CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

DEADLINE:  March 15, 2023

‍

‍About ISSAY!:

ISSAY! magazine is a free, digitally accessible arts magazine that exists at the intersection between mediums and localities. We prioritize the works of marginalized creatives and offer this publication as a space where communities have agency to tell their stories. Our mission is to spark interdisciplinary connection through written work and contemporary art forms. ISSAY! publishes non-fiction, creative fiction, poetry, visual, digital, and performance art from contributors around the world. If you’re not not sure if your work is right for ISSAY!, please reach out to elsha.samson@mountainstandardtime.org.

‍

About the issue: 

For issue 1 of ISSAY! we’re seeking contributions that speak to contemporary art beyond the traditionalist confines of galleries and exhibitions.  We want to know what work is happening in the crevices, away from the gaze of establishments. 

‍

When shut out from institutional access, how do artists carve out spaces for themselves and their communities?

‍

We want to know: what does it mean to create in this moment? And how does that creation connect us to our histories, our practices, our land, ourselves, one another, and our spirituality?

‍

We welcome pitches for any of the following:

Essays/Articles (1000-1500 words)

• Essays, both personal and academic in nature, are welcome at ISSAY! Magazine. We value longform writing that has a clear point of view, is informative, and avoids unnecessary jargon. Although we are not an academic publication we require citation when necessary in the form of Chicago Manual Style.

Reviews (500-1000 words)

• Reviews should be thoughtful, candid, and provide personal insight. The art in review should be somewhat local to the writer, but does not need to be local to ISSAY!. As an interdisciplinary publication, the subjects of published reviews will vary across mediums and modalities. We believe in prioritizing care in the creation process so if you don't like something, tell us why but do so with empathy for the artist whose work is in question.

Interviews (800-1600 words)

• ISSAY! is interested in conversations between peers that are engaging and provide the reader with richer insight into the interviewee(s) practice. Transcriptions must be edited for readability by the interviewer and all interviews must include an introduction prior to the Q+A section.

Poetry (up to 4 pieces)

• Poetry can be performed or written
• If submitting more than one poem, please compile into one .pdf, MP4, or M4A file  

Creative Fiction (varies, up to 1800 words)

• Creative Fiction encompasses works such as scripts, short stories, scenes, letters, and experimental writing that does not neatly fit into one of the above categories.

Photo Essays (4-8 images)

• Photo Essays should be a series of images that serve a central concept or story. We’re looking for compelling, diverse works that evoke emotion and communicate a narrative. Both film and digital photography are acceptable. Image files must be submitted as .jpeg or .tiff.

Please note: ISSAY! Magazine accepts non-english works and will pay for translation costs.

Compensation:

• Essays, articles, reviews, and creative fiction writers will be paid a rate of $0.60 per word for a maximum of $600
• For interviews, interviewers will be paid a rate of $0.50 for a maximum of $500, and interviewees will be compensated with a $100 honorarium.
• For poetry, writers will be compensated a minimum of $75 per poem
• Photographers will be paid a rate of $75 per published image
• Visual and performance artists will be paid a rate of $75 per published submission

Your pitch should contain:

• Your name, city of residence, and email address  
• A brief proposal of what you want to write (max 250 words)
• An artist statement or bio (max 250 words)
• Links to any relevant examples of your work, previously published writing, or a first draft/excerpts from the work you intend to submit if already in progress

We are looking for unpublished work. If you have submitted the same pitch to other publications, please note that in the body of your email. If another publication accepts your work first, please advise us immediately.

To submit your pitch:

Email elsha.samson@mountainstandardtime.org with the subject heading: [YOUR NAME] ISSAY! Pitch. Please attach your pitch file in the form of a .pdf titled LastNameFirstName_Category.pdf (ie. SmithJohn_Review.pdf)

The deadline for submitting your pitch or first draft is March 15th, 2023

We respond to all submissions by email. We aim to provide feedback for any pitches not accepted and encourage writers to pitch for future issues.

After a pitch has been accepted, contributors will be paid $100 which will be deducted from their total fee. The remainder of the contributors fee will be paid upon submitting the finished piece.  During the editing process, if ISSAY! chooses not to publish a piece, this $100 payment will be considered a kill-fee. In such cases, contributors are free to submit this work to other magazines for publication if they choose to do so.