CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: DEBUT POETRY AND SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
Tin House
SUBMISSION PERIOD: May 6, 2023 (at 12:01 am PT) - May 7, 2023 (at 11:59 pm PT)
INFO: Three times per year, Tin House offers a two-day submission period for writers to submit their work. Eligible writers must not currently have an agent, and must not have previously published a book (chapbooks okay). Per our schedule below, we accept works of fiction, literary nonfiction, and poetry, both originally in English and in translation (please only submit translation projects which the translator has already been granted formal permission to translate), and ask that you do not send us a project unless you have a completed draft.
In particular, we are looking to engage with work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black, Indigenous, POC, disabled, neurodivergent, trans and LGBTQIA+, debuting after 40, and without an MFA.
SUBMIT: From May 6th at 12:01 a.m. PT to May 7th at 11:59 p.m. PT, our Submittable link will be live for debut poetry and short story collection submissions. You can click below to submit then!
tinhouse.com/book-submissions/
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Open call for submissions of art & writing
Genre: Urban Arts
DEADLINE: May 7, 2023
INFO: Genre: Urban Arts is a group of creatives who utilize print and digital platforms to share their creativity.
Show us what you’ve been working on by submitting your original and unpublished art and writing to Genre: Urban Arts’ No. 12 Signature Print Publication.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this dynamic celebration of creativity and add to your publishing credits.
FIRST PUBLICATION RIGHTS REQUIREMENT: All submitted work must be ORIGINAL and UNPUBLISHED. Read more in additional considerations below.
CATEGORIES:
Music Review
Include 2-3 images (file size no greater than 64MB).
Reviews should be 1000 words or fewer.
Nonfiction or Creative Nonfiction
Limit your submission to 1000 words or fewer.
Poetry
Submit 2-4 poems, each with 50 lines or fewer.
Fiction
Limit your submission to 1000 words or fewer.
Art (Visual Arts)
The "Art Envisioned" category welcomes submissions from visual artists. Please send photographs of your original artwork.
Include title, medium, and 1-3 images (file size no greater than 64MB).
Include a brief artist statement.
Photography
Include title, medium, and 5-7 images (file size no greater than 64MB).
Include a brief artist statement.
Fashion Editorials
Include 4-6 high-resolution images (file size no greater than 64MB).
Provide a brief description of the editorial theme or concept.
Additional Considerations:
Formatting: Use a standard font and size (e.g., Times New Roman, 12 pt) and include your name, email address, and title on the first page of your submission.
Multiple Submissions: Limit yourself to one submission per category.
Simultaneous Submissions: We do not accept simultaneous submissions.
File Types: Submit each item as an individual file. Acceptable file formats are PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, and PNG.
There is no monetary exchange for published submission.
First Publication Rights Requirement:By submitting your work to Genre: Urban Arts, you agree to grant us the First Publication Rights upon acceptance of your submission. This means that if your work is selected for publication, we reserve the exclusive right to be the first platform to publish and showcase your work. After the initial publication in Genre: Urban Arts, the copyright reverts back to you, the author or creator, and you are free to republish your work elsewhere. However, we kindly request that you acknowledge Genre: Urban Arts as the original publisher in any subsequent publications. This requirement helps us maintain the freshness and uniqueness of our content, ensuring that our audience has access to original and previously unpublished works. By granting us the First Publication Rights, you contribute to our mission of promoting and celebrating urban arts and culture.
genreurbanarts.submittable.com/submit
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2023 CAVE CANEM POETRY PRIZE
Cave Canem
DEADLINE: May 10, 2023 by 11:59 pm EST
ENTRY FEE: $0
INFO: Submissions are now open for the 2023 Cave Canem Poetry Prize, an annual contest dedicated to the discovery of first books by Black poets!
AWARD: The winner receives $1,000, publication by University of Pittsburgh Press in fall 2024, 15 copies of the book, and a feature reading. Both the winner and runner-up will be invited to individual critique sessions with the final judge. Black poets who have not had a full-length book of poetry published by a professional press are encouraged to apply.
ELIGIBILITY: All unpublished, original collections of poems written in English by Black writers of African descent who have not had a full-length book of poetry published by a professional press. Authors of chapbooks and self-published books with a maximum print-run of 500 may apply. Simultaneous submission to other book awards should be noted: immediate notification upon winning such an award is required. Winner agrees to be present in the continental United States at her or his own expense shortly after the book is published in order to participate in promotional reading(s).
EXCLUSIONS: Current or former students, colleagues, employees, family members and close friends of the judge; current or former employees and members of the Board of Cave Canem Foundation or University of Pittsburgh Press; and authors who have published a book or have a book under contract with University of Pittsburgh Press are ineligible.
If any of the selected authors fall under the above exclusions, they will be disqualified and a replacement will be chosen from among the submissions. As the poetry community is small and the contest is judged without knowledge of the submitter’s identity, acquaintance with the judge or participation in a workshop taught by the judge are not disqualifying criteria.
GUIDELINES:
Manuscripts must be submitted via Submittable. Hard copy submissions will not be considered.
One manuscript per poet.
Upload manuscript as a .docx or .pdf document. Include a title page with the title only and table of contents. Author's name should not appear on any pages within the uploaded document.
Include a cover letter in the Submittable text box—DO NOT include within the .docx or .pdf document of the manuscript. Cover letter should include author’s brief bio (200 words, maximum) and list of acknowledgments of previously published poems.
Manuscript must be paginated and 60 - 75 pages in length, inclusive of title page and table of contents. A poem may be multiple pages, but no more than one poem per page is permitted.
Manuscripts not adhering to submission guidelines will not be considered.
Post-submission revisions or corrections are not permitted.
