Submissions are open until Dec. 31 for the third edition of UMB’s art and literary journal.
After two successful first issues, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Council for the Arts & Culture is pleased to announce an open call for submissions for the third edition of 1807, which will go into production this winter.
Begun in 2018 as a creative outlet for UMB artists, 1807 is an art and literary journal that has experienced great success these last two years. Receiving hundreds of submissions, the journal — professionally designed and printed locally — is curated, edited, and produced by members of the UMB community.
Artists are not alone at UMB. Although many of us have busy “day jobs,” there are a large number of people in the UMB community — faculty, staff, students, alumni, University of Maryland Medical Center employees, Southwest Baltimore neighbors — who are artists balancing their creative endeavors while working or studying full time. This year’s journal will undoubtedly be reflective of the challenges of 2020 — the global pandemic, political unrest, and social strife — but submissions may include art created at any time.
The annual journal showcases art including, but not limited to, the following categories: writing (poetry, essays, narratives, short stories), visual art (painting, illustration, drawing, digital art), photography (landscape, people, art, smartphone), and varied art (sculpture, textiles, clay, metal, glass, wood, jewelry).
Echoing the letter distributed this year by UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, “Whether an experienced artist or a novice, I challenge you to pursue your artistic passion during challenging times ... as some of the greatest masterpieces were created during times of struggle and discord."
So the poem you crafted, the jewelry you designed, the sculpture you welded, or the image you photographed makes you a candidate for publication, as do many other art forms. Original art (including items that were submitted previously and not selected for publication) that broadly and creatively relate to the council’s themes of social justice, health, healing, the mind, and the body may be submitted. Entries will be accepted for judging this winter through 11:59 p.m. Dec 31.
“I am in awe of the deep and varied talents of the artists within our University community,” says Jennifer Litchman, MA, senior vice president for external relations and special assistant to the president. “It gives me great joy to see the beauty of the visual art, to feel the power of the written word, and to appreciate the depth of emotion conveyed on these pages of 1807.”
The goal of the publication is to promote the artists in the UMB community and to create more engagement between the UMB and Southwest Baltimore communities. The journal also serves as a recruitment tool for faculty, staff, and donors.
Visit www.umaryland.edu/arts-journal/ to learn more and find additional details about submission. Please note that submitting is free, entries can be made online only, and submission does not guarantee publication. The editorial review board enthusiastically awaits the opportunity to review your artwork.