For most people publishing creative work online, there is a growing sense of anxiety. While we have more online tools than ever to help operationalize and monetize creative businesses, the available options often feel mismatched with how we naturally create.

The broad industry of sharing our creativity online has been generally defined as “the creator economy,” referring to the platforms, services and tools that enable the creation, distribution and monetization of content online. In this publication, we explore directions for an alternative creative ecosystem — one that looks and functions differently. We challenge the assumptions of the current model and suggest some of the cultural and technological shifts that can get us closer towards new solutions.

What would an environment look like that is more collaborative, resilient, meaningful, and democratic?
How might we participate in creating the digital infrastructure of the next decade?
What’s after the creator economy?

We spoke with creators of all kinds — musicians, podcasters, visual artists, and writers — to share their perspectives on the status quo and what comes next. Created in collaboration with Metalabel and edited by Austin Robey and Severin Matusek, the zine features interviews with Nathan Schneider, Mat Dryhurst, Samantha Marin, Pictureplane, Calum Bowden, Kyle Chayka, Amber Case, Gabriella Garcia, Nati Linares, Trebor Scholz, Ziv Schneider, and Kei Kreutler.

For most people publishing creative work online, there is a growing sense of anxiety. While we have more online tools than ever to help operationalize and monetize creative businesses, the available options often feel mismatched with how we naturally create.

The broad industry of sharing our creativity online has been generally defined as “the creator economy,” referring to the platforms, services and tools that enable the creation, distribution and monetization of content online. In this publication, we explore directions for an alternative creative ecosystem — one that looks and functions differently. We challenge the assumptions of the current model and suggest some of the cultural and technological shifts that can get us closer towards new solutions.

What would an environment look like that is more collaborative, resilient, meaningful, and democratic?
How might we participate in creating the digital infrastructure of the next decade?
What’s after the creator economy?

We spoke with creators of all kinds — musicians, podcasters, visual artists, and writers — to share their perspectives on the status quo and what comes next. Created in collaboration with Metalabel and edited by Austin Robey and Severin Matusek, the zine features interviews with Nathan Schneider, Mat Dryhurst, Samantha Marin, Pictureplane, Calum Bowden, Kyle Chayka, Amber Case, Gabriella Garcia, Nati Linares, Trebor Scholz, Ziv Schneider, and Kei Kreutler.

This is also the first record released by Metalabel. A record is a new digital format that creates a meaningful value exchange between artists and fans around any kind of creative output — physical, digital, conceptual, performative, ephemeral, live, exclusive, mass, or niche.

Released by Metalabel and co—matter in January 2023
Free to download and collect via Metalabel

Editors: Severin Matusek, Austin Robey
Advisor: Yancey Strickler
Design: Ilya Yudanov

This is also the first record released by Metalabel. A record is a new digital format that creates a meaningful value exchange between artists and fans around any kind of creative output — physical, digital, conceptual, performative, ephemeral, live, exclusive, mass, or niche.

Released by Metalabel and co—matter in January 2023
Free to download and collect via Metalabel

Editors: Severin Matusek, Austin Robey
Advisor: Yancey Strickler
Design: Ilya Yudanov