JUDGE: Colleen J. McElroy
Colleen J. McElroy is the author of nine poetry collections, including Blood Memory; Sleeping with the Moon, winner of the PEN Oakland National Literary Award; Travelling Music; What Madness Brought Me Here: New and Selected Poems, 1968–1988; Queen of the Ebony Isles, winner of the American Book Award; and Winters without Snow. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, the Fulbright Program; and the Rockefeller Foundation. A DuPont Distinguished Scholar and former editor of The Seattle Review for more than a decade, McElroy is Professor Emerita at the University of Washington.
cavecanem.submittable.com/submit/250087/2023-cave-canem-poetry-prize
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Anne LaBastille Memorial Writers Residency
The Adirondack Center for Writing
DEADLINE: May 10, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: The Adirondack Center for Writing offers a free, two-week residency annually in autumn to poets, fiction writers, and creative nonfiction writers at a lodge on Twitchell Lake in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Six residents will be chosen, three from the Adirondack region (aka “The North Country”… see FAQ below for specifics) and three from anywhere in the world. Quality of written submissions is the primary consideration when accepting applications.
This residency was generously provided by the estate of Anne LaBastille, who wrote books capturing challenges of the region, including Woodswoman and Beyond Black Bear Lake from her cabin on Twitchell Lake. During the residency, the writers will paddle to the site of her property, and explore the lake with locals. For more info on applying, see below.
Please note: The Lodge at Twitchell Lake provides an abundance of physical space, and each resident has their own bedroom and bathroom. There are dozens of writing spaces in and around the property. Internet access is available, but limited (email ; Zoom )
Requirements: Proof of vaccination is required for selected residents. Selected residents who are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons will be required to provide proof of negative test upon arrival to the lodge and will contact ACW to ensure proper protocols are maintained and residents can enjoy the residency safely! Please reach out with any questions to info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org.
Fee: There is no cost to attend the residency, though there is a $30 application reading fee.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Cover Letter: Include a brief bio and a work plan for the residency. Copy and paste your text into the space provided in the application (do not attach a document for the cover letter)
Writing Sample: Please send up to 10 manuscript pages of your best writing in the genre you will working in at the residency. Prose: 10 pages max. Poetry: 10 poems max. NOTE: Make sure your name is removed from manuscript file names or anywhere else on the material (except in cover letter). In order to remain unbiased, we will be forced to disregard any submissions that include your name.
Application fee: $30. We enlist many readers (past residents, board members) to help us process applications, and that work has value. Your application fee ensures that the residency can remain free to selected applicants.
Quality of written submissions will be our primary consideration when accepting applications. Application period will be open April 10 – May 10 2023. We will not accept print applications. For questions, please contact info@adirondackcenterforwriting.org with the subject line “Residency.” Or, give us a call at (518) 354-1261.
adirondackcenterforwriting.org/residency/
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el retorno: writing hasta las raÍces WRITER'S RETREAT
Dominican Writers
DEADLINE: May 12, 2023 by 11:59 pm EST
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: This international writing experience will fill your life with enchantment, wonder and empowerment. We encourage all BIPOC writers to participate in our writing workshops on fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry with focus on the craft of writing and engaging in cross-cultural conversations around literature created by Dominicans of the diaspora and Quisqueya.
Join us in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic as we create space for and with nuestra gente to lean into your writing voices and reconnect with our land. It offers you the possibility to concentrate on thinking, reading, and writing in a sustained way, to recharge your battery, and to gain new inspiration. For individuals and groups, with meals, room and board included in the subsidized tuition fee.
Cabarete/Sosua is a resort town on the Dominican Republic's northern coast. Along the coast you will find Encuentro Beach is known for its surf breaks, Cabarete Beach known for its water sports, and calm sky blue beaches like Sosua Beach. This town is also filled with restaurants, bars and a nightlife. This writer’s retreat is open to writers of all levels, and it operates on a non-competitive basis. To participate you will need to complete an application, pay a modest application fee, answer questions about writing goals, and submit a writing sample for admission.
Included in the writing retreat are daily workshops in English and Spanish, craft discussions, feedback on writing, and time to work on projects. Writers can also enjoy walks along the beach to the many restaurants and shops in town.
TUITION / FEES:
EARLY BIRD PRICE - $1200 (due by May 12th, 2023 (11:59 PM EST) - Early bird price is $1200 with a non-refundable tuition Deposit of $200 due upon acceptance. The deposit confirms your spot. The deposit counts towards the overall $1200 tuition payment. Balance of $1000 can be paid in one full payment, weekly or bi-weekly. Upon acceptance participants will receive payment plan options via email.
LATE TUITION - Workshop tuition will increase to $1700 for folks who apply after May 12th. Various payment plan options are available.
SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarships will be considered based on financial needs. If you require assistance please email mariela@dominicanwriters.com and and the program committee will consider it.
Payment plans options are offered to those whose application are approved.
OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:
Participants are responsible for booking their flights as soon as possible for arrival to STI or POP Airports as they are the nearest to the lodging.
TUITION CANCELATION POLICY:
Deposits are non-refundable. A deposit is due immediately upon acceptance to confirm your seat.
Full refund if cancelled 60 days or more prior to the start of the retreat.
50% refund if cancelled 30-59 days prior to the start of the retreat.
No refund if cancelled less than 30 days prior to the start of the retreat.
EXCEPTIONS:
In the event of a medical emergency, a full refund will be issued if a doctor's note is provided.
If the retreat is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster, all participants will be issued a full refund.
Please note: All cancellations must be made by email to mariela@dominicanwriters.com. Cancellations made by text or phone will not be accepted.
Refunds will be issued within 30 days of the cancellation date.
