Emerge—Surface—Be Fellowship for Emerging Poets
Poetry Project
DEADLINE: September 5, 2025 at 11:59pm ET.
INFO: Applications for the 2025–2026 Emerge—Surface—Be Fellowship for Emerging Poets are now open! We are pleased to share this year's group of mentors: Anne Boyer, Julian Brolaski, Aracelis Girmay, Shiv Kotecha, and Fargo Nissim Tbakhi.
Emerge—Surface—Be is a natural extension of The Poetry Project’s program offerings. It formalizes the distinct yet unspoken pedagogical aspect of The Poetry Project’s programs while providing a unique opportunity to support, develop, and present emerging NYC-based poets.
The Poetry Project is grateful for the Jerome Foundation's generous support, which makes it possible to host five Mentor/Fellow pairings in 2025–2026. This year we are thrilled to partner with Mentors who are working across a broad range of modes—including poetry, but also crossing into nonfiction, criticism, and performance.
Mentors Anne Boyer, Julian T. Brolaski, aracelis girmay, Shiv Kotecha, and Fargo Nissim Tbakhi will each select an emerging poet to work with. Over the course of nine months, Fellows will be given the opportunity to work one-on-one with their Mentor to develop their craft; explore publication and performance opportunities; and reflect on the professional and community-based dimensions of a writing life. Meetings between Fellows and Mentors can take place both in-person and virtually.
Ideal Fellows will have a project they are working on (or want to embark upon) and/or are working towards new ways of envisioning and bringing forth their writing practice and feel that they would benefit from guidance and support. Each Fellow will receive an award of $3,000. In adherence with US tax requirements, ESB Fellows will be issued an IRS 1099 Form.
In addition to working with their Mentors, Fellows will:
have access to all Poetry Project events (free workshops, free readings, free publications)
be included in the Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Reading
read within The Poetry Project’s 2026 Spring Season as a culminating event, with introductions made by their Mentors
Poetry Project staff and Mentors will work with each Fellow to find other unique opportunities for deepening, sharing, and connecting their poetry to specific goals the Fellows might have. Through the program, Fellows will be invited to attend various gatherings with Poetry Project staff and other 2025–2026 Fellows and Mentors.
ELIGIBILITY: Due to funding guidelines from the grant providers, applicants must be New York City resident at the time of application and must have lived in NYC at least one year prior to the application deadline. Unfortunately, we are unable to consider applicants who do not meet this requirement.
poetryproject.org/emerge-surface-be-fellowship
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Fall '25 GUEST RESIDENCY
Woodward Residency
DEADLINE: September 8, 2025
INFO: Applications are now open for our Winter/Spring '25 Guest Residency in Ridgewood, Queens, NY.
ELIGIBILITY: Established/emerging artists and creative professionals in the fields of literary arts, design, music, and multi-disciplinary arts are encouraged to apply.
Please note that art forms that generate fumes (such as oil painting) cannot be accommodated. Also, with the exception of our piano residents who can use headphones, our space is best suited to less cacophonous artistic pursuits.
AWARD BENEFITS:
Access to the building from 9AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday for the duration of your Guest Residency.
Guest Residents will work in the communal Great Room, with library etiquette.
Open invite to weekly tea and cake gatherings, and occasional work shares and evening parties.
A supportive and engaged community of working creatives.
WORK SAMPLES + PERSONAL STATEMENT: Recent work samples and your personal statement should reflect your commitment to your work and clarify how the residency would benefit your work at this time. Please see our application for specific guidelines.
REFERENCES: Please provide the contact info of at least one professional and one personal reference (excluding family members or significant others).
If you are new to your field of interest and don’t have a professional reference to speak to your current creative pursuits, you are welcome to provide a reference from someone in another field who has worked directly with you.
RESIDENCY SESSION: September 30, 2025 — Jan 30, 2026
EVALUATION PROCESS: A rotating panel of arts professionals will review all applications with the intent of supporting both established and emerging artists. Panelists include novelists, filmmakers, performance artists, literary agents, film/theater producers.
Selection criteria includes originality, commitment to your proposed field of work, interest in community, and demonstrated need for a work space.
We have limited space for Guest Residents and encourage all applicants to reapply if they don’t get a spot in the upcoming session.
NOTIFICATION: All applicants will be notified at least two weeks in advance of the start of their requested residency session.
woodwardresidency.co/guestresidency
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THE HODDER FELLOWSHIP
Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University
DEADLINE: September 9, 2025 at 11:59 pm EDT
INFO: The Hodder Fellowship will be given to artists and writers of exceptional promise to pursue independent projects at Princeton University during the academic year. Potential Hodder Fellows are composers, choreographers, performance artists, visual artists, writers, translators, or other kinds of artists or humanists who have “much more than ordinary intellectual and literary gifts”; they are selected more “for promise than for performance.” Given the strength of the applicant pool, most successful Fellows have published a first book or have similar achievements in their own fields; the Hodder is designed to provide Fellows with the “studious leisure” to undertake significant new work.
