What Weekly Staff: Brooke Hall, Justin Allen, Philip Laubner, Theresa Keil and David London
Every Wednesday night, as midnight approaches, the glow of desk lamps from a second-floor window near the corner of North Avenue and Howard Street signals an imminent event. Stories are being edited, photos sifted through and decisions being made, as the What Weekly team works towards the moment when they can finalize this week’s issue, hit “publish” and send it off into the world.
In a high-ceilinged studio with exposed-brick walls, maple floors and second-hand furniture, a closely-knit, persistent group of journalists listen to the ebb and flow of west-bound traffic, and put the finishing touches on their compendium of weekly efforts by more than a dozen volunteer contributors, who all help convey the latest micro-chapter taking place in Baltimore’s urban culture.
The colorful, inside scoop known as What Weekly (almost) always comes out on Thursday. But coordinating stories, selecting photos and editing text is only one component of a complex operation, whose growing success has demanded some radical changes to accommodate their growing presence, workload, and operation costs.
The true story of What Weekly begins back in late 2009, when founders and publishers Brooke Hall and Justin Allen set out to create a sophisticated online magazine in a photo-centric format, with one goal in mind– to choreograph a dynamic conversation about the “Baltimore Renaissance.”
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The unique production value and functionality of the online interface and weekly email format are a distinctive feature of the magazine. While running Brooke Hall Creative creative shop during the day, Brooke Hall and partner Justin Allen spent nights and weekends working on What Weekly. From the original concept, web design, writing, photography and strategy, together they built a distinctive and cohesive repository for a new style of creative journalism.
Early on, Hall and Allen took a full-fledged “feet on the ground” approach, finding themselves at an event nearly 7 days a week. Before long came the addition of collaborators and now two year veterans, photographers Philip Laubner and Theresa Keil. Along with a rapidly-growing roster of journalists and photographers, What Weekly began to hit its stride.
A familiar comment from readers is they thought the What Weekly organization had a large full-time staff. People are always astonished to find out that this very lean organization is primarily based on the work of just a handful of dedicated contributors and editors, and mostly the photographic, journalistic and editorial output of its founders for the first two years of its existence, as a labor of love.
As the publication grew, so did the amount of time, energy and money needed to keep it going. Towards the end of 2011, Hall and Allen (who also manage one other full-time business) were finding themselves overworked and running out of the resources needed to keep the dream alive. At a moment of do-or-die, professional magician David London appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Throughout the several months it took for the new relationship to crystallize, all three parties were keenly aware that a future collaboration was brewing.
As a performer, London has presented his unique magic shows in theaters, galleries, museums, and festivals in over one third of the United States. He also has an extensive resume in arts administration, writing, editing, publishing, curating, and large scale project management. In February 2012, David London was officially named the Managing Director of What Weekly, and he stepped in to take on the challenge of growing an online magazine during the most tumultuous time in the history of modern media.
With the help of a magician, What Weekly finds itself gearing up for a dynamic transformation. In late 2011, they recently moved from a home-based operation into a spacious office at Load of Fun, a 24,000-square-foot hive of creative enterprise, operating in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District since 2005. Amidst the bustle of artists’ studios, gallery space and several popular theater troupes, the What Weekly staff continues to create a weekly edition, all the while, hashing up big plans for the coming year.
After implementing a hybrid funding model and acquiring a fiscal sponsor, What Weekly was awarded a $10,000 grant and a $30,000 challenge grant to kick off its daring new plan. The magazine has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to drive support from its fans and readers in order to expand content, compensate contributors, host events, increase readership and continue to document and fuel the Baltimore Renaissance.
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They are expanding their content by adding new sections, original videos, and new writers to join the fold of the already successful enterprise. In the coming months, they plan to switch from a volunteer-based operation to one which will compensate its photographers and contributors, provide paying work to the many Baltimore artists who currently supply content. A new business section will feature successful and emerging independently-owned business enterprises in Baltimore, and actively engage in efforts to drive more local commerce within the city.
What Weekly’s broader mission has always been to promote the health and success of Baltimore by highlighting the city’s positive stories, championing the art scene, and encouraging the support of artists, events, local businesses, nonprofits and cultural institutions. With core values of sustainability, innovation, community, creativity and inspiration, What Weekly strives to foster cultural development and help support Baltimore’s artists and innovators.
More than two dozen contributors over the past two years have provided the collective focus of a constant stream of ideas, and a fascination with capturing attitudes and glamor as well as the true behind-the-scenes action of Baltimore’s ever-evolving landscape.
What Weekly’s festive and vivacious sensibility, along with basic journalistic imperatives and a pinch of Gonzo style, enables the magazine to collectively interpret the stream of consciousness that continues to evolve in the cultural laboratory of urban Baltimore. Through a combination of event coverage, artist profiles, and cultural commentary, accompanied by mesmerizing high-quality photography, the magazine enables readers to vicariously experience spaces, places, people and events around town. With readers in over 150 countries, the magazine not only serves as a local resource, but the positive face of Baltimore worldwide.
What Weekly’s coverage of an expanding group of creative people in a wide range of media, arts and technology, has often acted as a sort of springboard for the artists and innovators being profiled. Their online calendar provides a glimpse into the many upcoming events in town, while the free weekly email issue delivers the inside scoop directly to your inbox.
In the end, it’s just your average Boy meets Girl, Boy gets Girl. Boy and Girl start a magazine, Boy and Girl hire a magician to help them take over the world, kind of story.
What Weekly Staff: Theresa Keil, Brooke Hall, Philip Laubner, Justin Allen and David London
Download the official press release.
