In New York City—and at 3rd Ward in particular—we have virtually everything we need right at our fingertips. In many smaller cities, though, creative scenes are thriving without such plentiful resources. That's where the new biannual non-profit publication, Outpost Journal, comes in. Each issue of Outpost will profile a different urban locale, investigating its creative hotspots, movers and shakers and more.

"Without over-romanticizing a 'small is beautiful' concept, we do firmly believe that smaller cities (as well as smaller neighborhoods in larger cities) can be fertile ground for testing new ideas in art, activism and lifestyle," Outpost founder Manya K. Rubinstein tells us. "But living in an 'Outpost' has a cost to it as well...how can artists and activists living 'out there' capitalize on the organic networks that already exist in order to make productive connections with artists and activists elsewhere? In addition, how do they get the notice they deserve for their work (and the possible economic opportunities/access to larger markets that can come with notice) not just in their own region, but also back in the main centers of art and commerce?"

Outpost's mission, she says, is "to create an experimental solution that bridges some of these gaps."

The journal's first issue will delve into the riches of Pittsburgh. "It is an incredible city, especially in regards to its arts ecology," Rubinstein says. "It is home to major cultural institutions like the Warhol Museum and the Mattress Factory (among others), full of beautiful and relatively cheap housing stock, a thriving DIY, crafting, printmaking, literary, filmmaking, performance and artistic community, a great art school and an incredible array of arts-based non-profits."

Interested? Help launch Outpost Journal by contributing to its Kickstarter campaign.

Curious about what you'll be able to find in the journal? Click "more info" for Rubinstein's descriptions of some features from the first issue.