Hodder Fellows spend an academic year with Princeton, but no formal teaching is involved. A $93,000 stipend is provided for this 10-month appointment as a Visiting Fellow. Fellowships are not intended to fund work leading to an advanced degree. One need not be a U.S. citizen to apply. Previous recipients of the Princeton Arts Fellowship are not eligible to apply.
To apply, please submit a curriculum vitae, a 500-word project proposal, and samples of your work (i.e., writing sample, images of your work, video links to performances, etc.).
GUIDELINES:
To apply, please submit:
A curriculum vitae
500-word project proposal in which you describe your artistic project and what you plan to do during the fellowship's 10-month appointment
Work samples accompanied by a 150-word statement on how they relate to your proposal. Samples can be submitted as links in a PDF.
Creative Writing: Prose is limited to 3,000 words. Poetry is limited to 20 pages. If both a prose writer and poet, submit up to 2,000 words (prose) and up to 10 pages (poetry)
Dance (choreography): 1-3 links to at least 15 minutes total of rehearsals, research, or performances. Must be continuous footage with cue points. Do not send trailers, photographs or promotional materials.
Music: 1-2 scores and/or links to examples of performance (10 minutes total). Video is optional.
Theater: Up to 15 pages writing sample and/or up to 10 design images (photos or renderings) and/or video/audio reel with cue points.
Visual Arts: Up to 20 still images OR up to 10 minutes of video OR up to 10 still images and 5 minutes of video. Video can represent one work or excerpts; provide cue points if including a link to a longer work.
arts.princeton.edu/fellowships/hodder-fellowship
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PRINCETON ARTS FELLOWSHIPS
Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University
DEADLINE: September 9, 2025 at 11:59 pm EDT
INFO: Princeton Arts Fellowships will be awarded to artists whose achievements have been recognized as demonstrating extraordinary promise in any area of artistic practice and teaching. Applicants should be early career visual artists, filmmakers, poets, novelists, playwrights, designers, directors and performance artists—this list is not meant to be exhaustive—who would find it beneficial to spend two years teaching and working in an artistically vibrant university community.
Princeton Arts Fellows spend two consecutive academic years (September 1-July 1) at Princeton University and formal teaching is expected. The normal work assignment will be to teach one course each semester subject to approval by the Dean of the Faculty, but fellows may be asked to take on an artistic assignment in lieu of a class, such as directing a play or creating a dance with students. Although the teaching load is light, our expectation is that Fellows will be full and active members of our community, committed to frequent and engaged interactions with students during the academic year.
STIPEND: A $93,000 a year stipend is provided. Fellowships are not intended to fund work leading to an advanced degree. One need not be a U.S. citizen to apply. Holders of Ph.D. degrees from Princeton are not eligible to apply.
Past recipients of the Hodder Fellowship and individuals who have had a sustained and continuous relationship with Princeton University are not eligible to apply. Those who have had an occasional and sporadic relationship with Princeton may apply.
GUIDELINES: To apply, please submit a curriculum vitae, contact information for three references (should the search committee choose to contact references, please do not request letters or have letters sent in advance of a request from the search committee), and work samples (i.e., a writing sample, images of your work, video links to performances, etc.). Please also submit a 750-word proposal that includes how you propose to use the fellowship to develop your work, what you might teach or pursue with undergraduates, and how you have approached community building in your artistic practice, teaching, and/or research.
arts.princeton.edu/fellowships/princeton-arts-fellowship/
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Call for application: 2026 Spring Summer Residency
MacDowell
DEADLINE: September 10, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: MacDowell provides time, space, and an inspiring residential environment to artists of exceptional talent. A MacDowell Fellowship, or residency, consists of exclusive use of a studio, accommodations, and three prepared meals a day for up to eight weeks. There are no residency fees, and MacDowell offers financial assistance to reimburse the costs of direct travel to and from the residency, as well as expenses that artists expect to incur while in residence, including rent, lost income, and childcare.
ELIGIBILITY: MacDowell accepts applications from artists working in the following disciplines: architecture, film/video, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theatre, and visual arts. The sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence, which MacDowell defines in a pluralistic and inclusive way. MacDowell encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, engaging in the broadest spectrum of artistic practice, and investigating an unlimited array of inquiries and concerns. To that end, MacDowell welcomes artists working in various stages of their artistic practice to apply. Applicants cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program during the residency season for which they are applying. Doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework may apply.
