Symbiosis, Ōtautahi Artists

Symbiosis is a local artist magazine dedicated to amplifying Ōtautahi’s vibrant creative community. Beyond the printed page, the publication serves as a platform that strengthens relationships, fosters visibility, and actively contributes to the growth of the local arts scene.  

My name is Leonardo James, and I’m a graphic designer and photographer with a passion for storytelling and community. I often take on many roles to bring Symbiosis to life, drawing on my creative practice to connect people through art and design. The magazine grew from my desire to give back to the community that inspires me. For now, I’m the main force behind the project, but the team is growing, and I look forward to introducing new collaborators soon. 

The funds raised will go directly toward producing the second issue of Symbiosis and supporting content beyond the magazine itself. This ensures the project can continue to grow and remain accessible to the community. Specifically, contributions will support:

○ Production costs – printing, domain ownership, email hosting, and website maintenance
○ Contributors – offering koha to contributors for their time, effort, and creativity
○ Gear – essential photography equipment, sourced secondhand as a first priority
○ Marketing and outreach – paid advertising, paste-ups, billboards, and other ways of spreading the word so the work can reach a wider audience

In Ōtautahi, there has long been a lack of artistic representation that offers deeper, interview-based insights into artists’ lives and practices. This created a need for a platform that could showcase diverse mediums, bridge gaps between disciplines, and connect artists with their wider community.

Symbiosis was created to meet that need in an intentional and distinctive way. During the process of developing the first issue, other similar platforms also began to emerge—proving just how vital this kind of space is, and how strongly the community is responding to it.

Through a blend of design, film photography, and conversational interviews, Symbiosis invites readers into an immersive experience—one that feels less like reading and more like sitting alongside the artists themselves. Every element, from the cadence of the questions to the way the text carries real voices, and the environmental photography that grounds each artist in their space, is crafted to dissolve the barrier between reader and subject. The result is a publication that doesn’t just present stories, but allows readers to step inside them—to feel present, connected, and part of a shared creative ecosystem.

Symbiosis exists because stories matter. In Ōtautahi, there has long been a lack of platforms that give local artists the space to share their practices in depth, and to be seen and heard in an authentic way. When artists are visible, their work gains strength, and the community around them grows stronger too.

This magazine doesn’t just showcase art—it builds bridges between disciplines, between creators and audiences, and between individuals and the wider creative ecosystem we all share. The first issue showed how much this kind of platform is needed, with readers and artists alike responding with energy and enthusiasm. Supporting Symbiosis means investing in that momentum: ensuring artists continue to have a space to tell their stories, and that the wider community can experience, connect with, and be inspired by them.

Backing this project is about more than funding a magazine—it’s about nurturing the voices that make Ōtautahi unique, and ensuring those voices are seen, heard, and celebrated.