Brooke if they wanted to get together and make a “zine” to highlight all of their friend group’s work. Nearly every one of our friends was working on some project–i.e., an album, a ceramic collection, a surreal short story, or an experimental short film about a fear of Adam’s Apples–and a zine seemed like a tangible way to mash it all together and celebrate our talented friends. A “zine” quickly turned into a full-on 100-page print magazine to honor all of the incredible submissions we received. Now, featured artists have expanded far beyond our immediate friend group and even represent creatives internationally. The publication has turned into a way for artists of all mediums to meet, connect, and party together at our release events. Now we’re a government-recognized non-profit! Take that, IRS!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
CURRANT JAM is a place for artists that may not have an in, a pass, or a corporate green light. We hope to create a diverse community that fosters relationships between artists and their audiences. We ask the latter not just to consume the art that they enjoy in our magazine or at our events, but also to take the opportunity to think about the ingredients and where they come from. The publication itself is like any good jam: sticky, messy and organic to the maker.

We see the necessity of a tangible object that you can hold, feel—hell—even lick if you want to. A print magazine in today’s day and age is an artist’s shelter in an ever-growing digital jungle. In addition to our magazine, we host events that combine film screenings with prose readings, concerts, and art shows in the hope of making art more accessible cross-disciplinarily. We also collaborate with vendors to host workshops, critique spaces and more to support the creative process within our communities.

We look forward to meeting you, helping you with your art, introducing you to new friends and hopefully igniting that creative spark.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Okay bestie, get in, we are going
1. to the Starbucks Reserve on Hillhurst Ave., the first meeting spot of Currant Jam
2. to Maru Coffee down the street – you didn’t think we’d actually make you drink the Starbucks, did you?
3. to WHAMMY! for a friends-of-a-friends short film screening and Q&A
4. downtown to the new show at the Nicodim gallery
5. to Scribble for pay-what-you-can acupuncture
6. to the Elysian for a puppet-show.
7. and finally, to El Cid for a lit reading then some dancing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to dedicate our shoutout to every artist, volunteer and patron of Currant Jam! The connections between artists and audience members is what makes this organization thrive. The ability for our work to grow and change to support our ever expansive community is why we founded this magazine. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that has supported us!

Website: https://currantjam.org

Instagram: https://currantjam.pub

Other: TikTok: @currantjam.pub

Image Credits
Dara Feller

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.