After 24 years and 126 issues, Renaissance Magazine has folded. Billed as a magazine “for those who love the Renaissance and Middle Ages” it focused on the medieval era, re-enactment and living history.
The magazine announced the closure in a message to its supporters earlier this month:
It is with great sadness that we announce the insolvency and closure of Renaissance Magazine, first published in 1996. The company cannot offer any cash compensation for unfulfilled subscriptions due to its insolvency, but to serve our supporters as best as possible, we have made all 27 issues that exist in digital format available for free download on our website.
Until 2020 the magazine was publishing six issues a year and offered a range of articles that included jousting, cooking, fashion and historical topics. The magazine seemed to have difficulties in 2016, when only one issue was published that year, but had since returned to normal under the direction of its editor, Tanya Laird. At its peak, the magazine had a circulation of 35,000.
In their final issue, published in the spring, the editor did note that they were going to focus more on their digital side of the business. However, the COVID-19 pandemic would have likely significantly affected its business – the magazine industry has been hard hit by the pandemic, as store sales drastically declined during the spring and summer.
Some of the magazine’s fans expressed notes of sadness on Twitter:
So, Renaissance Magazine is folding. A great sadness. My daughter's wedding gown was featured in a bygone issue, long ago. A noble effort of a magazine.
— Jedi 'Where Are The Children' JoAnne (@MgmDressmup) September 11, 2020
RIP Renaissance Magazine
I’ve loved this magazine since I was a lad. It is now no more. And it makes me wonder how all the good Ren Faire folk are fairing? So many small businesses no one even knows of that may succumb to covid management.https://t.co/cXHo6yK34c
After 24 years and 126 issues, Renaissance Magazine has folded. Billed as a magazine “for those who love the Renaissance and Middle Ages” it focused on the medieval era, re-enactment and living history.
The magazine announced the closure in a message to its supporters earlier this month:
It is with great sadness that we announce the insolvency and closure of Renaissance Magazine, first published in 1996. The company cannot offer any cash compensation for unfulfilled subscriptions due to its insolvency, but to serve our supporters as best as possible, we have made all 27 issues that exist in digital format available for free download on our website.
Until 2020 the magazine was publishing six issues a year and offered a range of articles that included jousting, cooking, fashion and historical topics. The magazine seemed to have difficulties in 2016, when only one issue was published that year, but had since returned to normal under the direction of its editor, Tanya Laird. At its peak, the magazine had a circulation of 35,000.
In their final issue, published in the spring, the editor did note that they were going to focus more on their digital side of the business. However, the COVID-19 pandemic would have likely significantly affected its business – the magazine industry has been hard hit by the pandemic, as store sales drastically declined during the spring and summer.
Some of the magazine’s fans expressed notes of sadness on Twitter:
The magazine has made its last 27 issues available to freely download – click here to access them.
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