MacDowell is committed to diversity and inclusion, and a more equitable arts and cultural sector. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. MacDowell offers barrier-free access in its main buildings and some studios.
While there are no medical facilities or medical personnel on site at MacDowell, the Monadnock Community Hospital is located 3 miles away in Peterborough, NH. Additionally, there are several medical facilities (hospitals and urgent care centers) within a 30-60 minute driving radius. MacDowell welcomes artists of all abilities to apply; artists with questions or concerns about potential medical needs are encouraged to contact us prior to residency to discuss access needs.
WORK SAMPLES: Work samples supporting the proposed project and completed within the past four years are requested, unless otherwise noted. All work samples are uploaded and submitted through the online application. Applicants unable to submit new work for the panel to review should include a note of explanation. Those applicants whose proposed project does not fall clearly within an artistic discipline should contact the Admissions office to discuss which discipline would best fit the proposed work. For detailed work sample requirements for each artistic discipline, click here.
REFERENCES: The MacDowell admissions department has temporarily suspended the reference letter requirement as part of the application process as a result of direct feedback from artists who have said reference letters pose a barrier to applying. Not all artists have access to referrers, and this lack of access disproportionately effects women and BIPOC artists. While reference letters can serve a purpose in application reviews, it is not an equitable or fair assessment tool. This experiment is part of MacDowell’s effort to improve equity and access in its culture.
macdowell.org/apply/application-guidelines
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PIGEON PAGES POETRY CONTEST
Pigeon Pages
DEADLINE: September 15, 2025
ENTRY FEE: $15 (for one poem of 5 pages or less)
INFO: Pigeon Pages is accepting submissions for its poetry contest.
JUDGE: Judged by Cecily Parks, author of The Seeds and guest editor of Best New Poets 2025.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Original, previously unpublished poems by a single author are eligible for this contest.
We do accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know ASAP if the submitted piece is accepted elsewhere.
If submitting work entirely in a language other than English, please also include an English translation.
All pieces are considered for publication in the journal outside of the contest.
Please do not include personal information on your piece, as submissions will be read blind.
AWARD:
The winning author will receive $250 and publication in Pigeon Pages.
Honorable mentions will receive $50 and publication in Pigeon Pages.
All submissions will be considered for publication.
pigeonpagesnyc.com/general-submissions
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call for submissions: the commuter
Electric Lit
SUBMISSION PERIOD: September 15 - 21, 2025 (or when they receive 375 submissions per category)
INFO: The Commuter is Electric Literature’s home for poetry, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives. It publishes weekly on Wednesday morning, and has showcased the likes of Caroline Hadilaksono, Aleksandar Hemon, Jonathan Lethem, Lindsay Hunter, Tahirah Alexander Green, and Julia Wertz.
GUIDELINES:
Please keep the following guidelines in mind:
For Prose, submit one or more pieces, either standalone or connected, in a single document. The total word count should not exceed 1500 words. We encourage writers to push boundaries.
For Poetry, submit 4–6 poems in a single document, and please limit the page count to 8. Keep in mind that due to our digital platform, not all poems may render exactly as they appear in a PDF.
For Graphic Narrative, we are interested in both traditional and non-traditional forms of visual storytelling. Submit up to 3 pieces of narrative illustration, comics, mixed media narrative, or genre-negative oddments. For comics, each piece should contain a minimum of 3 panels. The total page count of your submission should not exceed 20 pages.
Please submit all genres in .doc, .docx, or PDF.
Please submit only once per category.
Work previously published in any form cannot be considered.
Please include your email address.
If your work is selected, we offer a total payment of $100.
Writers with a submission pending with Recommended Reading may still submit to The Commuter.
All submissions will be accepted through our Submittable page. For a sense of the kind of work we publish, check out recent issues of The Commuter, our 280-character contest winners, and Recommended Reading’s 300th issue.
For candid advice from our editors on how to make your poems, flash, graphic, and experimental narratives stand out, watch our video "How to Get Published in The Commuter."
electricliterature.submittable.com/submit
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VCCA RESIDENCIES AT MT. SAN ANGELO
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA)
DEADLINE: September 15, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: Residencies can be transformative to an artist’s process and the effect on an artist’s career profound. A residency at VCCA gives artists the time and space to explore and go deeper into their work. Away from the constraints of “the real world” and in an accepting environment of talented peers, one can dream and create with the feeling that anything is possible.