RETREAT ACTIVITIES:
Writers who will be attending retreat will receive the full agenda...
Daily writing workshops taught by faculty in English & Spanish
Transnational conversations on the state of publishing in Dominican Republic
Discussions on the past, present, and future of the interplay between arts and organizing
Presentations of participant work, including a public reading by faculty
Collaborative writing sessions
Free time and fun activities, including swimming, hiking, yoga, games, and karaoke.
dominicanwriters.com/dwa-retreat
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2023 EMERGING WRITER'S CONTEST
Ploughshares
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023
ENTRY FEE:
Subscribers: $0
Non-Subscribers: $24
INFO: The Emerging Writer's Contest is open to writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry who have yet to publish or self-publish a book.
AWARD: We award publication, $2,000, review from Aevitas Creative Management, and a 1-year subscription for one winner in each of the three genres. Submit to the Emerging Writer's Contest through our submission manager. You must be logged in to access our submission manager.
JUDGES: The 2023 contest judges are Gish Jen (Fiction), Sandra Cisneros (Poetry), and Meghan O'Rourke (Nonfiction).
PUBLICATION: The winning story, essay, and poems from the 2023 contest will be published in the Winter 2023-24 issue of Ploughshares.
ELIGIBILITY:
You are eligible if you:
Have yet to publish a book (including eBooks, translations, books in other languages/countries, self-published works, and poetry chapbooks with a print run of more than 300).
Have no book forthcoming before April 15, 2024.
Are not affiliated with Emerson College or with Ploughshares as a contributing author, volunteer screener, intern, student, staff member, or faculty member.
Will not have a relationship with Emerson College before April 15, 2024 (example: if there is a chance you will attend the Emerson MFA program in the coming year or if your work has been accepted for publication for an upcoming issue).
SUBMITTING:
Fiction and Nonfiction: Under 6,000 words
Poetry: 3-5 pages
Submit one entry per year via our online submission manager.
No entries via email or mail will be considered for the contest.
Submitted work must be original and previously unpublished in any form.
For poetry, we will be reading both for the strongest individual poem and the general level of work, and may choose to publish one, some, or all of the winner's submitted poems.
International submissions welcome.
We cannot accomodate revisions once a manuscript has been submitted.
Cover letters are not necessary. Please remove all identifying information from your submission as they will be read anonymously.
SIMULTANEOUS VS. MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS:
We only consider one submission per author for the duration of the contest, regardless of genre. Simultaneous submissions to other journals are fine as long as we are notified immediately upon acceptance elsewhere via email (pshares@pshares.org) or our online contact form.
pshares.org/submit/emerging-writers-contest/guidelines
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50TH ANNIVERSARY FELLOWSHIPS FOR ARTISTS OF COLOR
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA)
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: Conceived during VCCA’s 50th anniversary year in 2021 and established in 2022, the 50th Anniversary Fund provides free first-time VCCA residencies for 50 artists of color a year.
Each 50th Anniversary Fellow receives a free residency of up to two weeks at Mt. San Angelo, VCCA’s artist residency program in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. All VCCA residencies include a private studio, a private bedroom with en-suite bath, three prepared meals each day, and access to a community of more than 20 other artists in residence.
APPLICATION DETAILS:
Eligibility: Artists of color (writers, visual artists, and composers) who have not previously been in residence at VCCA
Length of Fellowship: Up to two weeks with flexible scheduling
Next available for:
Winter 2024
Residencies Available: January 2 – April 30, 2024
Application Deadline: May 15, 2023
Notification by: August 31, 2023
To be considered as a 50th Anniversary Fellow, complete the “Application for Mt. San Angelo Residencies, VCCA in Virginia,” selecting your fellowship interest in Question 2.
* If the application fee presents a significant barrier to application, please write to vcca@vcca.com by May 10, 2023, to request an application fee waiver.
VCCA intends the term artist of color to broadly include those creating original work in a wide variety of literary, visual art, and/or musical/sound disciplines who self-identify as part of one or more of these U.S. census groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latinx; Middle Eastern or North African; Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; Multi-Racial. If you have a question about whether VCCA’s studio spaces would be suitable to the nature of your creative work, please write to Artists Services at vcca@vcca.com in advance of the deadline.
Applicants must submit an online application by the deadline, complete with recent work samples, a project description, and a variety of biographical and logistical details. VCCA no longer requires letters of recommendation. Applicants will be considered for a VCCA residency and as many funding opportunities for which they are eligible.
vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/50th-anniversary-fellowships-for-artists-of-color/
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2023 Jane Brinkley Summer Fellowship
The Poetry Society of New York
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023
INFO: The Poetry Society of New York is seeking a generous, creative, thoughtful, open-minded, and hardworking young artist for our 2023 Jane Brinkley Fellowship. This fellowship is named after and was founded in memory of our former intern who we tragically lost at the beginning of last year. Jane was and will be in perpetuity a dynamic, hilarious, crucial member of our community, with a propensity for typewriters, yellow flowers, and risky art. She was not only a vital component to the 2021 New York City Poetry Festival, without whom it would not have been possible; she was a performer, poet, songbird, and a dear friend. With this fellowship, we want to grant the opportunity for a college student like Jane to move to New York City for the summer and help produce the New York City Poetry Festival from July 29-30th.
This fellow will report to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Berger, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer Jackie Braje, the Programs Director Tova Greene, as well as other members of Staff as directed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Among various other tasks, this fellow is to assist with:
The set-up and breakdown of events of the New York City Poetry Festival on Governors Island
Communication between event casts, event staff, venues, sponsors, clients, and other professional contacts to streamline production processes
The development of new production ideas and see them through to their execution
On-site duties during events and rehearsals, including selling merchandise and taking video
Writing, editing, and designing production documents (runs of show, materials lists, et al)
This fellowship will last from June 1st to August 4th.
