Evolver 147

16 How to Evolve Ros Huxley celebrates 25 years of Evolver Magazine Evolver Magazine is as old as this century. In an age when print media are falling by the wayside and the arts world struggles to afford effective marketing budgets, Evolver celebrates twenty fi ve years of existence. Every month around 400 shops, venues, cafes and galleries give away 10,000 copies of a magazine which costs nothing, includes everything, looks wonderful, and smells delicious! This precious publication is the baby of musician and designer Simon Barber, with support from Suzy Rushbrook and Sheila Driver. Forty pages of stunning images and accurate listings, alongside interesting artist features by Fiona Robinson. Turns out I helped give birth to Evolver when I was Ros Fry, coordinator of the long defunct DAPF (Dorset Arts Promoters Forum). Recalls Simon: “I was working as a children’s book publisher and involved with Sherborne Contemporary Arts. We produced six editions of a members’ magazine called SCAM and I realised it was something I enjoyed producing and would like to do more of, if only I could work out how to make a larger version feasible. I went to the conference you organised at Weymouth Pavilion where fi lm students were interviewing participants about their vision for the arts in Dorset. I had no business plan but suddenly, at the end of the day, there I was on a big screen talking about my dream of a culture magazine.” Chris Huxley, then director of Bridport Arts Centre, got on board immediately promising paid advertising to support a regular magazine, closely followed by Christine Fletcher-Jones from Walford Mill Crafts, Isabel de Pelet from Guggleton Farm Arts and Sharon Haydon of Dorchester Arts Centre.” Over the past quarter century, those founding advertisers have been joined by more than thirty other key cultural individuals and organisations who see the value of a print magazine which sits on breakfast tables for weeks at a time and cannot be swiped or deleted. From East Quay in Watchet to Lighthouse in Poole with every renowned arts producer in between, the Wessex region is covered by Evolver Magazine. Some arts venues struggle to produce and distribute printed publicity but they don’t need to panic since Evolver does it for them. It's not been a smooth journey for Simon. There have been challenges from other magazines, and the distribution model has had to keep changing to keep up with the magazine’s growth, but now his daughter Hollie and partner Josh manage the massive bi-monthly delivery. During Covid Simon recalls publishing the March / April issue, invoicing the advertisers and then having no way of knowing if cultural organisations would even be putting on events afterwards, let alone advertising them. He worried that this would be the moment that everything went online but although four issues didn’t happen, fortunately, all the advertisers stayed with Evolver and the magazine survived. One reason for Evolver’s popularity is, of course, its eye-catching covers. From the very fi rst issue which featured photographer Maria Mochnacz’s portrait of PJ Harvey, the clear, simple designs are instantly recognisable. Says Simon: “My favourite moment with every issue is when I know what the cover image is going to be. I used to design record sleeves and I learned how to make interesting, exciting and attractive images which people want to pick up and own. Evolver’s covers follow the same principle. They stand out across a room but they’re also covetable. Some people store them for years!” Simon trained in publicity design as part of a Graphic Design degree course at Newport College of Art. Except for a few years as a mental health nurse and a short stint at Dorchester Arts Centre, he has always been freelance – as designer and musician. “I feel lucky never to have had a proper job,” he laughs. From the mid-eighties Simon has performed with cult indie band, The Chester fi elds, evolving into an additional musical iteration as Simon Chester fi eld. “I love the music but it’s Evolver Magazine 2001 - 2026 PJ HARVEY by MARIA MOCHNACZ January / February 2001 # 1 *EVOLVER_147_SB.qxp_Evolver_2025 16/12/2025 20:49 Page 16