VCCA’s Mt. San Angelo location in Amherst, Virginia, typically hosts 360 artists each year in residencies of varying lengths (no minimum; up to six weeks) with flexible scheduling. A residency at Mt. San Angelo includes a private bedroom with private en-suite bath, a private individual studio, three prepared meals a day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, VCCA is surrounded by natural wonders and hiking trails. Many local sites and additional inspiration can be found in short drives to Lynchburg (20 minutes), Charlottesville (1 hour), Roanoke (1.5 hours), or Richmond (2 hours).
FULLY FUNDED FELLOWSHIPS:
CHRISTINA CHIU AAPI WRITERS FELLOWSHIP
Who: Writers, with preference given to those who self-identify as part of the AAPI community
What: Two-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Summer 2026 (May 1 – August 31)
GREATER OPPORTUNITY FELLOWSHIPS
Who: Artists in any discipline who have not previously been in residence at VCCA, with preference given to those who self-identify as people of color
What: Residency of up to two-weeks at Mt. San Angelo
When: Summer 2026 (May 1 – August 31)
RICHARD S. AND JULIA LOUISE REYNOLDS POETRY FELLOWSHIP
Who: Poets
What: Three-week residency at Mt. San Angelo
When: Summer 2026 (May 1 – August 31)
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2026 winter Residency
Monson Arts
DEADLINE: September 15, 2025
INFO: Monson Arts’ residency program supports emerging and established artists and writers by providing them time and space to devote to their creative practices. During each of our 2-week and 4-week programs throughout the year, a cohort of 5 artists and 5 writers are invited to immerse themselves in small town life at the edge of Maine’s North Woods and focus intensely on their work within a creative and inspiring environment. They receive a private studio, private bedroom in shared housing, all meals, and $500 stipend ($250 for 2-week programs). The Abbott Watts Residency for Photography offers access to the photography studio and darkroom of Todd Watts in nearby Blanchard, adjacent to the former home of Berenice Abbott. Click here to read more about this unique opportunity specifically for photographers.
Applications for a residency at Monson Arts are open to anyone at any stage of their career, working in visual arts, writing, and related fields (i.e. audio, video, photography, woodworking, movement, screen and playwrights). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, May 15, and September 15. Each application period corresponds to specific residency offerings 3-6 months out.
Residents’ studios are located in newly renovated Main Street buildings that have been designed specifically for visual artists and writers. All of our studio spaces are outfitted to be as flexible as possible so that we can accommodate a variety of creative practices. Our visual arts studios are spacious and light-filled with large work tables and sinks. Shelving and portable storage carts are available as needed. Access is available to woodshop and metal shop facilities in nearby buildings for any fabrication needs. Our writing studios are comfortably furnished with work tables, office chairs, bookshelves, and reading chairs. For those working in time and sound based media: apply to the Writing category if quiet contemplation would be best for your project or the Visual Arts category if you need room and the opportunity to make and play sounds out loud.
Residents live in newly renovated historic homes throughout town, within walking distance to studios and everything that downtown Monson has to offer. These are mostly 3 bedroom structures that are fully furnished and comfortable all four seasons of the year. Houses all have shared kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas with laundry machines, telephone, and other amenities as well. Wifi is available in all of our buildings through high speed fiberoptic service.
Application Requirements include:
Up to 5 images / 5 minutes of media OR 5 pages of writing examples
A letter of intent for your time at the residency
C.V. or Resume (limited to 6000 characters)
Two reference names
2026 WINTER RESIDENCY SCHEDULE:
1/12 – 1/22 – 2 Week Residency
1/26 – 2/19 – Residency (With Abbott Watts Resident)
2/23 – 3/19 – Residency
monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/
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Guggenheim Fellowship
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
DEADLINE: September 16, 2025 by 11:59pm EDT
INFO: The Guggenheim Fellowship is an annual competition celebrating exceptional achievements in the arts, sciences, and humanities. It offers support to exceptional individuals in pursuit of scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions.
For a century, Guggenheim Fellowships have helped artists, writers, scholars, and scientists at the highest levels of achievement pursue the work they were meant to do. Since our founding, we have supported over 19,000 Fellows.
Our mandate is uniquely broad. We support Fellows in over 50 different fields, spanning the full range of creative arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, including several interdisciplinary areas.
The Guggenheim Fellowship supports individuals who have achieved notable success in their careers across the creative arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. It is designed for mid-career professionals whose work is well-established. Potential Fellows have already made significant contributions to their field and are eager for time and resources that will allow them to further their meaningful work.
While many applicants are affiliated with an academic institution or university, independent scholars, writers, and artists are eligible to apply.
