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  • Submissions diary 24 October 2026

    Poetry & Prose Submissions

    Literary Prizes & Competitions

    Competition / PrizeClosing DateForm & LengthEntry FeePrize & Publication Details
    Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction25 Oct 2026Flash fiction (up to 500 words; 3 prompts in 60 hours)Tiered entryCash prizes and print anthology publication
    SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award30 Oct 2026Crime fiction or non-fiction (2,000–5,000 words; AU residents)$35 AUDNed Kelly Awards recognition and cash prize (details)
    The Varnish Prize for Fiction30 Oct 2026Formally inventive unpublished short fiction (open globally)See guidelinesPublication with Varnish Online; focus on emerging voices
    The 2026 Hope Prize31 Oct 2026Short story or narrative nonfiction on hope/resilience (18+ globally)See portal$13,000 AUD prize pool; Simon & Schuster Australia anthology
    Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize31 Oct 2026Poetry up to 40 lines on the theme “Night” (rules)35AUD(25 members)$1,000 AUD first prize via Ballarat Writers
    The Best of Times Short Story Competition #4231 Oct 2026Humorous short stories up to 2,500 words$12 AUDCash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place
    National Poetry Competition 202631 Oct 2026Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (18+ globally)£9 first poem (£6 extra)£5,000 first prize, £3,000 second, £2,000 third
    The Bedford Competition 202631 Oct 2026Short stories (to 3,000 words) & poetry (to 40 lines; 17+ globally)£8.50 (or 3 for £17)£2,000 first prize in each category (details)
    Anthology Poetry Competition 202631 Oct 2026Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (open internationally)€18€1,000 first prize, publication, and Reedsy membership
    Aurealis Awards 202610 Nov 2026Speculative fiction by Australians first published in 2026 (including indie/self-published)Discounted for Writer Centre membersAustralia’s premier sci-fi, fantasy, and horror awards across 16 categories
    F(r)iction Fall 2026 Writing Contests13 Nov 2026Short story (1,001–7,500 words), flash (to 1,000 words), poetry (to 3 pages)Via Submittable$1,000 USD (short story), $300 USD (flash/poetry), plus editorial feedback for finalists
    Gregory O’Donoghue International Poetry Competition30 Nov 2026Unpublished poems up to 40 lines (open internationally)€7 (5 for €30; fee-free spots)€2,000 first prize plus Cork International Poetry Festival reading and accommodation
    KYD Creative Non-Fiction Prize30 Nov 2026Experimental essays (2,500–3,500 words) on any subjectKYD membership required$2,500 AUD first prize, two $1,000 AUD runner-up prizes, and publication
    Bath Children’s Novel Award 202630 Nov 2026First 5,000 words + 1-page synopsis for unpublished YA/children’s manuscripts£33 (sponsored entries)£5,000 prize open to international unagented/unpublished writers
    Anthology Travel Writing Competition30 Nov 2026Articles up to 1,000 words on an authentic travel experience€15€300 first prize and publication in Anthology
    2027 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize1 Dec 2026Unpublished commercial adult, YA, or non-fiction manuscripts (up to 80,000 words; Open & Own Voices)Entry fee appliesTrade publishing contract plus a $3,500 AUD editing and coaching package

    (Note: While listed on several state calendars for 30 November, Perentie Press announced the postponement of the 2027 Perentie Prize, though their Graphic Folk pitch window for public-domain fairytale/folktale graphic novel adaptations opens for the first week of December 2026.)

    Visual Art & Photography Calls

    Database links.

    Artists
    Writers
    Writing&art …

    To see the complete lists click on the buttons, above. Below are limited RSS feeds from lists from my link database.

