The Vacuum

Each issue of The Vacuum is centred on a topical theme, around which writers and artists are commissioned to produce articles and illustrations.

Most issues contain a range of writing from social commentary, through satire to farce, focused on one area of discussion.

Some of the past topics have included:[citation needed] Contributors to The Vacuum have included writers such as Glenn Patterson, Colin Graham, Leontia Flynn, Stephen Mullan, Daniel Jewesbury, John Morrow, Richard Kirkland, Newton Emerson, Roy Foster and the artists Duncan Ross and David Haughey.

The Council then withheld an agreed funding allocation of £3,300 until the newspaper apologised to the citizens of Belfast for any offence caused.

[2] Following this protest Richard West, one of the paper's editors (along with Stephen Hackett), challenged the Council's demand for an apology in the High Court as a breach of articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The cover of the 'Bloody Foreigners' issue of The Vacuum , 2003, illustration by Duncan Ross.
The Cover of the 'God' issue of the Vacuum which, along with the 'Satan' issue caused protests in Belfast City Council.
The Cover of the 'Sorry' issue of The Vacuum , part of a response to Belfast City Council's demand for an apology.