A Guggenheim Fellowship term may last from six months to one year, although the proposed project does not need to be completed within that period
We do not require academics to be on sabbatical leave or free from administrative or teaching duties during the Fellowship period, but it’s fine if they are. Also, we do not commit to replacing full salaries or guaranteeing specific costs. The award funds can generally be used for any purpose related to the pursuit of the Fellow’s project – living expenses, materials, travel, equipment, etc.
FELLOWSHIPS IN THE CREATIVE ARTS:
Guggenheim Fellowships in the creative arts have fueled projects in writing, the visual arts, dance, and music.
Our first Fellowship class included 24-year-old Aaron Copland, the “dean of American composers.” Every year since then, we have celebrated the work and vision of numerous artists. We supported Zora Neale Hurston as she wrote “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and Robert Frank as he photographed what would become “The Americans.” We have contributed to the careers of poet laureates, National Book Award honorees, and Pulitzer Prize winners; artists exhibited in The Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and renowned galleries; filmmakers who have won Oscars and revolutionized documentaries; dancers who have established entirely new ways of moving; and composers who have written their own rules for new music.
We are proud to support creativity in all forms, without constraint.
APPLICANT CRITERIA:
All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada at the time of application.
Individuals who have already received a Guggenheim Fellowship are not eligible to reapply.
Guggenheim Fellowships are not open to students (undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate).
Our awards are intended for individuals only; they are not available to organizations, institutions, or groups.
PROJECT CRITERIA:
The Foundation accepts applications from individuals proposing scholarly or creative projects in the creative arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and a range of interdisciplinary fields.
Please note the following exceptions:
Guggenheim Fellowships are not available for the creation of residencies, curriculum development, or any type of educational program, nor are they available to support the development of websites or blogs.
Anthology, oral history, e-book, or textbook projects are not supported by our awards.
We regret that our awards are not available to support the writing of literature for children or young readers, or support any other type of work (e.g., films, plays, etc.) intended for young audiences.
Published writing not regarded as appropriate for our competition includes self-published works, publications for which the author has paid, and publications by publishers who do not engage in a process of critical review of submitted work. In addition, genre work (e.g., mysteries, romance, fantasy, etc.) is not within our scope.
We also accept applications for collaborative projects from two individuals who are working together on the same project, i.e., joint applications. If you would like more information about applying jointly, please contact us at competition@gf.org.
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2026 PERIPLUS FELLOWSHIP
Periplus Collective
DEADLINE: September 20, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET
INFO: Applications for the 2026 Periplus Fellowship are open!
Periplus is a community of writers who provide mentorship and guidance to early-career BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) writers in the United States so they can achieve their own professional and artistic goals.
During the year-long fellowship, mentors and fellows meet monthly to discuss various topics, which might include, for example, building writing into a daily routine, making money as a writer, considering craft concerns like structuring a book or magazine article, and approaching career-related problems like finding an agent, pitching magazines, or applying to graduate school.
There are also opportunities for Fellows to engage with the broader Periplus community such as planning panels, talks, meet-ups, readings or other events; attending those events; sharing support and resources; and doing whatever else they think would be useful and interesting.
bit.ly/periplusfaq
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The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writer
New York Public Library
DEADLINE: September 26, 2025
INFO: The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers is an international fellowship program open to people whose work will benefit directly from access to the collections at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building—including academics, independent scholars, and creative writers (novelists, playwrights, poets). Visual artists at work on a book project are also welcome to apply. The Center appoints 15 Fellows a year for a nine-month term at the Library, from September through May. In addition to working on their own projects, the Fellows engage in an ongoing exchange of ideas within the Center and in public forums throughout the Library.
A Cullman Center Fellow receives the use of an office with a computer, full access to the Library’s physical and electronic resources, and a stipend of $90,000.
The Center awards fifteen fellowships each year to applicants whose work requires a period of sustained, intense immersion in the collections of one of the world’s greatest research libraries. It provides Fellows with a stipend, a private office for study and writing, and the opportunity to engage and collaborate with other Fellows through weekly lunches and other occasions to share their work. Fellows are chosen from a large field of applicants from across the United States and abroad to work at the Center from September through May.
nypl.org/about/fellowships-institutes/cullman-center-scholars-writers
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call for submissions: ‘MUNDANITY’ ISSUE
Poda-Poda Stories
DEADLINE: September 25, 2025
INFO: Making coffee in the morning, cooking dinner, folding laundry, taking an evening stroll, quiet everyday moments. What does the mundane mean to you? We invite you to explore your interpretation of the mundane in a creative way, through photography, poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, for our new issue in December.
