About

BIG Kids Magazine is an Australian contemporary arts publication, launched in 2011, that features the work of children and artists side by side. Created by two professional artists, Perth based dancer/writer Jo Pollitt and Sydney based visual artist/educator Lilly Blue.

Issue 10 – HUMAN – is the last in the BIG Kids Magazine series. You can still buy copies of past issues on our purchase page, and stay tuned for our next BIG project!

BUY A COPY HERE.

BIG stands for Bravery, Imagination and Generosity.

OUR STORY – In 2010, having not seen or spoken to each other for 12 years, Jo sent Lilly a note on Facebook enquiring about buying an artwork for her newly born girl child. Days later Jo sent Lilly a very late night note “I have a mad (serious and quiet) idea in the making for a creative children’s magazine”. Serendipitously Lilly had spent that year researching independent publications and had been dreaming of grown up picture books and collaborative projects between children and artists. Somewhere between their worlds of research and creative process, a rapid fire conversation was born that began with a momentum so extreme it took them both by surprise. 5 years and 10 Issues later they are deeply immersed in co-authoring pages and the development of a platform where BIG Kids has expanded to promote, provoke, curate, collaborate and create projects in the wider world . Beginning as a making of a magazine blog in October 2010 the First Flight print edition was launched in September 2011 with ‘Senior Editor’ Luca (age 8 at the time) at the helm and now Twyla, age 8, has taken the lead. BIG is now available in every major art gallery in Australia and increasingly distributed worldwide.

BIG challenges hierarchies of who is speaking and who is listening and amplifies small voices in BIG ways. 

 “We believe that time should be valued as a vital resource made freely available for our kids with days left over to collect the quiet unseen bits of the world, to listen, and respond, to breathe and grow, to think and contribute in new ways and old. BIG Kids Magazine supports a current trend in which parents and educators recognise the value of a depressurised and genuine childhood”

BIG ACCEPTS SUBMISSIONS FROM CHILDREN AND ARTISTS YEAR ROUND IN RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT THEME.

 We are supported by the bravery, imagination and generosity of our contributors – incredible children and artists from all over the world who meet, inspire and transport the original vision far beyond where we thought possible. BIG Kids Magazine is still very much a passion project and we are so grateful to the Department of Culture and the Arts for the Young People and the Arts grant we received in early 2013 that made this new website possible. You can support us by purchasing a copy of BIG Kids Magazine or email us to book a residency or professional development workshop. If you would like to become a sponsor and advertise on our BLOG or BIG LOVES page email us at [email protected]

See the work of our contributing artists in the BIG GALLERY!

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Lilly and Jo seeing each other for the first time since beginning this BIG passion project together from opposite sides of Australia. Lilly is showing Jo their very first Issue - First Flight after picking them up from the printer.

Twyla looking at First Flight the day it arrived in boxes on our doorstep.

Jo and Lilly ready to mail out Issue 2 - Treasure Maps

Our very first mail-out. We are so grateful to the early supporters who pre-purchased First Flight before it was even made!

Even though we work mostly from opposite sides of the country we spend at least a day mapping out each issue on a shared floor.

The littlest BIG team member reviewing Issue 1 - First Flight

MANIFESTO

• BIG provides a platform for artists across disciplines to collaborate with children and young people from all over the world nurturing co-authorship, correspondence, and the well-being that can grow out of authentic connection and conversation.
• BIG invites, provokes and publishes real responses from kids and artists, parents and caretakers, educators, visionaries and practitioners so that ideas, issues and stories are seen from different perspectives and told in new ways.
• BIG Recognizes that creative practice inspires inquiry, reflection, awareness and action on a personal and global scale and is committed to participating in social, cultural and environmental change.
• BIG prioritizes inclusion so that all children and young people regardless of race, religion, or social demographic are welcome, encouraging the growth of compassionate and tolerant communities.
• BIG challenges hierarchies of who is listening and who is speaking, amplifies small voices in BIG ways, values the participation of a junior editorial staff and makes visible unseen, overlooked and unusual perspectives.

We value your view and would love to hear your thoughts and comments. You can email us at [email protected] and share your own perspective, stories and experiences. You can keep up to date with developments, launch dates and stockists by becoming a follower of the blog or by liking the BIG Kids Magazine Facebook page.