Skip to Content

Vita Poetica Journal

Vita Poetica Journal is an online quarterly publication of creative work explored through a spiritual lens. This may be engaging directly with religious faith or a broader inquiry into meaning and the human experience. We appreciate a sensibility that is open and thoughtful rather than didactic. We seek diversity in experiences, backgrounds, and spiritual perspectives, as well as in genres and art disciplines. We also welcome cross-genre, cross-discipline, or multimedia experimentation. Those interested in submitting are encouraged to read previous issues to gain a sense of the kind of work we're looking for.

We have recently changed our creative writing submissions manager to Submittable. Please head to this link to submit works of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

For visual art, other media, reviews, interviews, and contemplative practices, please send pitches using the forms below, where you can find specific guidelines for each section. Please allow a couple weeks for a response before following up. We are a small team and publish on a quarterly cycle. Responses can sometimes take a bit longer if the submission arrived in between issues.

We do not accept previously published work, including web-published or self-published material. Simultaneous submissions are welcome provided you notify us immediately if the work is placed elsewhere.

We ask for first-time rights of publication and request acknowledgment as the first place of publication. All rights revert to the author/artist after publication.

We regret that we’re unable to offer payment for publication at this time. Vita Poetica is a nonprofit organization and relies on a small team of volunteers who read every submission carefully. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for sharing your work with us.

Quick Links to Open Calls:

Contemplative Practices Free Tip Jar Option

Open

Submit a guided meditation of up to 800 words or between 5-15 minutes of recording time in any medium. This should be accessible to a general audience with no training in the medium. It should use inclusive language without disrupting the flow of the narration. Any necessary materials should be minimal, with alternative options suggested (e.g., a scarf/napkin for a movement meditation, or playdough/clay for a clay meditation). Submissions in this category may be sent in full or queried first. If querying, please send samples of your work that gives us a sense of the style and direction you intend to take the meditation. Submitters are strongly encouraged to look at previously published works in this category to gain a sense of what we're looking for.

Interviews Free Tip Jar Option

Open

We are interested in providing a platform for both emerging and established artists in any discipline to share about how their faith or spirituality informs their work, including their creative process, themes, and influences. This may be in conjunction with a newly released work or a broader consideration of the artist’s creative process and/or career. If you would like to be interviewed or to propose an interview subject you are in contact with, please send us a query with a summary of the interview subject and up to 10 sample questions to give a sense of the direction you intend to take the interview.

Multimedia Free Tip Jar Option

Open

In this time of global pandemic, we are especially aware that art media can encompass many forms. As a digital publication, we are open to exploring new ways to create and share, as well as new ways to publish and help creative people reach as wide an audience as possible. We encourage submissions of multimedia art, short film or performance, audio, and other hybrid or experimental forms suitable for web publishing and within the duration of 15 minutes in length. Work may be submitted as a file (compressed if needed) or via private link.

Reviews Free Tip Jar Option

Open

We welcome reviews of recent (within the past year or so) or upcoming work in any genres and media exploring the intersection of art and faith. This includes but is not limited to chapbooks, full-length publications in all genres (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and traditional nonfiction), anthologies, film, gallery shows, music, and performances. Reviews are typically under 1,500 words.

Queries are preferred, as the assignment of reviews depends on editorial needs and availability of the work. You can pitch a review title to us or select from a list of works we would like to see reviewed. In your query, please include a bio of yourself and at least one relevant writing sample.

You're also welcome to send a query if you are a publisher, author, artist, or performer who would like to submit an advanced review copy or invitation for review consideration.

Visual Art Free Tip Jar Option

Open

We welcome visual art, including but not limited to painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, textile, and sculpture. The works should -- whether directly or indirectly -- engage with our publication's focus on art and spirituality. Please submit up to 5 pieces, compressed if needed. Lower-resolution images may be submitted first, with high-resolution files (300dpi) required upon acceptance. Please include an artist statement, of at least 1 paragraph and up to 250 words, addressing your work as a whole and the submitted pieces in particular. This form permits up to 6 files to be uploaded; one of these must be the artist statement. Submissions without an artist statement will not be considered.