Draft Magazine records

In 2005, Professor Owen Butler offered a bookmaking course with an emphasis on self-publishing and distribution. The class gave a few registered students the opportunity they had been looking for to create a school-wide magazine where students could express themselves outside the boundaries of critiques, classrooms and the academic institution.

After hearing their intention to create a large, multiple volume publication, Professor Butler was skeptical that the magazine could be produced without funding from the school. The small group set out to prove him wrong. They gathered friends and their photographs, and went on to figure out a budget, a layout, and a binding to make it happen.

Editors Laura Estroff, Paul Louis Nelson, Jeremy Oversier, Josh Poehlein, and Matthew Thomas released the first issue of Draft Magazine in 2005 outside of the opening night of that years Student Honors Show. The modest 30-page, 5 x 7 inch publication featured photographs by their friends and fellow students Draft 2 came out later that year, featuring a collection of photographs, drawings, paintings and writing.

Expanding even further, Draft 3 moved overseas in 2006 to the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland when Matthew Thomas and Jeremy Oversier attempted to broaden their horizons with the influence of a study abroad program. Draft 4 would see the end of the first generation of Draft editors.

Over the years, Draft developed an accompanying gallery exhibition to coincide with the release of its annual publication in order to increase community viewership and involvement. The first of which was held in The Hungerford Building in 2007 for the release of Draft 4. The following year, Professor Dan Larkin hosted the Draft 5 exhibition in his studio at the Cumberland Business Park and again the following year for Draft 6. Growing in popularity and now with full financial support from the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, Draft 7 was exhibited at The Hungerford Gallery in 2010, at an empty industrial space turned into a pop-up gallery on St. Paul Street for Draft 8 in 2011; and at The Yards Gallery for Draft 9 in 2012.

With the release of Draft 10, for the first time film and video performances were included; and a return to independent fundraising, printing and distribution without the help of the institute's financial, editorial or aesthetic guidance.

The first Draft Magazine affirmed on its cover page, "'This is our first attempt to start communication among ourselves. This is our way of trying to find that again, knowing now it is our responsibility as students to make it happen." (2013)