{{about|the international artist collective|other uses|Kilometer zero (disambiguation)}} {{distinguish|Kilometre Zero}} {{Refimprove|date=November 2013}} thumb|250px|right|Westerners dressed in traditional Chinese factory uniforms. May 2005, Beijing.
'''Kilometer Zero''' is a collective of international artists and writers that produces magazines, theatre, and artistic performances. It was founded in Paris, France, at the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in 2000.<ref>{{cite news|author=Elizabeth Reichert|title=New journals|url=http://www.parisvoice.com/voicearchives/02/mar/html/books.html|accessdate=4 December 2015|work=Paris Voice|date=March 2002}}</ref> The group operates as an association under the French laws of 1901. The name derives from 'Kilometre Zero', the point in front of Notre Dame cathedral.
The ''Kilometer Zero'' magazine was created as an advertising free creative and political platform. Contributors have included Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Dennis Cooper, Tom Tomorrow, Daniel Stedman, CD Wright, and Sparkle Hayter. Kilometer Zero has produced performances in Paris, London, Brooklyn, Amsterdam, Marseille, and Beijing.
The founding of ''Kilometer Zero'' is documented in Jeremy Mercer's novel ''Time Was Soft There'', published in 2005 by St. Martin's Press.<ref>[http://us.macmillan.com/timewassoftthere/JeremyMercer Time Was Soft There]{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} book details at publisher's site.</ref>
==Notable Kilometer Zero projects== * ''The [http://www.kilometerzero.org/view/Robin_Hood_Project Robin Hood Project]'' (Summer 2002): A product placement sting where major designer labels were duped into donating their goods to French charities. * ''[http://www.kilometerzero.org/view/Lysistrata Lysistrata]'' (March 2003): Kilometer Zero produced an adaption of Lysistrata as part of an anti-war statement made by theaters around the world.<ref>[http://lysistrataprojectarchive.com/lys/ Official site] of the 2003 global Lysistrata project.</ref><ref>[http://instantnet.wordpress.com/infact/lysystrata-332003/ Review of Lysistrata] by Infact Paris / La Société De Curiosités</ref> * ''[http://www.kilometerzero.org/view/Pssst...America Pssst... America]!'' (October 2004): A seven city political barnstorming tour emphasizing social inequity in America in advance of the 2004 presidential elections. * ''[http://www.kilometerzero.org/view/The_Short_Step The Short Step]'' (May 2005): (pictured) Kilometer Zero opened the Dashanzi International Arts Festival in Beijing by grouping together 400 westerners dressed in traditional Chinese factory uniforms.<ref>[http://garbolino.blogspot.mx/2005/05/short-step-march.html Review of The Short Step] by Garbo Garboson</ref> The performance was interrupted by Chinese officials.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.kilometerzero.org Kilometer Zero official site] * [http://blog.kilometerzero.org Kilometer Zero blog]
Category:Advertising-free magazines Category:Literary magazines published in France Category:Political magazines published in France Category:Magazines established in 2000 Category:Magazines published in Paris Category:2000 establishments in France