FOR THE LAST 60-plus years, Screen Printing has covered the most in-depth, relevant, and requested industry insight, trends, news, and products. In this digital world, we’re dedicated to making sure you receive the most pertinent information to help accelerate your business, any time and anywhere. So, to better serve you, we’ve shifted our resources to become a digital-centric brand, starting with the June/July issue.
Our expanded digital presence will ensure you have access to the top screen printing content on any device. As you digitally flip through this newly designed issue you’ll see it’s responsive on mobile phones, tablets, and desktops. In this issue, you’ll find curated videos that pair with the articles you’re reading. Plus, we’re not confined to a certain page count so our editorial content can get the space it deserves.
In my last Letter from the Editor, I urged you spend time during quarantine to reset and refresh, not knowing how long it may last. Today, the COVID-19 pandemic is still here, you’re trying to navigate lost revenue as well as health and safety guidelines for your employees, and the country is actively begging for long-deserved justice and equality.
When we created the Big Picture magazine Women in Wide Format Awards (formerly the Women in Print Awards) our editorial team was told there wouldn’t be enough women in the industry for the award to continue each year. We’re now in year five. Twenty four deserving women have won the award, spoken on panels at events around the country, and have launched a network of successful leaders in the wide-format digital print space. It’s not as though these female print shop owners, presidents, CEOs, and founders didn’t exist in our print world – they just weren’t being recognized. The awards created a community and conversation that was needed in the industry.
What this has taught me is the power of our magazines and the voice we have. This is why we have launched the Women in Screen Printing Awards and will be proactive in making sure companies we cover are diverse and reflect the screen printers in this market. But please know this a two-way street.
In 2019, only white men were nominated for the Screen Printing Rising Stars Awards, therefore only white men won. We received a comment on the Instagram post from Ink Forest that said “there’s so much more diversity in screen printing than this cover shows.” I couldn’t agree more. As Alex Marcheschi, associate editor, and I work toward more diverse content that accurately depicts those around us, specifically black men and women, I ask you to do the same. Take a look at your employees, your partnerships, your boards, and your nomination forms for both the Rising Stars Awards and the newly launched Women in Screen Printing Awards. We all have to be better, and we will be.
As always, don’t hesitate to connect with me to discuss how we can make the Screen Printing experience better for you and your shop. And let us know how you like this new digital edition!