PRIZE: The awardee will receive $5000 for these two months.
To make our decision as equitable as possible, our fellow will be chosen on a completely blind basis; that being said, BIPOC, queer, and gender non-conforming folks are especially encouraged to apply. All applicants must be devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion, not take themselves too seriously, and have a profound love for weird and wonderful poetry. Applicants must be flexible, communicative, and collaborative.
poetrysocietyny.submittable.com/submit/227111/2023-jane-brinkley-summer-fellowship
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OUTWRITE 2023
DC Center for the LGBT Community
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023
INFO: OutWrite, Washington, D.C's annual free LGBTQ Literary Festival, is accepting event submissions for the 2023 festival, which will be August 11-13, 2023. We're seeking readings, panels, and workshops exploring and celebrating all aspects of the LGBTQIA+ identity and literary space!
PLEASE NOTE:
We encourage diverse panels and readings.
Submit your event with as full a lineup of readers or panelists as you can. We cannot feature readings with one individual author.
The event coordinator refers to the person who submits the event idea.
We are looking forward to bringing OutWrite 2023 back with in-person events as well as virtual offerings.
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2024 RESIDENCIES AND FELLOWSHIPS
Ragdale
DEADLINE: May 15, 2023 by 11:59pm CST
APPLICATION FEE: $25
INFO: Ragdale is a non-profit artists’ community located on architect Howard Van Doren Shaw’s country estate in Lake Forest, IL, 30 miles north of Chicago. In 1976, Shaw’s granddaughter, Alice Judson Hayes, transformed her family’s summer home into an artist's retreat to provide time and space for artists to create important new work.
Today, Ragdale annually hosts nearly 150 visual artists, writers, composers, and interdisciplinary artists at all stages of their careers for 18-day residencies, making it one of the largest interdisciplinary artist communities in the country. Ragdale offers a retreat setting where at any given time, a dozen creative individuals experience uninterrupted time for dedicated work, a supportive environment, family-style dinners, and dynamic artist exchanges within a backdrop of 50 acres of idyllic prairie.
Residency Awards, up to 150 awarded in 2024
18- day residency. Fees are income-based and calculated upon a sliding scale. Admitted residents are responsible for their own travel.
Fellowship Awards, up to 30 awarded in 2024
18- day fee- waived residency. Stipend of at least $1000 to participate in the Ragdale In Schools educational outreach program. Admitted fellows are responsible for their own travel.
ELIGIBILITY: Up to 150 residencies and fellowships are now offered annually. Ragdale encourages applications from artists representing the widest possible range of perspectives and demographics, and to that end, emerging as well as established artists are invited to apply. While there are no publication, exhibition or performance requirements for application, applicants should be working at the professional level in their fields. Ragdale encourages artists of all backgrounds to apply, and does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, disability, gender, origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
GUIDELINES:
All applicants submit electronic materials through the Submittable application portal. Please note the following requirements to complete your application:
A completed online application form which includes:
A one-page artist’s statement and work plan explaining your work and what you plan to do while in residence.
A one-page CV or resumé that summarizes your professional background.
Work samples that show previous work from the past 2-3 years. All media is acceptable. Most electronic file types and sizes are accepted.
Some fellowships require an eligibility statement of 500 words or less.
Optional (Does not count towards the numerical score submitted by jury members): up to two current letters of reference or surveys completed by people who know you personally and can address your professional capacity and suitability for a residency in a working community with other artists. Reference letters and survey responses are confidential and are submitted electronically through Submittable when you submit your application. Letters of reference/ Reference Surveys are due 11:59 PM CST June 1, 2023. *A 10-15 minute survey option has been added to residency applications. Instructions for completing the survey or letter of recommendation will be automatically sent to your references when you submit your application.
EVALUATION:
Applications are reviewed by Ragdale’s Curatorial Board and staff. Evaluations of work are based on the following criteria:
Work Samples: Documented works are original, inventive, and exciting. Works are relevant in their contemporary field.
Presentation: Work samples are high-quality and technically proficient in execution, and is professionally presented and documented.
Artist’s Experience: Artist statement reflects continued development of ideas, serious inquiry into subject matter, and exceptional aesthetic investigation in the chosen medium. Artist's resumé shows evidence of continued progress in the process.
Work plan: Artist demonstrates they will maximize the benefits of a residency at Ragdale. What is the reason for seeking time and space in this particular residency program and is there a sense of urgency reflected in the goals described?
*OPTIONAL: References are optional and do not count towards the juror's numerical scoring of the application. References reflect the artist’s ability to work well in an artist community.
NOTIFICATION: Applicants are notified of admission status via email three months after the application deadline, approximately mid-September.
COLLABORATIONS: Artists collaborating on a project must submit individual application forms and appropriate work samples, along with a joint description of the work they intend to do at Ragdale. Clearly specify your work and living space needs i.e. how many private studio and/or sleeping quarters are needed. You may also submit an example of a previous collaborative work (either completed or in progress). Any specific concerns can be directed to Regin Igloria, Artistic Director, before applying.
TIMELINE
May 15, 2023: Application Deadline
September 2023: Notification of Residency or Fellowship award.
ragdale.submittable.com/submit
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Call for submission: Issue 8
Tampered Press
DEADLINE: May 20, 2023
INFO: Tampered Press creates more platform and visibility for writers and visual artists in Ghana and Africa.
For our 8th issue, we are curating a selection of works that analyzes the relationship between African & Black people living on the continent, and Africans/Blacks living in the diaspora.
What are the nuances, complexities and epiphanies present in the existence of these relationships in the physical, virtual and emotional realms and how do they manifest?
