Saffron launches first zine and music tech kit for Black artists

Music tech initiative Saffron has announced its first zine to be shared with schools, youth clubs and colleges as well as 40 tech kits for Black women, non-binary, trans and gender non-conforming creators.

The Bristol-based collective’s new zine includes the likes of Zakia, TAAHLIAH, Xana and Princess Trium with 3500 free copies to be sent to around to young people with the aim to inspire future generations.

Alongside this, Saffron have also created music tech kits with educational resources and production tools including Ableton software and production hardware, whilst also offering a one-year Saffron membership and one-to-one tutorials.

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The kits include AIAIAI headphones, a synth or sampler by Teenage Engineering, Ableton Live 11 software and an Ableton MIDI controller.

These kits will be provided to 40 Black women, non-binary and trans people in the UK for free.

Speaking on the zine Xana said: “To be featured in this ‘zine, encourages my hope that we can see that there are those of us living and building the future, rather than just speculating. The ancestral cycles are being healed and the tormented question of ‘Can I do this too?’ will be shifted to ask ‘When will I start?'”

Read this next: Saffron founder Laura Lewis-Paul: "We're looking at white, male spaces and making them more diverse"

The zine can be purchased via Bandcamp and access the application for the tech kits here with the deadline April 8.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter