How a Louisville magazine is connecting creatives across the region

By Brennan Allen

Louisville is a city filled with many creatives, yet it lacks a central “creative scene.” The city has everything from photographers to abstract painters to EDM artists, but still lacks a space that can bring these subgenres together and highlight their artistry.

But thanks to 25-year-old Savannah Clarkson, all that has begun to change. What originally started as a passion project for this Louisville-raised artist and photographer has turned into a two-volume magazine publication known as Gravity Magazine.

“I wanted to create something tangible that combined my love for art, community and storytelling,” Clarkson said. “A printed magazine seemed like the perfect fit.”

And created something tangible, she did. Gravity Magazine has expanded far beyond its pages; it’s also fostered a new sense of community among creatives in Louisville.

“Art was the one thing that I looked forward to while I was in school, and it is something that has gotten me through the best and worst times of my life,” said Clarkson. “As I’ve gotten older and more connected with my creative peers, community has been something that has grown to be just as important as art to me. I value human connection so much, and that is a big reason I got into magazine creation at all.”

Clarkson has used her magazine to host free writing and photography workshops and creative networking events. Her efforts have allowed creatives to learn skills from their peers without a paywall standing between their artistry and its advancement.

Savannah Clarkson, creator of Gravity Magazine. (Photo courtesy / Kay Moore)

She’s also held social events to bring people together, sometimes collaborating with Wandering Treehouse, a Louisville-based DIY art and event collective. Together, they’ve held events including Picnic in the Park, Community Craft Night and Beats and Belonging, a local show that raised money for Los Angeles wildfire relief.

“We aren’t shy about hosting events and setting up opportunities for creatives to connect,” said Clarkson. “I’ve seen so many friendships blossom from events we’ve hosted, and I have also created new relationships through them. We foster an environment where creatives cheer each other on, not compete.”

But her efforts to highlight creatives and create community don’t stop within her city, as she refers to her magazine as a “publication for creatives near and far.” The pages of her magazine cover everything from local Louisville rapper Horace Gaither to Nashville-based Sueños Buenos, a Latina owned women’s clothing store.

She also holds events in other cities, bridging multiple artistic scenes in the process. She’s held open studios in Cincinnati and Nashville, where models and photographers can create art in one central space.

“My biggest goal with the magazine was to bring my creative community together and connect with those outside of my local community as well,” said Clarkson. “I definitely think that I have reached this goal, and I plan on continuing to expand on it.”

Right now, Clarkson is working on wrapping up the finishing touches of Volume 2, which will be available to be ordered online on Dec. 7.

“Volume 2 was a collaborative project that features work and submissions from writers, photographers and graphic designers from both Louisville and creatives across the country,” said Clarkson. “We also have pieces that combine elements of social justice, cultural identity, pride and representation.“

In the next few years, Savannah sees herself most likely living in Nashville, Tennessee pursuing a career in their creative industry. But she says that despite moving from her hometown, she will continue making frequent trips back to Louisville to be with her community.

She doesn’t plan on stopping Gravity Magazine anytime soon.

Catch her and the release of her passion project, Gravity Magazine, at the launch party on Dec. 7 at Studio 1A in Louisville, Kentucky.