Submissions should reflect on the diversity of black experiences, how they intersect and diverge, what challenges and or triumphs emerge, and what the future, present and past looks like. We encourage submissions that engage with historical and contemporary struggles for black liberation, and that reflects on the ongoing impact of colonialism, imperialism, and systemic racism on black communities worldwide.
GUIDELINES: Your work can appear in a variety of ways: nonfiction, fiction, essays, photo essays, illustrations, prose poems, free verse and newly invented forms; in unusual and splendid images and metaphor; through the use of place, structure, and language. We are open to broad interpretations.
We are open to all styles and themes and seek to publish voices from diverse perspectives. We are also open to hybrid work, uncategorized writing, artwork, illustrations and photography.
Work must be previously unpublished; this includes personal blogs/websites and social media. We encourage simultaneous submissions but request that this be noted in your cover letter. Your cover letter should include a brief bio of yourself.
Submit work in any of these categories:
Poetry: 2-4 poems. Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf
Fiction: 4000 word limit. Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf
Non-fiction: 4000 word limit. Submissions should include work in one file in .docx or pdf
Comics: 4 page submission limit.
Visual art: Send low resolution images, if accepted, higher resolution will be requested.
tamperedpress.com/submissions/
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Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers
GrubStreet
DEADLINE: May 30, 2023
INFO: GrubStreet’s Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers provides financial and professional development support to two self-identified Black writers interested in teaching classes, participating in events, and working with our instructors and staff to deepen our curriculum. The fellowship includes compensation of $25,000, artistic mentorship, a showcase of the Fellows’ work, and access to the GrubStreet community and the Muse and the Marketplace conference. In time, the program aims to offer sustainable support to Black Writers and create a cohort of fellows who have direct access to GrubStreet resources, classes, and events. We also hope the fellows can influence GrubStreet’s pedagogy and cultural vision based on their experience and feedback.
There are even more reasons to apply this year! Even if your application isn’t accepted, by applying you’ll be given free access to a session focused on the topic of applying to fellowships, conferences, writing programs, and residencies taking place this summer.
DETAILS:
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers will provide the following compensation:
$25,000 per fellow for the year.
Access to mentorship from GrubStreet’s Artistic Director, the Head of Faculty, and fellow instructors.
Free access to the Muse and the Marketplace during the fellowship year and the option to lead a paid session at the conference.
Access to additional GrubStreet events.
Priority access to space at GrubStreet’s new home to work on personal writing projects.
60 hours (or roughly 20 weeks) of free GrubStreet classes, which can be taken during or after the fellowship.
A two-year GrubStreet membership.
The teaching load and responsibilities for the fellowship year include:
Teaching one ten-week class.
Teaching one six-week class.
Teaching one week-long teen camp.
Teaching one three-hour seminar (plus, the option to teach more for additional payment).
Moderate or participate in a Boston Writers of Color’s event.
Meet with the Head of Faculty and Education Director periodically to track progress.
A showcase and conversation on our Writer’s Stage to end the year (additional stipend paid to Fellows for this).
Meet with new fellows at the end of your own fellowship year.
The fellowship begins September 5th, 2023 and runs through the end of August 2024.
WHO SHOULD APPLY:
This fellowship is open to writers who self-identify as Black, are 18 or older, are able to work with both adult and teen audiences, and have a passion for expansive pedagogy, curriculum development, and professional growth. Ideal candidates will have some publication and teaching experience. Preference will be given to those working on their first book or a larger project. MFAs, a long publishing record, or extensive teaching experience are not requirements to apply, though feel free to tell us if you have any of these things.
HOW TO APPLY:
The Teaching Fellowship for Black Writers Application Form will require the following:
A personal statement (500 words max), which should include:
Your background as a writer and teacher.
Your personal philosophy or approach to creative writing workshops.
How this particular fellowship fits your interests and goals as a writer and educator.
Your CV or resume.
A writing sample (20 pages limit for prose; 12 pages for poetry; 25 pages for scripts; and 20 pages for other or fused genres) that best exemplifies your current trajectory as a writer.
Two personal references (name, email, and phone number) who can speak to your experience and dedication to writing and teaching.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Final decisions will be announced at the end of June.
Program kicks off on September 5, 2023 and runs through the end of August 2024.
grubstreet.org/programs/teaching-fellowship-for-black-writers/
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Poetry Prize
Autumn House Press
DEADLINE: May 31, 2023
READING FEE: $30
INFO: For the 2023 contest, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is Toi Derricotte.
PRIZE: The winner receives publication of a full-length manuscript and $2,500 ($1,000 honorarium, and a $1,500 travel/publicity grant to promote their book). We will announce the finalists and the winner of the contest by October 15, 2023.
GUIDELINES:
All finalists will be considered for publication
Poetry submissions should be approximately 50-80 pages
Each new poem should start on a new page
Illustrations are strongly discouraged
The reading fee is $30; we’ve reached our cap for fee waivers for the 2023 Poetry Prize. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience.
The book should be previously unpublished
Do not include your name anywhere on the actual manuscript; if your name appears within the body of the text, please omit it or black it out (first name is fine, but last name must be omitted)
You may include a brief bio in the “cover letter” section of Submittable
Do not include a bio or an acknowledgments page in the manuscript
Feel free to include a table of contents (This does not count a part of your final page count)
Simultaneous submissions permitted
Friends, family members, and former students of judges or Autumn House editors may not submit to the contest. Students do not include interactions at short-term residencies or fellowships.
