runner magazine began in April 2020 as a grassroots arts and culture publication for Detroit. Growing out of a need for critical writing and an impulse to archive local happenings, runner presents the perspectives of artists and thinkers whose visions for the future are influenced by the city’s brilliant cultural legacy and its current post-industrial state. We cover contemporary art, music, literature, theater, film, fashion, architecture, and activism, and also delve into the lesser-documented historical movements and figures who have shaped life in the Motor City.

Our platform serves as a resource for an audience curious about creative communities in Detroit, and how their voices resonate with global conversations. Over the years, our reach has grown to include national and international interest, prompting new collaborations and partnerships while also introducing local readers to outside perspectives. Since 2025, we have been working with Ra & Olly Ltd. to distribute our print issues globally, and in 2026, we started to expand our editorial focus into new places with a goal of discovering and incorporating unfamiliar voices into the network.

Inspired by the strawberry runner’s above ground horizontal propagation, runner magazine aims to connect groundbreaking artists and thinkers in Detroit with like-minded creatives around the world.

Founder and Lead Editor
Ashley Cook

Editorial Team
Marissa Jezak
Kellen MacGregor

Advisory Board
Lee Ambrozy
Aaron Bogart
Chris Pinter

For questions or inquiries on being published or re-printing any of our published material, please contact us!

mail@runnerdetroit.run