Submissions Call for October Edition of Smashing Times Newsletter: ‘States of Independence’

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality would like to invite submissions to the October 2023 edition of the Smashing Times Newsletter. The theme this month is ‘States of Independence’, tying in with our eponymous project, which celebrates the stories of ten changemakers from 1912-23 and the stories of ten changemakers today working to make society a better place for all. This edition also coincides with our annual Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival.

Independence can be defined as freedom from outside control, or the authority of another. External control may manifest in an oppressive political regime; familial, societal, or institutional repression; or the tyranny of one’s own mind. Even in the absence of external control, is true independence even possible? Is it possible for one’s trajectory in life to be completely uninfluenced by the wills and preferences of others? We are all products of society, whether or not we like to admit it. Might the only pathway to uncompromised independence be to live alone in nature, hunting and gathering, with only one’s thoughts as company?

Submissions are welcome in any genre or form. A few notes:

• If submitting poetry, please send a maximum of two poems (of any length).
• If submitting a short story, a non-fiction essay, or an extract from a novel or play, please send no more than one, consisting of 2,500 words or less.
• Only one article may be submitted, and it must be 1,000 words or less.
• If sending a photograph, or an image of a painting, sculpture, or architectural work, please submit one only. Please also ensure the image is of a high quality.
• If submitting a song, a short film, a video artwork, a feature-film excerpt, or a dance piece, please send just one, and ensure it doesn’t run over 10 minutes. Likewise, please make sure it is of a high audiovisual calibre.
• You may submit in a maximum of two artforms.
• All submitted work should be previously unpublished, though we can accept pieces that have solely appeared on your personal website or blog, or have been performed live (and not recorded to be shared on a public platform).
• Translated works are acceptable, once they are submitted alongside the original, and all relevant permissions are obtained beforehand.
• Themes are always flexible; any subjective response is considered valid.
• Please submit in a word document to communications@smashingtimes.ie by midnight on Thursday, 19 October. Please include a max two-line biography to accompany your piece, making reference to all of your previous publications (if applicable), as well as a headshot or photograph.
• If accepted, the editor will contact you with at least one round of suggested edits, so please monitor your email closely in that case.
• Furthermore, if your work is accepted, it will appear not only in the newsletter but on the Smashing Times website and possibly across our social media channels.
• Not all submissions will be accepted, unfortunately.
• Publication is unpaid, regrettably, as we are a small charity with limited resources. The newsletter reaches around 1,100 people, however, including a range of major arts organisations, and many members of Ireland’s arts and human rights communities.
• Submissions are especially welcome from individuals who have been underrepresented historically, such as ethnic minorities, members of the Traveller community, the LGBTQI+ community, women, and people with disabilities. Please let us know when submitting if you belong to any of these or suchlike minorities.

To read the September edition of the Smashing Times Newsletter, themed ‘Peace and Democracy’, please click here. For every other edition, click below.

News Item Submissions

News item submissions are welcome from any organisation or individual either working in the arts, or in human rights, equality, or similar areas. Some notes, applicable both to this month’s edition and future iterations:

• News items should be 150 words or less. They do not need to have any relevance to the theme.
• We welcome any news item based on you or your organisation’s recent work, event, or activity in the areas of the arts, human rights, equality, or social justice.
• Please include a photo to go with your news item and ensure it is of reasonably high quality. If there is no relevant photo, please send on your organisation’s logo.
• Any links should be included as hyperlinks.
• Please double-check for spelling, grammar, accuracy, and clarity.
• We will endeavour to include as many submissions as possible – though this of course depends on the number we receive. (In the event of a surplus, we will hold onto any items which would still be relevant in the following month’s edition, with your permission.) We will prioritise submissions from Smashing Times members. Sign you or your organisation up here.
• The newsletter reaches around 1,100 people, including a range of major arts organisations, and many members of Ireland’s arts and human rights communities.
• Please submit in a word document to communications@smashingtimes.ie by midnight on Thursday, 19 October.
• The newsletter goes out on Thursday, 26 October.
• Submissions are especially welcome from individuals who have been underrepresented historically, such as ethnic minorities, members of the Traveller community, the LGBTQI+ community, women, and people with disabilities. Please let us know when submitting if you belong to any of these or suchlike minorities. Likewise, we welcome submissions from organisations that advocate for any of these, or similar, causes.