Former employees of Autumn House, including interns, may not submit to the contest.
autumnhouse.org/submissions/poetry/
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Marble House Project artist residency
Marble House Project
DEADLINE: May 31, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $35.00
INFO: Marble House Project is a multidisciplinary artist residency program (ie: Fiction, Non Fiction, Poetry, Playwriting/Screenwriting, Film and Video, etc.) that fosters collaboration and the exchange of ideas, by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work together. The residency integrates sustainable practices, including small-scale organic food production and waste conservation. Residents sustain their growth by engaging with the grounds while working on their artistic practice. Marble House Project is founded on the belief that the act of creating, whether in the studio or in nature, is how human potential expands and community thrives.
Marble House Project accepts approximately 60 residents and is open to artists living in the United States and abroad. You must be at least 21 years old. Each session accommodates eight artists and is specifically curated to bring together a diverse group of creative workers, to maximize potential for collaboration and dialogue while in residence and beyond.
RESIDENCY DATES FOR 2024:
March 5th - 26th
April 2nd - April 23rd
April 30th - May 21st
May 28th - June 18
September 17th - October 8th
October 15th - November 4th
ABOUT THE RESIDENCY:
All residents live together in the historic, eight-bedroom Manley-Lefevre house, a communal space organized around responsibilities-sharing systems which highlight sustainability and community. The residency is an opportunity to develop and carry out practices of mutual support, group conversation, and to cultivate adaptive relationships with the environment. This can take the form of discussions with guest multidisciplinary artists, thinkers, and activists and other individual and group activities that benefit our community of residents.
Residents will be paired and asked to cook for shared dinners three times over the course of their residency, Monday-Friday. . Each session culminates with a short video interview and artists are invited to share their work with our community and each other. Marble House Project provides private bedrooms, food, private studio space, and artist support. We are not able to cover costs related to travel or materials. There is no fee to attend the residency.
Applications are accepted in all creative fields including but not limited to writing, dance and choreography, performance, music composition and sound, film and video, visual arts, and culinary arts. Applications are reviewed by a jury of alumni and staff. Artists are selected based on quality of work, commitment to practice, and project description. Please choose the application that best describes your work. Two artists may apply together as a collaborative, and should complete one application. Within each application you will be asked to select the session dates best for you.
marblehouseproject.submittable.com/submit
JUNE
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: POETRY
The Margins (Asian American Writers’ Workshop)
DEADLINE: June 5, 2023
INFO: Every Tuesday, The Margins publishes the work of emerging and established Asian American and diasporic poets. We publish English-language poems and translations of poems.
We pay contributors $50 to $90 (USD) for original and translated poetry; the fee varies based on the number and length of poems we publish. We may offer additional payment to the author of translated poems, depending on the work’s publication status. We do not pay for reprints.
Please allow four to six months for a response.
We are open to all styles, forms, and subjects. We’re drawn to poetry that:
Transforms the mundane into the magical with unexpected imagery
Reflects on personal and/or cultural history
Responds to or reshapes the view on current events and issues
Introduces or reimagines historical and literary figures
Illuminates through translation the work of an Asian author who is not known or read (widely) by a general Anglophone audience
Challenges, subverts, or expands formal, linguistic, and genre conventions
Explores humorous, abject, or profane languages and/or themes
GUIDELINES:
Submissions should be no longer than 6 pages total. Each poem must start on a new page. Though we do consider longer poems, we tend to select poems no longer than 3 pages.
If you are submitting translations, please acquire translation and publication permission from the author and/or press prior to submission.
Please use a standard serif (e.g., Garamond, Times New Roman) or sans-serif font (e.g. Arial, Calibri) in font size no smaller than 11, unless there is a specific formal and visual reason to do otherwise.
We allow simultaneous submissions. If a part of your submitted manuscript has been accepted elsewhere, please send a message with the unavailable title(s) on Submittable. If your entire manuscript becomes unavailable, please withdraw the submission.
Most of our submissions are individual works. However, collaborative work will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
We do not require any preliminary information in the cover letter, though you are welcome to include pertinent or necessary details about yourself or the submission. We will collect your updated bio upon acceptance. (Nice notes and hellos do not affect the decision, but we do appreciate them!)
We accept previously published poems, as long as they have not appeared digitally in other venues. Please note any previously published works in your submission.
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Indigenous Poets Prize
Hayden’s Ferry Review
DEADLINE: June 10, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $3
INFO: In collaboration with the Center for Imaginations in the Borderlands (CIB); RED INK: International Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art, & Humanities; the Thousand Languages Project; and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, Hayden's Ferry Review announces its first Indigenous Poets Prize. Natalie Diaz, Pulitzer-prize-winning poet and the director for the CIB, will serve as the judge. Diaz will select four recipients in youth and adult categories, Arizona-based and nationally-based.
Award recipients will be announced and published online in HFR’s The Dock in August 2023 as well as appear in the next HFR print issue (expected Fall/Winter 2023). Recipients will each receive $300 and participate in a virtual reading in August 2023 alongside the judge to celebrate their work. During the 2023-2024 academic year, these poems will also be translated by Thousand Languages interns and appear as a special folio on the database the following year.
ELIGIBILITY:
Writers with a commitment to Indigenous communities, who are 20-years-old or older and based outside of Arizona, are eligible to submit. We define ‘commitment’ as those who advocate for Indigenous communities, have personal experience with/within these communities, or contribute in some capacity to supporting Indigenous communities.
We encourage submissions from individuals with Indigenous backgrounds.
All individuals are able to submit without regard to sex, race, national origin, religion, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.
Close friends, family, or former and current students of the judge should refrain from submitting.
ASU staff, faculty, and students are eligible to submit unless they are close friends, colleagues, and former or current students of the judge. Note: if you are an ASU student who is awarded a prize, the $300 will first be applied to any outstanding ASU balances.
