What is it?
BOLD is an arts anthology that is focused on the myriad images of masculinity.
It was conceived by Co-Founding Editor of The Broken Spine Alan Parry, and Bear Creek Gazette Founder Stuart M. Buck. Together, Buck and Parry were inspired to establish this publication by the work of the prominent and important British poet Andrew McMillan, the Lad Lit genre of the nineties pioneered by writers like Nick Hornby and Mike Gayle, and the recent academic research undertaken by Parry, into representations of masculinity within the Alan Partridge canon.
BOLD aims to collate and present art from people from a variety of backgrounds that documents experiences of masculinity.
We are interested in quality writing, photography, and artwork in a variety of styles that either documents, or comments on the many different images of masculinity, the male experience, and/or on engagement with masculinity and the male gaze.
We welcome submissions from those who identify as male as well as those who do not, as we are interested in a variety of perspectives from different voices.
We understand that masculinity is no one fixed thing, not wholly the domain of men and maleness, and as such we would also love to see submissions documenting non cis-male experieneces of masculinity.
We want to make it explicitly clear, we are NOT interested in transphobic works. We know just how much the transmale/masculine experience matters.
We aim to publish a combination of prose, poetry, and visual artwork.
What are we looking for?
We DO NOT accept previously published poetry or artwork, although this DOES NOT include publication on your social media feeds, but DOES include your personal blog.
We DO NOT accept simultaneous submissions.
Please send no more than THREE poems; TWO pieces of prose; and THREE pieces of visual artwork. If you send more than this, we will only consider work until we reach the figures aforementioned.
Prose: short stories (1500 words maximum); flash fiction (500 words maximum); creative nonfiction (CNF) (1000 words maximum).
Poetry: up to three poems (totalling no more than three A4 pages in length – Garamond font, 12 – single spaced); experimental forms considered.
Visual Artwork: photography; digital artwork or graphic design, photographed/scanned paintings or drawings.
Contributors will retain the copyright for their work – although they permit its usage in our journal, on our website, and on our social media feeds.
Artists will be rewarded for their contributions with a single print copy of the anthology on release.
ALL prose and poetry must be submitted in a .doc(x) file.
ALL visual art must be a CMYK .jpg
Send your submissions to boldarts@thebrokenspine.co.uk using the subject line: BOLD SUBMISSION (POETRY/PROSE/ART) – [YOUR NAME]
Submissions currently OPEN. See @BOLDArtsZine on Twitter for details of our Submission Window.
We Like
- Narrative poetry rather than form poetry
- Poems that shine – a sense of voice/flair/style
- Poems that shake us to the bone – emotions/feelings/honesty/bravery are great if they are cultivated
- Interesting and surprising language
- Experimental work, providing it is not deliberately pretentious – poems with distinct formats are okay
- Poems that SHOW rather than TELL
- Bold and exciting photography and artwork that captures everyday beauty – people/nature/the city
We Don't Like
- Anything AT ALL that may be deemed racist, ageist, sexist, homophobic, or contain any sort of hateful, vengeful or malicious content
- If you submit this sort of material you are not, and will never be welcome at BOLD
- Rhyme for the sake of rhyme
- Preachy poems that rant about how shit your life, or the world is – be brave and honest but avoid dirge
- Plagiarism – we are well-read and will more than likely spot it