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Boissonneault adds, “As an artist and musician myself, having coverage, getting people to the shows, having people informed about what’s going on, it’s so important. I’m so fascinated that, for example, people don’t know what Peter Robertson Gallery is, or Harcourt House — it’s a hidden gem.

“But unless people read about it, read a review of a show, or an interview with an artist, they’re not going to know.

“Venues, promoters, artists, media, we all have to help each other out, because we all have the same goal.”

The new reality is already showing some of its perks. “Vue’s whole point was to cultivate the arts scene. But it was very stringent, I could only do so much, I had to meet quotas — you know the whole story. With Daze we can do whatever we want, learn from what Vue did wrong. We can do it daily, release a story the second it’s been edited. If there’s suddenly a secret show we can do a story about it right away.

“We’re also trying to get away from being completely event-based. There are so many stories that don’t get written because of that.”

Daze’s other features include a ranking system for articles by percentage, and a per-article notice how long it should take you to read it.

As yet, there’s no hierarchical structure — just three founding editors, picking and choosing what to assign and write about.

The three, who have been working for free from home and freelancing for other publications to keep the furnace on, are currently strategizing how to pay for Daze. The Kickstarter funds are going to freelancers, the website, logo designer and, of course, Kickstarter itself.

The Daze staff is speaking with investors, and planning live fundraiser events that are already all but confirmed.

And, more good news, political columnist Ricardo Acuña is hopping over from the ruins of Vue. More columnists are on their way.

I ask them how they feel and Novak laughs, “Kind of exhausted for someone who’s unemployed.”

“We survived the firing squad. I’m working harder than I ever did at Vue,” explains Boissonneault, “because it’s coming from us.”

fgriwkowsky@postmedia.com

@fisheyefoto