In what’s been a difficult year for the magazine industry, print fans can rejoice at the news that magCulture’s annual conference is still going ahead – albeit in virtual form this time around.

Following on from magCulture Live Online, which replaced its New York conference earlier this year and featured the New York Times Magazine’s Gail Bichler and Jaap Biemans of Coverjunkie, the eighth London edition of magCulture Live sees the event shift online for two days of magazine goodness.

The days are divided up by theme, the first of which focuses on activism. It will include talks by critic Steven Heller on the historic power of magazines as platforms for change; Maya Moumne of Beirut-based Journal Safar, who will discuss the publishing scene in the Middle East; and London art director Sachini Imbuldeniya, who recently founded diversity-focused illustration and photography agency Studio Pi.

Day two is all about analogue, and will see talks by graphic designer and art director Kurt Koerpel about the reinvention of Interview Magazine and how his work on small run zines has influenced that, and OOMK’s Rose Nordin on how the publication’s Rabbits Road Press project has empowered people outside the creative industries to have a voice. Meanwhile, Jack Self of Real Review will be discussing the meaning of Nishant Choksi’s vivid face illustrations, which have appeared on the front cover of each issue.

The line up also includes two keynote speakers, the first day featuring Empire editor-in-chief Terri White, who will explain how her magazine has kept the flag flying for films despite the paralysing effect of the pandemic on the movie industry.

On the second day, Atlantic creative director Oliver Munday will be discussing the process behind the recent redesign of the magazine, and how it has helped reinvent one of America’s premiere news titles during a particularly turbulent year.

MagCulture Live is on from November 18-19. Tickets cost £60 per day or £90 for both days, or £45 and £60 for students, and are available here; magculture.com