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Full Bleed - The Materials Issue

Type: Calls For Papers [View all]
Posted by: MICA
Deadline: Sun, January 15th, 2023

Full Bleed, an annual print journal exploring the intersection of the visual and literary arts, seeks submissions for its sixth issue, forthcoming in Spring 2023.

We publish criticism, belle lettres, visual art, illustration, fiction, poetry, and graphic essays. We are always happy to feature collaborations between writers and artists; ekphrastic creations; and groundbreaking critical essays.

For Issue Six, we are especially interested in submissions on the theme of materials—their unique aesthetic qualities, social histories, means of production, environmental costs, and layered meanings. Send us work that contemplates the virtues, potential, or politics of ink, paper, oil paint, dye, textiles, charcoal, lead, soil, wood, etc.

This call is open to all with the exception of current students at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), which publishes Full Bleed. 

All submissions should be sent through our Submittable page between September 1, 2022 and January 15, 2023. Those interested in first sharing essay proposals may do so by November 15 (also through our Submittable page). Note that acceptance of proposals does not guarantee publication in the issue. Also, you need not have sent a proposal to submit completed work.

Final selections for the issue will be made by the journal’s editor and board members in close consultation with participants in Publishing Culture, an upper-level, spring-semester course at MICA. Each contributor will receive a modest honorarium and a complimentary copy of the issue.

Before submitting, please review past issues of Full Bleed. (Print copies of our most recent issues may be ordered here.)

Essays – In addition to feature-length essays of up to 7500 words, Full Bleed publishes shorter, recurring columns of approximately 1000 to 2000 words. These include "Close Looks", in which writers offer in-depth critiques of individual artworks, and “Studio Visit”, in which the writer visits with and interviews a contemporary artist. We welcome essay proposals by Nov. 15 or earlier. Alternatively, you may submit completed works by Jan. 15.

Graphic Essays and Texts – We would be delighted to consider excerpts from artist books and other innovative texts combining word, image, and design. We also have an interest in comics and graphic essays.

Art portfolios – We are happy to consider portfolios of visual art, photography, and illustration. Send all images in a single file (PDFs preferred); no more than 10 images per submission.

Poetry – Each issue of Full Bleed includes a selection of poetry. We are particularly interested ekphrastic work, though our tastes are broad. Please send no more than five poems in a single PDF or Word file.

Fiction – We typically publish one to three pieces of short fiction in each issue. Given the dearth of journals that consider long-form fiction, we will consider submissions up to 7500 words in length, though our tendency has been to select stories under 3000 words.

Please do not submit previously published work.

We expect to have responded to all submissions by March 15, 2023, if not earlier. If you have not heard from us by that date, please feel free to send us a note. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, but do notify us immediately via email (fullbleedjournal@gmail.com) if your work is accepted elsewhere.

We are excited to review your work and thank you in advance for sharing it with Full Bleed.

Posted on Tue, September 6th, 2022
Expires on Sun, January 15th, 2023

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