Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 22/99) - With a decade and a half of issues behind them, Up Here owners have reason to celebrate.

This month, the Northern-based magazine is marking its 15th anniversary.

"The Canadian magazine business sees more failure than success so it's quite an achievement for us to celebrate this anniversary," publisher Marion LaVigne said.

"Over the past years, we've developed a deep and loyal following among people who are passionate about the North. We're looking forward to serving them in the future as Up Here continues to grow and attract more readers."

LaVigne, with Ronne Heming, founded Up Here, published by Outcrop, in 1984.

Up Here's anniversary issue, January-February, is on the street and features a "best of" compiled by Rosemary Allerston, the magazine's longest-serving editor. The issue also features new work by storyteller Eric Watt.

In recent months, Up Here's initiatives included a travel supplement on Alaska and a winter living edition which was released for the first time in November. The Alaska supplement was the magazine's first move into the Alaska market.

This year, the magazine's owners plan to produce eight issues (up from the customary six), one of which will centre on Nunavut. The other will be the winter living issue.

"We've got great stories in our lineup, stories that will really bring the life and times of the North to our readers in Canada, the United States and Europe," Up Here editor Cooper Langford said.

Up Here's circulation has grown steadily, LaVigne also said.

Up Here prints 35,000 copies of each issue with about two-thirds paid.

Most of the subscribers live in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. European and U.S. subscribers make up about four and 12 per cent respectively.

As for subscribers in far-off lands, the magazine has readers in Australia, Nepal, Singapore, Botswana and Iran.