Submissions are now open for Concordia’s art and writing journal, The Aerie! This year, the submission deadline is Fri., Dec. 6, at midnight. The Aerie is an annual journal featuring the work of talented students, alumni, faculty and staff. The journal accepts submissions in creative writing and the visual arts.

Keelie Huebner-Chan, senior, said, “The Aerie is a great opportunity for aspiring writers to get their work officially published.” Huebner-Chan submitted her work in the writing category in both her freshman and sophomore years. If your work is accepted into The Aerie, you are an officially published writer or artist as “The Aerie is a publication you can list on your resume,” said Sara Fletcher, Associate Professor of Studio Art.

The Aerie is open to work from any staff member or student, not just English and Art majors. Huebner-Chan said: “Even if it feels like a daunting task to be submitting your writing, I would say give it a chance anyways. You never know!” It may be the first time sharing artwork and writing with others, which can be scary. But it is worth it in the end. So many readers pick up The Aerie journal to find encouragement or entertainment in all the beautiful works inside its pages. 

Choosing what artwork and writing to send in may be challenging. However, each category accepts multiple submissions. Fletcher said for the art category, up to five pieces may be submitted, and for literary submissions, up to five poems and/or two prose pieces may be submitted.

Submissions are entered by emailing concordia.aerie.art@gmail.com with the artwork image or writing file sent as an attachment. This year, the panel of judges is “looking for beautiful, well crafted, and meaningful writing and art,” said Fletcher. There are several requirements for each art and writing piece, and specific guidelines for each category may be found on Yhe Aerie website. www.cui.edu/aerie 

After the deadline, Concordia’s team of editors will go through all of the submissions. A panel of professors judge the art submissions, and a panel of professors and students judge the writing submissions. Kristen Schmidt, Professor of English and advisor for The Aerie, said, “All submissions are read “blind,” and writers and artists are notified if their work is chosen.”

Then the final submissions are organized into a magazine format, with a work of writing on one page next to an artwork. Fletcher said, “Pairing writing and art side by side helps illuminate the meaning of each.” 

The finished journal will be printed as a high-quality and full-color magazine. Additionally, hard copies of past editions of The Aerie can be found in the art room lobby across from the lower library level. One can look through the pages to see the creativity of the past years. There is also a digital catalog of all The Aerie journals online, which are on the abovementioned Aerie website. Consider submitting creative work to The Aerie this year!

Tags: Aerie

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