GENRES ACCEPTED:
Poetry – up to 3 poems as a single document
Fiction (short story) – 1,000–2,500 words
Non-fiction (essays, life-writing) – 900–2,500 words (no book or film reviews)
Photography + Digital Art – up to 3 images
MEET THE EDITORS:
Poetry: Jeremy Teddy Karn was born in Monrovia, Liberia. He earned his MFA in English-Creative Writing (Poetry) from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he received fellowships to support his work. He is also the recipient of the John C. Shupe Award in Poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. He is currently a PhD student at the University of Houston.
His chapbook, Miryam Magdalit, was selected by Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani for inclusion in the New-Generation African Poets' Chapbook Boxset (APBF) in 2021. He received the Stanley Awards International Fellowship (2024) at the University of Iowa and is a finalist for the Two Sylvias Press Chapbook Prize in 2024 and also the 2025 Evaristo Prize for African Poetry. He is the co-founder of Pepper Coast Mag. He can be reached out to through his website: www.jeremyteddykarn.com
Fiction: Charmaine Denison-George is an English Language and Literature educator from Freetown, Sierra Leone. She holds an M.F.A degree in Creative Writing from Texas State University. Her work can be found in Isele Magazine; Brittle Paper, Kinsman Avenue Publishing’s ‘Black Diaspora’ anthology (2024), and Afritondo’s ‘Travelling Men Don’t Die’ (2024).
Nonfiction: Ngozi Cole is a Sierra Leonean writer and journalist. She has been commissioned by Reveal (Center for Investigative Reporting) and The New Humanitarian, among others. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School and a 2022 Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting fellow. Her fiction and poetry have been published in Brittle Paper and Afreada.
Photography + Digital art: Yasmin Metz-Johnson is the creative director and founder of the lifestyle blog turned community and West Africa travel concierge, yasmintells.com. TELLS is an acronym for: Travel, Explore, Live, and Learn. Yasmin has spent the last decade showcasing living and working in Sierra Leone and Senegal through stories and visual content, whilst encouraging her audience to be courageous and step out of their comfort zone. In 2022, Yasmin launched the group travel company, TELLS TRIPS, curating experiences of a lifetime for the diaspora and visitors interested in exploring the African continent.
WHO CAN SUBMIT?
We welcome submissions from:
Those residing on the African continent
Members of the African diaspora
Individuals with African citizenship
Those living in the Caribbean
Individuals of Caribbean descent/ its diaspora
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Separate Submission Forms: Only one submission per genre is allowed.
Theme: Consider the meaning of mundanity and creatively explore it through characterization, plot, structure, subject, language, or theme.
Originality: Work must be entirely your own. AI-generated or plagiarized content will be immediately disqualified
Formatting:
Numbered pages
Double-spaced
Times New Roman, 12pt font
Submit poetry/prose as a Word document (.docx or .doc). Images may be in JPG, PNG, or PDF format.
Anonymity: Do not include your name in your submitted work.
File naming format: Genre_FirstLastInitials_TitleOfWork
Example: Poetry_MA_AndStillIRise
OTHER DETAILS:
There is no submission fee for this issue (a submission cap may apply if entries exceed judge capacity).
Accepted submissions will be published in December 2025
Questions? Email editor@poda-poda.com or DM us on socials.
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Issue 1- Sound and Spirit
BIPOCRYPHA Magazine
DEADLINE: September 30, 2025
INFO: BIPOCRYPHA Magazine welcomes original, unpublished and previously published poetry in English from arising and acclaimed poets 18 years and older. Just ensure you have permission from the original publication to republish it and let us know in your submission where it was originally published. We welcome simultaneous submissions, but please let us know if your piece is accepted for publication elsewhere.
Sound and Spirit, the inaugural issue of BIPOCRYPHA Magazine, is dedicated to exploring faith, resilience, and hope within the African diaspora.
At the forefront of African American poetry lies the spirituals — melodic verses birthed by enslaved African Americans on Southern plantations — often dismissed as mere song and seldom recognized as the bedrock of the African American poetic lineage. This art form, evolving into genres such as gospel music, the blues, and freedom songs during the Civil Rights Movement, creates a vibrant tapestry of sound and spirit that resonates through time. It intertwines with contemporary verse, bequeathing a legacy of resistance, resilience, and profound artistic expression. The rhythmic pulse of these songs endures, a testament to the unwavering strength of the human voice amidst the trials of adversity.
So, share with us your contemporary poetic interpretations of the spiritual songs and themes found in African American spirituals. Spirituals were not just songs; they were a form of artistic expression for enslaved people. We accept poetry of all forms.
The issue aims to showcase the multifaceted spiritual experiences of people of African descent and highlight the enduring role of spirituality and religion in African American culture throughout history. Through the contemplation of Black diasporic contributors, readers will gain a fresh perspective on forms of resistance and expression within the African American community.
