Call for Poetry and Art Submissions: Blanket Stories

CALL FOR POEMS AND ART: BLANKET STORIES

Five siblings inherit a blanket. They lie beneath it, together, to stay warm. But inevitably body parts stick out and the siblings squabble and tug. They do not realize that they would all fit if they just moved closer together.

Blanket Stories invites poets and artists to respond to this tale. Selected poems and artworks will be published by Ragged Sky Press in a book, and exhibited/read at a launch event in the Winter of 2014 at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City. All submissions will be published in an online gallery, as well.

Conceived by artist Richard Jochum, Blanket Stories aims to spread peace, cooperation, and appreciation for art & poetry. Please join the collaboration by listening, submitting your work, or joining our community.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS:

Blanket Stories is a collaborative art project involving poetry and visual art. There will be three opportunities to contribute:

1. Publication of a book, Blanket Stories, by Ragged Sky Press, featuring selected poems and color images of selected visual art

2. A reading and juried exhibition of selected works, which will take place in New York in the winter of 2014

3. An online showcase featuring all submitted poems and art

Deadline: June 30.

To submit your work for consideration, here’s what you have to do:
Click on the podcast on blanketstories.net and listen to the Blanket Story. It is a parable about five siblings fighting over a blanket. Write a short poem responding to this tale. You do not need to reiterate the story or focus on the moral. Please let the story take you in any direction, and let us know, using your gift of language, what you are thinking and feeling.

GUIDELINES

Eligibility: Open to anyone age 18 and older.

Number of Poems: You may submit one poem for consideration by our judges.

Specs:
- Poems must be in the English language.
- Poems must be original, unpublished digitally or in print, and a direct response to the recorded parable, Blanket Story.
- The judges favor poems that can fit on one page, maybe two; do not submit poems that exceed 60 lines.
- Poems with unconventional typography (text that forms a shape or features unusual spacing) are very difficult to print. To be chosen, these poems must be truly exceptional.

All submissions will be scrutinized thoroughly for originality; plagiarism will result in automatic rejection.

Deadline: 12:00 p.m., June 30, 2013

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Digital submissions only, in Word, PDF, or RTF format.

All entries must be sent to Ruth Zamoyta at:

poetryATblanketstoriesDOTnet (Change AT to @ and DOT to . )

Email subject line: Include in the subject line your last name, first name, and name of your school or program. Example: Smith, John, New York University

Include the following information in the body of your email:
- Full name
- Email address you wish to be contacted at
- Title of poem (or first line if not titled)
- Name of your school or program, if applicable
- Short biography (100-150 words)

If you do not want your work showcased digitally, submit a written request.

Attach your poem to the email. You will receive an automatic response that your submission has been received.

Agreement: By submitting your literary work, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old and that the poem and all parts of the poem are your own original work unless the original authors are are referenced by name. You also grant Ragged Sky Press the one-time non-exclusive print rights to include your work in print publication. You also grant Ragged Sky Press rights to display your submission on our website as well as include it in a downloadable digital archive. You may opt out of digital or online formats by written request. Also, you grant Ragged Sky Press the rights to print your poem on promotional material such as but not limited to reading programs, handouts, and posters. You retain all future rights following publication in print.

Fees: There are no fees.

Notification: You will be notified by August 15, 2013, whether or not your poem has been selected for publication.

Payment: Selected contributors to the anthology will receive one free copy each, and will be able to purchase additional copies at a discount.