Lonely Planet launches pocket-sized zine Artifact as guerrilla print offshoot

Lonely Planet, the 53-year-old travel guide publisher, has launched a new pocket-sized zine called Artifact from its New York offices. The publication features photography by Daniel Dorsa, Gabbie Bhaskar, and Cole Wilson, and illustration by Kimberly Elliot, with essays edited by Chamidae Ford. The project was initiated by a small group across Lonely Planet's editorial, design, and photography teams, led by senior vice president Nitya Chambers, to carve out space for experimental, creative work. The zine takes visual cues from the earliest Lonely Planet editions, including DIY photocopies, stapled stacks, stripped-back color palettes, and hand-drawn elements. Principal visual designer Matthew Johnston notes that the zine is about inspiration rather than instruction, offering a slower, more tactile reading experience. The first issue has seen great success, and the team plans to build on that momentum with a clearer sense of the format's potential.