Submissions &c Thank you for your interest in Bridge magazine and our new Member’s Section publications.
WHILE THE HARD BOUND PRINT BRIDGE JOURNAL serves as both a site of public scholarship and opinion about and place for artistic experimentation, as well as an archive of the work of the artistic collective, Bridge Magazine serves as a more topical site for analysis of its editorial subjects, art criticism & cultural reporting produced by the journal and written by a paid freelance staff of writers. Usually updated Mondays.
In Chicago and interested in writing for us on the reg? Please fill out our freelancer intake form, and we’ll be in touch. All others, please continue with your submission here.
We are especially interested in work that embraces the world and continues, however subtly, the ongoing global conversation about culture and society that Bridge has championed from its beginning in 1999. We also accept reviews and interviews, which we publish throughout the year at our online magazine, bridge-chicago.org.
Member’s Section publications are published in our member’s area archives. A free membership is required for access. How to Submit: We accept all submissions through Submittable, an online submissions system. PLEASE NOTE IN YOUR COVER LETTER WHICH SECTION YOU ARE SUBMITTING FOR. There is no charge to create a Submittable account, but please note that we do charge a small reading fee to help cover the costs of the software and some operating expenses. We do not accept mailed or emailed submissions.
The &c category accepts submissions for sub-category projects and ongoing initiatives at the online Bridge Magazine and for our free member’s section. PLEASE note which category you are submitting to in your cover letter, and follow the instructions for submission unique to each. These currently include:
The Readings Archive: an ongoing poetry & fiction archive series of audio recordings, we accept original audio recordings of readings of original poetry and fiction by the author/poet. Accepted submissions are presented in our Reading Series section of the Bridge site as an embedded video or Soundcloud link, with an accompanying bio and headshot of the contributor. Examples of our Soundcloud embeds are available for listening (and viewing — we also accept video submissions through our FilmFreeway link). We accept readings from anywhere, not just Chicago.
Please submit as either an .mp3, .wav or other common format, bio, any explanatory text that is required, and a headshot of the poet/author as a JPG or other common image format file. Readings should begin immediately at the start of the recording and be no longer than 15mins in total length. No music or other audio should be included, just the reader’s voice. Recordings must also be clear and distinct, without any static or interference. Group readings, or recordings presented as part of a reading series may exceed the 15min cap, but each individual recording must then be no longer than 15mins. For group readings, a bio for each contributor must be included in the cover letter, and for reading series, a bio for the organizer and statement as to the goals and purposes of the reading series must also be included.
For recordings longer than 15mins, please query us via email at [email protected]. We do also accept literature in translation, so long as copyright from the original author or poet, their estate, or current rights holder has been obtained, and written proof can be provided. Please submit no more than 3 original audio recordings for individual readers, and no more than 6 per group submission, including reading series recordings.
Zine Reading Room is a member’s area initiative to host zine-style publications of any kind, on any subject. Accepted zines are presented in the online readings archive section of the Bridge member’s area as an Issuu flip-book, with an accompanying explanatory text. Examples of our online flip books are available for viewing through the Bridge Journal archive section. Each submission pays $10. Please include your mailing address / Venmo info in your cover letter.
Please submit as a PDF. If accepted, we will ask that each page of your publication be submitted as individual .jpg files, numbered in the order in which they appear, front and back cover included, in a zipped folder. The folder should also include a file clearly marked “bio” and “headshot” and, if required, a file marked “statement” that further explains the zine project (this will all be included in the reading room profile along with the flip-book). Page files must be clear and unmarred with wrinkles, shadows or scanner bed imperfections.
Reviews of books, art exhibitions, dance, live performance and etc. may be submitted to the online Bridge Magazine for inclusion on a Monday publication date while in-season.
We do not accept first-time writers for our reviews section. In your cover letter, please provide at least two examples of past review work in the area, along with pertinent links.
Submissions for this section are also time-pegged; for example, a book review should be submitted for publication on the month of or month prior to the release of the book; Book pitches, for 800-1500 words. Ideas for this category may be pitched prior to submission. Each published submission pays $30. Please include your mailing address / Venmo info in your cover letter, along with your bio, information on the publisher / event venue, dates, etc.
Please note that for reviews, submissions must also include one photo — either of the book cover, event, exhibition view, or similar, along with full caption credit information, including description and any relevant photographer credit info.
Reviewers interested in joining the internal Bridge freelancer’s list are asked to fill out our freelancer intake form, and we’ll be in touch.
Photographer’s Chapbooks is a member’s area initiative to host chapbook-style publications for photographers, on any subject. These are intended for photographers who have not yet staged significant exhibitions or publications of their work, to experiment with ideas and present them in a layout that attempts to organize or assemble imagery, organized narratively or otherwise. Accepted photo chapbooks are presented in the online readings archive section of the Bridge member’s area as an Issuu flip-book, with an accompanying explanatory text. Examples of our online flip books are available for viewing through the Bridge Journal archive section. Each submission pays $10. Please include your mailing address / Venmo info in your cover letter.
Please submit as a PDF. If accepted, we will ask that each page of your publication be submitted as individual .jpg files, numbered in the order in which they appear, front and back cover included, in a zipped folder. The folder should also include a file clearly marked “bio” and “headshot” and, if required, a file marked “statement” that further explains the photo project (this will all be included in the reading room profile along with the flip-book). Page files must be clear and unmarred with wrinkles, shadows or scanner bed imperfections.
Lastly, for Flash Fiction, we are currently seeking flash fiction or serial content in the 800-1500 word range to publish on the “front page” of the Bridge Magazine site. Please include in your cover letter the title, year, author and any other information, including a short bio. We do also accept literature in translation, so long as copyright from the original author or poet, their estate, or current rights holder has been obtained, and written proof can be provided.
Each season of the magazine runs roughly 15 weeks, and goes from roughly Aug-Dec and Feb-June. We are now accepting submissions for the magazine’s Feb-June & Aug-Dec 2024 run, ending on Oct 1, 2024 at 11:59pm. There is no regular deadline for submissions; to be considered for any of the above categories, work must be submitted according to the criteria above. For reviews of events and exhibitions taking place outside of Chicago, please query us first at [email protected] with all relevant information.
Please note that payments where noted are disbursed at the end of each season cycle. The magazine and member’s area programming are organized by members of the Bridge artistic collective, who serve as volunteer section editors, and a pool of paid freelancers.
For all &c submissions, please include in your cover letter the title, year, author and any other information. Please also include a mailing address and 250-word or less bio with your submission.
Please refer to our submissions guidelines before submitting your work, and for information on other categories. We accept simultaneous submissions, except where otherwise noted. You can withdraw or edit your submission at anytime by logging into your account. To learn more about Bridge and our mission as a periodical, please refer to our masthead page.
