Little Village Magazine

About Little Village

Mission & Support

Little Village is (probably) Iowa’s most widely read independent, alternative news & culture magazine. Launched in 2001, and with roots stretching back to the early 90s, LV has been a defining cultural voice in Iowa for the last 20+ years.

The print magazine is typically 60-100 pages, and is widely available for free in Iowa, with active pickup at over 800 retail, dining, and cultural venues in Iowa City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ames, Cedar Falls/Waterloo and the Quad Cities.

Our mission is to improve Iowa by informing participation in the state’s culture and government. We are supported by (mostly) business and nonprofit advertising, paid subscriptions, and 501c3 charitable contributions in support of LV’s journalistic mission.

Methods:

Free magazines, calendars, dining & recreation guides
This website!
Free newsletters
Social Media content (Instagram, Facebook, X(?))
Advertisements for businesses, nonprofits, and institutional partners
Event collaborations & sponsorships

Partner With LV

Content

Independent Iowa News, Culture & Events

In the independent, alternative media tradition, Little Village exists not only to document the communities it serves, but to advocate for and improve them. And we try to have a good time doing it. Across categories, story selection is focused on:

Quality of life — Healthcare, education, affordability, access, critical culture

Equity & justice — Environmental, racial, gender, labor and economic

Play — Each issue includes astrology, advice, pop-culture columns, humor, comics, a challenging crossword, and can’t-miss event listings

Contact LV’s Editorial Team

Advertising

Each month, the Little Village print edition reaches an estimated 60k readers—doers, shakers, show attendees and denizens of Iowa City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ames, Cedar Falls and the Quad Cities.

Distribution is 15% by paid subscription and 85% by active voluntary pickup at over 800 high-traffic dining, retail, travel, arts, and cultural venues.

Readership

20,000 copies are distributed monthly on average, reaching an estimated 60,000 readers each month. 30,000 weekly email touches, over 30,000 unique readers each month on littlevillagemag.com, and daily social media engagement bring LV’s average monthly reach to 150,000+.

Demographics

Additional Information

Publications and Programs

Little Village Magazine

Monthly news and culture magazine (released the first week of each month)

Rec’d Magazine

Annual recreation guide (June release)

Bread & Butter Magazine

Annual dining guide (August release)

Give Guide

Annual retail and nonprofit spotlight & philanthropic program (November release)

Best of the CRANDIC

Cedar Rapids & Iowa City awards program (December release)

Witching Hour Festival

Event series co-produced with The Englert Theatre (view festival site)

Music U

Music industry educational program presented by Greater Des Moines Music Coalition and sponsored by Little Village.

Vino Verite

Film event series presented by FilmScene and sponsored by Little Village and Bread Garden Market

Gross Domestic Product

Event series co-presented with the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition

Core Values

Through journalism, essays and events, we work to improve our community according to a few core values:

Affordability and access
Economic and labor justice
Environmental sustainability
Racial justice
Gender equity
Multiculturalism
Quality healthcare
Quality education
Critical culture

Letters to the Editor

Little Village regularly publishes letters to the editor(s) both online and in print, and submissions are always welcome. We reserve the right to fact check and edit for length and clarity. Please send your letters, comments or corrections to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com.

View our privacy policy »

Ad & Design Services

Little Village (and its creative agency, Little Village Creative Services) offers targeted advertising campaigns, a ticketing service, content and event sponsorships, mobile website design, custom publication and menu design, logos, photography, video and editing services. Request information at Ads@LittleVillageMag.com.

Little Village Tickets

If you run a venue, or are thinking of throwing an event, Little Village wants to be your partner. We’re local, our fees are very low (free for event organizers, low service charges for ticket purchasers) and fully customizable for concerts, festivals, races, pop-up dinners, or any event, large or small. Start selling tickets.

Non-profit Sponsorships

Little Village donates 10 percent of its ad space in each issue to area nonprofits. To request sponsorship, contact: LV@LittleVillageMag.com

Witching Hour Festival

Co-produced by Little Village and the Englert Theatre, Witching Hour is a two-day festival that takes place in Downtown Iowa City each fall, dedicated to exploring the unknown, discussing the creative process, and presenting new work.

Visit site »

Ownership and Funding

Little Village is a registered S Corporation in the state of Iowa. Matthew Steele, a graduate of the University of Iowa who grew up in Des Moines, has been owner and president of the corporation since 2010. Funding for Little Village's coverage comes from advertising sales, community donations and LV's in-house marketing agency, Little Village Creative Services.