THE BIG ISSUE #351 – Content, Copy, & Continuity Update By Derek Carelse & Ingrid Jones

by | Jul 3, 2026 | Featured | 0 comments

"30 YEARS OF A HAND UP NOT A HANDOUT"

On the FMR Arts Round Up, the focus is THE BIG ISSUE having turned 30 and after their celebratory ‘Hands Up’ edition, Managing Director Derek Carelse and Editor Ingrid Jones  tell us about the new #351edition and their plans for the future for their noteworthy publication!

Listen to the Arts Round Up on Fine Music Radio FMR 101.3fm on Fridays at 12:45

The Big Issue #336

New Director – Ingrid Jones

Derek tells us that he’s in charge of  operations, while Ingrid deals with content, ensuring you have a good tread. His aim is to raise R300 000.00 this year to ensure continuity of THE BIG ISSUE, which provide employment opportunities to so many vendors. Edition #351 has an additional 8 pages of colour, and hopefully, with more funds, they will be able to revert to full colour again.  Obviously printing costs are an issue. Vendors are back after the really bad weather, and most have already received new bibs so they are better attired and equipped for winter. Hopefully their 30th birthday appeal to raise R300 000.00 will be successful to allow them to do something special for the organisation and the vendors in their 30th  year.

Ingrid reminds us that it’s imperative to buy a copy of THE BIG ISSUE every month from a vendor on the street. In this particular issue it’s the enthusiasm of Derek Carelse and his team that comes through. .From the cover to the vendor art , and Derek’s excitement with the double page spread of covers, reflecting our ’30 years of compelling storytellinng’ showing how far they have come from inception. Then their is their list of contributors that are second to none, who each month, religiously send in their copies. It’s difficult to  decide what is in and what is not. We have to ensure  that people can look forward to the quality journalism they can look forward to and the excitement and the people who drive THE BIGG ISSUE. It’s all about “30 YEARS OF A HAND UP NOT A HANDOUT” as the slogan boldly declared on the cover of  #350.

When it comes to Vendor Art, Derek confirms that this issue has 2 colour page spread  and we can look forward to another double spread in the next edition, when they dig into the archives from the past, plus their usual 1 page of current Vendor Artists.  A complement to  the current edition featuring the work of Simon Adams – and the message A TRIBUTE TO OUR HISTORY’.

Please buy the current edition and look forward to the next one in THE BIG ISSUE’s 30th year. Best wishes to Derek Carelse and Ingrid Jones and their team for many more creative years.

The Big Issue, logoWHAT:  30th Birthday and THE BIG ISSUE #351
WHERE:
 Available from your favourite vendor across the city. Anyone outside the city of Cape Town can buy the magazine nationally at selected Spar and Pick n Pay stores.  Anyone outside of Cape Town can also buy the magazine here.
Don’t forget: you can buy The Big Issue with your smartphone! Visit for a step-by-step guide.
INFO: bigissue@mikatekomedia.co.za | Visit | Editorial: Editor Ingrid Jones, 021-461-6690 | Advertising/Marketing: Derek Carelse at derekcarelse@mweb.co.za |   See also Cape Town Green Map

THE BIG ISSUE #351

The WHAT, WHY & WHERE of the
arts scene in around Cape Town
see the 2026 art craft + museums map

and listen in to the 
Arts Round Up on Fridays @12:45
on Fine Music Radio FMR 101.3fm

The FMR App makes it even easier to tune into the Arts Round Up on Fridays!  i-Phone HERE | Android HERE

Another reason Cape Town is placed 3rd in Time Out’s World’s Best Cities for Culture!

 

You might also like…