TOLEDO, Ohio — Started back in February 2024, the normally eight-page arts and culture newspaper focused on Ohio artists, The Scribe, is a completely free-to-the-public paper aimed at making sure artists from all mediums get some recognition for their hard work.
The Scribe's co-founder Jeffrey Darah said the highlighting and hopefully future payment to upcoming and need-based artists is important, as well.
"A lot of artists don't actually get any real recognition. They don't actually get what they set out to do," Darah said. "You make artwork and you want people to look at and appreciate it and get the validation that you made something that's great. But that doesn't really happen very often."
However, four editions have been published since the paper started under the umbrella of the Apollo Press nonprofit. Of those, Darah has seen and heard of tremendous success. Colleen Yappueying is the front cover of the fourth edition.
"I think what The Scribe is doing is really amazing because they're not asking for anything in return from us," Yappueying said. "They're just really trying to promote small business owners, artists and other creatives."
Yappueying is the founder of Co.Curated and has been trying to get her idea for a mobile bookstore off her website and on the road. She said being featured in the newspaper is doing wonders for her.
"I've noticed an uptick in followers, specifically on my social channels," Yappueying said. "A few people reached out to me, I got an Instagram message from someone who was sitting at the main library and just wanted to reach out. So that was really amazing."
Yappueying's face was circulated on more than 2,500 free papers across Toledo, Columbus, Cleveland and Fremont. Darah said he wants Cincinnati to join the circulation of Ohio places to catch The Scribe.
He said around Toledo, those interested in reading it can find it at Barr's Public House, Brandywine Country Club and Black Kite Coffee, to name a few.
The Scribe is both in print and online. Darah said the need for this paper is because the market is saturated and not every voice is heard equally or noticed among the sea of talent.
The paper is currently fully funded by Darah but he hopes to earn sponsors and donations sometime soon. He said of the funds, there are plans to give right back to artists.
"Since The Scribe can't exist without people submitting content to it, our way of giving back is that we would start a fund. Where there's a percent of all donations sent to us, will actually be allocated to this small fund," Darah said. "Then the fund will be distributed back out to the people who were involved in that edition."
While they have not started giving to artists yet, he said he's hopeful it will be soon. To contact Darah and find out more about The Scribe newspaper and Apollo Press, call (419) 470-9489 or email contact@apollo-press.com, or click here.