HOW TO SUBMIT: Please send all solicited and unsolicited submissions to BIPOCRYPHA@gmail.com.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
All submissions should include the following information:
In the subject line: BIPOCRYPHA Magazine Submission- Sound and Spirit- Poetry
In the email body:
Your name.
Title of submission(s). For poetry, 1-3 poems.
An artist’s statement of up to 250 words, addressing the theme(s) of the submitted pieces.
Bio of up to 200 words.
If you have any, please include a link to your artist’s web-page or social media handles.
Attached:
Submit 1-3 poems, ideally thematically or stylistically related, as we prefer to showcase multiple pieces as a set from each selected contributor. Each poem should start on a new page inside a single .doc, .docx, or .pdf file (up to 6 pages total), using Times New Roman or another readable font.
If you have any questions, email us at BIPOCRYPHA@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram @BIPOCRYPHA.
PAYMENT: BIPOCRYPHA Magazine strives to compensate writers for their work! Payment is contingent on grant funding.
Feedback Timeline:
It is a privilege for us to review your work, and we are eager to share our thoughts with you! We’ll let you know as soon as humanly possible, but no longer than 90 days, if we’d like to publish your work. BIPOCRYPHA Magazine is requesting first publication rights and asks to be credited as the first place the work was published. Published pieces will find a permanent home on our website, allowing for easy access and ongoing appreciation.
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2026 RESIDENCIES
Vermont Studio Center
DEADLINE: September 30, 2025 by 11:59pm EST
APPLICATION FEE: $25
INFO: Vermont Studio Center invites applications for 2026. Nestled in the Green Mountains, VSC hosts an inclusive, global community of artists and writers. Enjoy private studios and lodging, fresh - local meals, and a vibrant Visiting Artists & Writers Program.
VSC’s residency program welcomes artists and writers working across all mediums and genres for two, three, and four week sessions.
Residents enjoy well-lit, private studios within a short walk to residency housing, dining hall, and local amenities. Studio spaces range from 170 - 300 square feet. Accommodations include a private room and shared common areas. The campus features include a print shop, digital lab, and metal, wood, ceramic facility. Studios are open 24 hours a day.
A VSC residency provides artists and writers the time and space to focus on their creative practice in an inclusive, international community within a small Vermont village. Residents can explore swimming holes, hiking and biking trails, as well as the rural charm of neighboring towns, while expanding their creative potential and building a solid network of friends and mentors.
PROGRAMMING
During each session, Visiting Artists and Visiting Writers are invited to join us for presentations, craft talks, one-on-one manuscript consultations, and individual studio visits. Residents can also enjoy open studio nights, resident presentations, and exhibition openings. All scheduled activities are optional. Residents are encouraged to unplug, completely immerse themselves in their work, and work at their own pace.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
VSC is committed to community building both locally and on campus. Every resident has the opportunity to participate in our Community Contribution Program for 3 hours per week, by assisting in one of these areas: Kitchen, School Arts Program, Visual Arts, and the Writing Program. No prior experience is necessary.
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Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry
IHRAM Press
DEADLINE: September 30, 2025
INFO: The Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry honors the courageous, passionate, and justice-oriented life of poet and attorney Rhonda Gail Williford.
Rhonda was an unashamed believer in beauty in all its forms, as well as in the power of language. Poetry that is sparse, compact, and powerful or lush and melodious is welcome, as are poems that combine these qualities. The contest will be judged by a panel of poets who knew and cherished Rhonda and her commitment to beauty, justice, and life.
Sincerity, vulnerability, and courage are codes Rhonda lived by and we are looking for poems that reflect these ideals.
GUIDELINES:
Please submit one unpublished poem that incorporates themes of justice, dignity, and resistance.
Please include your name as you would like it to appear, country of residence and brief biography.
PRIZES:
First Prize: $150
Second Prize: $100
Third Prize: $50
Up to five Honorable Mentions chosen
humanrightsartmovement.org/rhonda-gail-williford-award-for-poetry
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APR/Honickman First Book Prize
The American Poetry Review
DEADLINE: October 1, 2025
ENTRY FEE: $25
INFO: The prize of $3,000, with an introduction by the judge and distribution of the winning book by Copper Canyon Press through Consortium, will be awarded in 2026 with publication of the book in the same year. The author will receive a standard book publishing contract, with royalties paid in addition to the $3,000 prize.
JUDGE: This year's final judge is poet Dorothea Lasky.
Dorothea Lasky is the author of six full-length collections of poetry and one book of prose, Animal (Wave Books). Her latest book of essays is the forthcoming MEMORY (Semiotext(e)). Her other books include ROME(Liveright/W.W. Norton), The Shining, Milk, Thunderbird, Black Life, and AWE, all from Wave Books. She was also the co-editor of Open the Door: How to Excite Young People About Poetry (McSweeney’s, 2013). Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Poetry at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where she directs the Poetry Concentration in the MFA program.
