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Arts

NO NIIN: at the Cusp of Art, Criticality and Love

Application summary

NO NIIN is an online monthly magazine at the cusp of art, criticality, and love. Co-founded and co-edited by Elham Rahmati and Vidha Saumya, NO NIIN absorbs the disruptive sparks emerging from the intersectional art and culture environs that counter the status quo, aspiring to develop them as springboards for new ways of thinking and working towards hope, liberation, and building transnational, feminist, and anti-imperialist solidarities. NO NIIN is a critical locus for discourse, aspiring to provoke difficult conversations that develop over time—to ask questions that can help artistic communities grow and look at their practice from more challenging perspectives. In 2023-24, we publish 16 issues curated on the following objectives: Internationalism in Artistic Practices In support of shared struggles for equality and social and ecological justice, this objective builds from a place-based understanding of the world: one grounded in situated histories, rooted in communities and lands, and intimately connected across geographies. NO NIIN stands for the craft of organising transnational, planetary solidarities while emphasising the critical role of internationalist art and culture in shaping our shared struggles and desires. Popularising Research Researchers pave the way for institutional and discursive constructions. Their work affects the development of the arts, social inclusion, and equity and brings systemic changes in society. NO NIIN is an accessible publishing space where researchers diversify their writing practice and maximise the impact of their research by effectively communicating with the general public. Fostering Intergenerational Dialogues By opening up conversations between generations, we highlight uncommunicated lives and experiences. Bridging this wide communication gap between generations creates a space for resistance and repair in a scene often divided by presumptions, stereotypes, ethnocultural origins, and social hierarchies.

We published 13 new online issues and 2 print Volumes of NO NIIN. The grant covered editorial coordination, commissioning contributions from writers, artists, and curators, printing publications, and website maintenance. The magazine commissioned writers for editorials, essays, research papers, reviews, and interviews.

Cofounders and coeditors Elham Rahmati and Vidha Saumya oversaw all editorial and administrative duties. Each issue followed a monthly production schedule encompassing content planning, concept development, visual design, coordination, editing, and administrative tasks like contracts and payments. Editors approached writers and artists with ideas for essays, interviews, reviews, and research papers, providing contracts with topics, guidelines, deadlines, and payment terms, also available on our website. After submission, editors collaborated with contributors to refine articles. Each issue typically included 2 essays, 2 reviews, 2 interviews, and 1 research paper. Updates were shared via social media and newsletter.

To enhance reader experience, the website was redesigned with sections such as 'Most Read', 'Editors’ Picks', 'Editorial Index', 'All Issues', and 'Site Map'. For archive accessibility, content was organized under 'Editorial Index', categorized into 16 key themes.
NO NIIN magazine operates under NO NIIN ry, with its board providing guidance and oversight. An accountant managed the association's fiscal responsibilities. Contributors were paid via invoice or the Finnish Tax card. NO NIIN ry held biannual meetings to review finance reports and action plans. An Operations Inspector certified the finances and a professional accountant prepared the financial reporting.

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