Nashville’s oldest GLBT weekly paper, Xenogeny, will unveil a new look on February 21.

Xenogeny, which is Greek for “strange child”, made its debut in Nashville in October 1994. Ken Athon publishing it for just under a year before selling to current owner Linda Welch in the spring of 1995.

While Welch was coy about the redesign, she said color would be added and that a team of design professionals had been working with her for several months to create something “different and special” for Nashville.

“Readers and advertisers have been asking for color,” She said. “I wanted to give

the paper an updated look at the same time. It’s very exciting. It’s nothing like Nashville has seen before.”

Welch said content would be updated as well, that her focus would remain as it always has been – GLBT nightlife, entertainment and community events.

“We’ll have some fresh new content, but many of the favorites will remain,” she said.

The premier issue of the new look will come out the week of Nashville’s HRC Dinner, and Welch said she was printing 1,000 extra copies to give to the more than 600 people who attend Nashville’s largest HRC fundraising event.

“While I normally print 2,500 I’m going to do 3,500 that week,” she said. “And readers will be able to find Xenogeny at distribution points throughout Nashville.”

She added that a Web site redesign was also in the works, but wasn’t sure if it would debut at the same time.

Welch has been assisted in the redesign by three design professionals who have worked to capture the essence of Nashville’s GLBT nightlife.

 “I’ve been blessed by the volunteer work of these great people,” She said. “And the work they have done is just amazing.”

Welch said she was always looking for volunteer writers and photographers – people that can help capture Nashville’s GLBT nightlife. If you are interested in volunteering with Xenogeny, you can contact Welch via email at xenogeny@comcast.net or by phone at 615-831-1806.