We define a "former or current student" as someone who has done a semester-length course with the judge or who the judge has served as a thesis advisor. If you attended a one- or two-week-long workshop or similar with the judge, you are still eligible.
If you’re uncertain about your eligibility, contact us at haydensferryreview (at) gmail (dot) com.
SUBMISSION INFO:
Please submit 1 poem no longer than 3 pages. Each entrant can submit only once.
We welcome the opportunity to receive submissions in English and Indigenous languages so long as there is an English translation/version so our readers can access them.
Submitted work must be original work by the writer and unpublished.
Submissions are free and open from May 1 - June 10.
Submissions will be read anonymously. Please do not include your name or other identifying information in the submission file you upload.
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ARTISTS & WRITERS RESIDENCY
Vermont Studio Center
DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
INFO: Each month, VSC welcomes over 50 artists and writers from across the country and around the world to our historic campus in northern Vermont.
All of our residencies include:
A private room in modest, shared housing
24-hour access to a private studio space in one of our 6 medium-specific studio buildings
3 communal meals per day (plus fresh fruit, coffee/tea/cold beverages, and cereal available around the clock)
Most residents stay with us for 1 month, so our sessions adhere to a 4-week calendar however, residencies can be scheduled in 2-week increments ranging from 2 to 12 weeks if a shorter or longer stay better suits your needs. Although we accept residents for stays for 2 weeks, we recommend a minimum stay of one month for the fullest experience.
Each 4-week session includes:
Opening Night Dinner & Reception
7 Resident Presentation (“Res Pres”) Nights
2 Open Studios Nights
Public Slide Talks / Public Readings from our Visiting Artists & Writers
Visiting Writer Craft Talks (open to writers only)
Opportunities for studio visits/manuscript critiques with Visiting Artists/Writers
Most months, numerous other spontaneous events take place--intimate readings, pop-up shows, group hikes or swims, performances, site-specific installations, movie screenings, dance parties, and bonfires, to name a few.
All events in our monthly program are optional. Our program is designed to enhance your studio practice by providing opportunities to engage with a supportive creative community; you are welcome to participate in as many or as few of these activities as you like.
FELLOWSHIPS:
VSC Fellowship - Nine fellowships for exceptional writers based on the merit of their work. Available for a 2-, 3-, or 4-week residency as best meets the needs of the writer.
Voices Rising Fellowship - One fellowship for a Black American woman fiction writer with demonstrable financial need. Given in honor of women writers of color such as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Zora Neale Hurston, whose voices have inspired so many. Available for a 4-week residency in 2023 and includes a $2,000 stipend.
Brian P. Kennedy Fellowship - One two-week fellowship for a poet. This award is based on merit and is given in honor of VSC’s recent Interim Executive Director, Brian Kennedy, with gratitude for his dedication to VSC and its mission, and his commitment to supporting creative practice.
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Narrative Prize
Narrative Mag
DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
INFO: The $5,000 Narrative Prize is awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, one-act play, graphic story, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.
The prize is announced each September and is given to the best work published each year in Narrative by a new or emerging writer, as judged by the magazine’s editors. In some years, the prize may be divided between winners, when more than one work merits the award. Entries selected for publication are eligible for the Narrative Prize, which is not a contest but an award.
narrativemagazine.com/great-stories/narrative-prize
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BLR Prizes
Bellevue Literary Review
DEADLINE: July 1, 2023
INFO: The BLR Prizes award outstanding writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body. Winners are published in the spring issue of BLR. For each genre, first prize is $1000 and honorable mention is $300.
Submissions to the 2024 BLR Prizes are open through July 1, 2023. Please see below for guidelines and the links to submit.
Goldenberg Prize for Fiction, judged by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
Felice Buckvar Prize for Nonfiction, judged by Edgar Gomez
John & Eileen Allman Prize for Poetry, judged by Melissa Lozada-Oliva
Fiction: We seek character-driven fiction with original voices and strong settings. We do not publish genre fiction (romance, sci-fi, horror). We have only occasionally published flash fiction. While we are always interested in creative explorations in style, we do lean toward classic short stories.
Nonfiction: We are looking for essays that reach beyond the standard ‘illness narrative’ to develop a topic in an engaging and original manner. Incorporate engaging and creative analysis that allows anecdotes to serve a larger purpose. (Please, no academic discourses or works with footnotes. )
Poetry: We encourage poems that are accessible to a wide audience. Characteristics we look for are vivid writing, strong narrative, and rendering the familiar new. We encourage you to peruse back issues in our archive to get a sense of our ethos.
GUIDELINES:
We happily consider simultaneous submissions, but please inform us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
Manuscripts can only be accepted electronically via Submittable.
Fiction/nonfiction word max is 5,000 words (though most of our published prose is in the range of 2,000-4,000 words.) Please submit no more than three poems. Each poem should be on a separate page within a single document.
Do not put your name or other identifying information on the manuscript document (or in the filename) so that the submissions can be read blindly. No cover letter needed.
Students/friends/colleagues/relations of a judge are not permitted to enter submissions to that judge’s genre.
There is a $20 fee per contest submission. Contest submission qualifies you for a 50% discount on a BLR subscription. (The fee helps BLR fund the contest and the journal, but if it’s a hardship for you, please contact us.)
Winners from each genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction) receive $1000. Honorable mentions from each genre receive $300.
Winners will be published in BLR Issue 46 in Spring 2024.
All contest submissions are automatically considered for general publication as well.
All submissions must be of previously unpublished work.* BLR acquires First North American rights, and the right to reprint in anthologies and online. After publication, all other rights revert to the author and the work may be reprinted as long as appropriate acknowledgement to BLR is made.