GUIDELINES:
The prize is open to poets who have not published a book-length collection of poems with a registered ISBN. Poems previously published in journals or limited-edition chapbooks may be included in the manuscript, but the entire manuscript itself must not have been published as a book-length work. Translations are not eligible nor are works written by multiple authors. The editors of The American Poetry Review will screen manuscripts for the judge. APR complies with the CLMP Code of Ethics in the administration of this contest. The judge will select a manuscript in an anonymous review process and will not award the prize to any writer whose personal relationship to the judge poses a conflict of interest.
To be considered for the prize, submit a manuscript of 48 pages or more, single-spaced, paginated, with a table of contents and acknowledgments.Manuscripts must be received by October 1, 2025. The winning author and all other entrants will be notified by January 15, 2026.
You may simultaneously submit your manuscript elsewhere, but please notify us immediately if it is accepted for publication. Submission of more than one manuscript is permissible; each must be entered separately.
The winning author will have time to revise the manuscript after acceptance, but please send no revisions during the reading period.
americanpoetryreview.submittable.com/submit
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WINTER ONLINE WORKSHOP
Tin House
DEADLINE: October 6, 2025
INFO: Tin House's Winter Online Workshop consists of curated workshops, industry panels, craft lectures, agent meetings, affinity groups, social hours, and, of course, online karaoke.
Additionally, every enrolled participant will have the opportunity to meet with one guest agent for ten minutes either Julia Kardon (HG Literary), Kent Wolf (Neon Literary), Mina Hamedi (Janklow & Nesbit), Reiko Davis (DeFiore & Company), Shabnam Banerjee-McFarland (Odom Media Management) or Sonali Chanchani (Folio Literary).
APPLICATION:
We ask for one unpublished writing sample. For short fiction/novel/nonfiction, 4,000 words or less. For poetry, four poems, totaling no more than eight pages.
If you have previously been accepted/attended, please do not apply with the same sample. A different excerpt from the same project is acceptable. Once admitted, you will have the opportunity to workshop a different manuscript.
In addition to the writing sample, the application includes several questions about your project.
Applicants must be 18 years of age to apply.
International writers may apply.
There is no cap on the number of Tin House Workshops you may attend.
Applications are read by a board composed of Tin House Workshop staff and Tin House Reading Fellows. Acceptance is based on the strength and promise of the writing sample and how much the board feels an applicant might benefit from the Workshop and contribute to the community. All applications are evaluated through the lens of our Core Values.
Scholarships are available for BIPOC Writers, authors identifying as Native American and/or Indigenous in North America, parent writers who have at least one child under the age of eighteen, writers who are trans, and writers who were born or reside outside of the United States. To apply, they ask for one unpublished writing sample. For short fiction/novel/nonfiction, 4,000 words or less. For poetry, four poems, totaling no more than eight pages.
tinhouse.com/workshop/winter-workshop/#scholarships-&-financial-assistance
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2025 John Lewis Writing Grants
Georgia Writers Association
DEADLINE: October 10, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET
SUBMISSION FEE: $0
INFO: The Georgia Writers Association's John Lewis Writing Grants are inspired by the late civil rights icon and his more than three decades of service as Georgia’s 5th District representative. The John Lewis Writing Grants will be awarded annually in the categories of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screen/playwriting.
The purpose of the John Lewis Writing Grants is to elevate, encourage, and inspire the voices of promising Black writers in Georgia. Applicants must be emerging writers who are Black or African-American residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win the John Lewis Grant one time.
GRANT: The winning recipients will receive $500, and an invitation to read from their work at the next Red Clay Writers Conference.
QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and emerging writers who are Black or African-American residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award. Applicants are ineligible if they have published more than one traditionally published book. Promising writers without publication will be considered. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win a grant once. There is no submission fee to enter. Applicants are ineligible if they are of relations to any of the Georgia Writers staff or board of directors.
GUIDELINES:
Writers may apply in only one genre and must submit the following:
A completed grant application
An artist statement of 500 words (max.) as a concise description of your work and goals as a writer. Tell us what inspires your writing career, and how your work engages (directly or indirectly) with the legacy of John Lewis.
A writing sample of 10 pages (max.) of a published or unpublished piece in the genre in which you are applying: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screen/playwriting. If submitting poetry, one poem per page please.
*Do not include your name or any identifying information in the writing sample.
georgiawritersassociation.submittable.com/submit/333082/2025-john-lewis-writing-grants