The Black Mountain Institute will cease publishing venerable Believer literary magazine

The Black Mountain Institute will discontinue publication of its flagship magazine.

On Tuesday, the University of Nevada Las Vegas announced it will stop producing the Believer magazine in spring 2022, citing a “strategic realignment within the college and BMI as it emerges from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“This was not an easy decision but a necessary one, unfortunately,” Jennifer Keene, dean of UNLV’s College of Liberal Arts, said in a news release. “The Believer consumed a significant portion of BMI’s resources. After reviewing the data with internal and external stakeholders, it was clear that there was no path forward to continue publishing the magazine. Print publications in general have been facing increasing headwinds in recent years, which makes them a financially challenging endeavor.”

Founded in 2003, the Believer is an acclaimed and celebrated literary magazine, known for its off-beat content and upbeat critical philosophy, which earned multiple nominations for National Magazine Awards. It was founded by authors Ed Park, Vendela Vida and Heidi Julavits and originally published by McSweeney’s, Dave Eggers’ independent publishing house. Nick Hornby, Peter Orner, Amy Sedaris, Susan Straight, Anne Carson, William T. Vollmann and others have contributed to the publication.

The Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute — BMI’s official name — purchased the magazine from McSweeney’s in 2017, and Joshua Wolf Shenk became its editor in chief.

But earlier this year, following a Zoom meeting in which Shenk exposed himself to staff members, as well as allegations that he had fostered a toxic work environment, Shenk resigned, raising questions about the future of BMI as well as the Believer.

Between 2013 and 2015, the Rogers Foundation gifted BMI $30 million in service of a grand mission to expand the literary institution and its influence in Las Vegas and beyond. The Believer was part of that mission, and under the leadership of Shenk, the institute launched the Believer Festival, hoping to transform the desert city into a literary arts hub.

“While The Believer is a highly regarded vehicle for both new and established literary voices, we have a responsibility to direct our resources to the initiatives most central to BMI’s mission,” added Keene. “As we focus on its core mission, support for BMI remains strong. We look forward to the continuation of the institute’s vibrant offerings and exceptional literary and community engagement.”

The magazine’s final issue will be published in February/March of next year.