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The Sappho Prize for Women Poets
Palette Poetry
DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
READING FEE: $20
INFO: We are honored to create this space for women poets to step forward. Thanks to the past efforts of The VIDA Count and other initiatives to highlight gender disparity in literary publications, the poetry landscape has made progress toward equity in recent years. Still, more remains to be done to honor and uplift the work of women poets. Palette is yours as much as ours, and we are committed to making this journal an inclusive, welcoming space where women's voices are amplified and offered tangible support. During the opening week of the contest, we offer a free submission window to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) women poets, which will close after the first fifty entries.
This contest only accepts submissions from women poets. All women are welcome to submit (cis and trans). The winning poet will be awarded $3000, publication, and a brief interview in Palette Poetry. Second and third place will receive $300 and $200, respectively, as well as publication. The top ten finalists will be selected by Palette editors, and Guest Judge Evie Shockley will then select the winner and two runners-up from among the ten finalists.
Poet and literary scholar Evie Shockley thinks, creates, and writes with her eye on a Black feminist horizon. Her books of poetry include suddenly we, semiautomatic, and the new black.Her work has twice garnered the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and has appeared internationally. Her honors include the 2023 Shelley Memorial Award, the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry, the Holmes National Poetry Prize, and the Stephen Henderson Award, and her joys include participating in poetry communities such as Cave Canem and collaborating with like-minded artists across media. Shockley is the Zora Neale Hurston Distinguished Professor of English at Rutgers University.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
For this prize, we are only accepting unpublished work from women (cis and trans) poets.
Submissions are open internationally, to any woman poet writing in English—inclusion of other languages is welcome, as long as the poem is largely written in English.
Do not include your name or identifying information in the document.
We are only accepting unpublished work. If your poem has been published in a journal, on a blog or social media, or in any other medium, it is not eligible.
We accept simultaneous submissions, but please send us a message via Submittable if your work is accepted elsewhere.
There is no page requirement, but your submission must be no more than three poems. Please submit your poems in ONE document. Please begin each poem on a new page and include each poem's individual title.
We do accept multiple submissions, but each submission of a new set of up to three poems requires its own $20 reading fee.
Please include a brief cover letter in the cover letter box with your publication history, if any. This is where to include your name and/or bio. If you select the editorial feedback option, please use this space to designate which poem you'd prefer to receive feedback on.
Review our FAQ page for frequently asked questions.
NOTE: If after submitting you notice an error in your submission, please message usrather than withdrawing and resubmitting your submission. We can open it to editing once so you can correct the error.
palettepoetry.com/current-contest/
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Monson Arts’ Residency Program
Monson Arts
DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
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 $1,000 stipend ($500 for 2-week programs). New for 2022, 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). Open calls for residency applications currently take place 3 times throughout the year with deadlines on January 15, June 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.
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/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 references
Our next application period will be open May 1st – June 15th for residency sessions taking place in the Fall of 2023.
monsonarts.org/residencies/overview/
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EMERGING WRITER AWARDS: Scotti Merrill Award for POETRY
Key West Literary Seminar
DEADLINE: June 30, 2023 by 11:59 pm EDT. Letters of recommendation must be received by the following week.
APPLICATION FEE: Due to an increased volume of applications and our thorough review process, we are implementing a $12 application fee to cover review costs.
INFO: Key West Literary Seminar is now accepting applications for the 2024 Emerging Writer Awards. These awards recognize and support writers who possess exceptional talent and demonstrate potential for lasting literary careers.
COVER LETTER: In approximately 350 words, please tell us about your background, your motivations as a writer, and your previous accomplishments. File name should adhere to the following model: “Lastname_Firstname_cover.doc” and your name should appear at the top-right-hand-corner of the page.
WRITING SAMPLE: Please submit 5 - 7 poems within one document. File name should adhere to the following model: “Title_of_First_Poem.doc” and your name should not appear on the manuscript.
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: One letter of recommendation is required. In the application form below, you will be asked to provide an email address for your recommender. Once you submit the application, they will receive an email from Submittable with a link to upload the recommendation letter. We suggest that you contact your recommender before you submit your application and alert them to expect this email. They may also send their recommendation directly to kschumann@kwls.org.
*Applications missing the letter of recommendation are incomplete and will not be considered. Application deadline is June 30, 2023 and your letter of recommendation must be received no later than a week later.
REFERENCES: Please provide the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of two additional persons who are familiar with you and your work.
ELIGIBILITY: Writers of any age who live in the United States and have not yet published a book with a major publisher are eligible to apply. If you are the author of a book that is self-published, published with an independent press, or had a print run of 500 or fewer copies, you may or may not be eligible. If you think your eligibility could be called into question, please provide relevant details about prior publications as part of your cover letter. We reserve the right to make all final decisions regarding eligibility.
Award winners will be notified by November 1.
kwls.submittable.com/submit/253001/2024-scholarship-ewa-scotti-merrill-award-for-poetry
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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: MEMORY - ENVISIONING OUR PAST AS FUTURE
Marías at Sampaguitas
DEADLINE: June 30, 2023
INFO: We're getting experimental with this one! We're examining memory, consciousness, manipulations of time & tense. We're reflecting on how we remember, why we remember, long goodbyes and forgetting.
We want to see:
collage, homage, collaboration
poems-as-monuments
stories of befores & afters
architecture of memory, cities on the moon
family photos, histories, dreams
things you'd caption "artist's rendition of"
your colorized pictures of outer space
the colorized pictures of your spaces
Most of all, make sure there is love. In all visions of our future, there must be love
Submission guidelines are on MariasAtSampaguitas.com, in the linktree in our bio. Please be sure to read and observe all General and Genre guidelines, to show care for our brave little all-volunteer editorial staff.
Accepted contributors will receive an honorarium of USD$5.