    Writers

    Writing&art

    • UNBORDER
    • Subfolio
      A submission platform that makes finding a home for your work easy. Find calls and submit to magazines, presses, and contests. Submit to many organizations at once directly from your portfolio of work or submit directly to a call.
    • The Greensboro Review
      Publishing the best poetry and fiction from emerging and established voices since 1966.
    • The Greensboro Review
      The Greensboro Review Submission Manager Powered By Submittable – Accept and Curate Digital Content
    • FilmNeverDie
      Run by enthusiasts, FilmNeverDie joined the global movement in film & Polaroid photography back in 2011. Film is a very special medium that holds you back in the moment!
    • Westwords
    • Wakefield Press
      Wakefield Press is an independent book publishing company based in Adelaide, South Australia.
    • Vagabond Press
      Independent literary press based in Sydney.
    • Subbed In
    • Simon & Schuster AU
      Find new book releases, best sellers lists and see when your favorite author is making their next appearance.Simon & Schuster AU is your one stop online book store for book and author news.
    • Revolutionaries
    • Rabbit Poetry
    • Puncher & Wattmann
      Puncher & Wattmann is an award-winning book publisher supporting quality Australian writing. Contact Puncher & Wattmann for more details.
    • Pink Shorts Press
      Publishing socially conscious and slightly offbeat books. Running workshops in brand voice, writing and editing for anyone who works with words. Creating custom books and publications for businesses and organisations with a story to tell. Loudly independent and proudly South Australian, based on Kau
    • Odyssey Books
    • no more poetry
      cargo.site
    • Lacuna Publishing
      Welcome to Publishing, the home of bold, original writing that excites, entertains and informs new ways of thinking.
    • Incision Press
      Words for the Queer Revolution
    • icoe.com.au
    • Hunter Publishers Australia
      A singular blend of Australian and international fiction, poetry, graphic novels, and non-fiction. Independent , original, engaged.

    Artists

  • Submissions diary 17 October 2026

    Poetry & Prose Submissions

    • Meanjin (Edition 86.1 – Autumn 2027)
      • Window: Opens Friday, 23 October 2026 (midday AEST) and closes Friday, 27 November 2026 (6:00 PM AEST)
      • Categories & Limits: Short fiction (up to 5,000 words), non-fiction essays and memoir (up to 5,000 words), and poetry (up to three poems).
      • Focus & Terms: Broad overarching theme of “Storytelling”. Contributions are paid standard industry contributor rates upon publication. Submissions are processed via Submittable. (Source)
    • The Varnish Prize for Fiction 2026 (Varnish Literary Journal)
      • Closing Date: Friday, 30 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Original fiction that discards traditional brevity limits to encourage longer, thematically complex narrative exploration.
      • Terms: Guest judged by 2025 winner Oscar Revelins alongside the editorial team; winner receives publication in Varnish. Submissions handled via email. (Source)
    • Australian Poetry Collaboration Issue 41 (Meuse Press)
      • Closing Date: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
      • Scope: Seeking collaborative poems written jointly by two or more poets.
      • Format: Unrestricted themes; submission via editorial guidelines. (Source)
    • Curtis Brown Australia — Open Submissions Month
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Scope: Literary agency open window accepting unsolicited manuscript proposals and query letters across literary fiction, commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, and YA without requiring agent referral. (Source)

    Literary Prizes & Competitions

    • National Poetry Competition 2026 (The Poetry Society)
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Single poems in English, maximum 40 lines. Open to writers aged 18+ worldwide.
      • Prizes & Terms: £5,000 first prize; £3,000 second prize; £2,000 third prize; plus seven £500 commendations.
      • Entry Fee: £9 for the first poem; £6 for each subsequent poem. (Source)
    • The Bedford Competition 2026
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Short stories up to 3,000 words and poetry up to 40 lines on any theme. Open internationally (17+).
      • Prizes & Terms: £2,000 first prize in each section (£400 second, £200 third).
      • Entry Fee: £8.50 per entry, or three entries for £17. (Source)
    • The Hope Prize 2026
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Original short fiction between 2,000 and 5,000 words exploring hardship, poverty, or disadvantage through resilience, dignity, and hope.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$13,000 total prize pool (AU$10,000 first prize; AU$2,000 second; AU$1,000 third).
      • Entry Fee: Free. (Source)
    • SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award 2026 (Australian Writers’ Centre)
      • Closing Date: Friday, 30 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Crime fiction between 2,000 and 5,000 words by Australian residents.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$1,000 cash prize.
      • Entry Fee: AU$35. (Source)
    • Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2026 (Ballarat Writers Inc.)
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Single poems up to 40 lines on the theme “Night”.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$1,000 first prize, AU$400 second, AU$100 third.
      • Entry Fee: AU$35 standard (AU$25 for BWI members; AU$15 per extra poem). (Source)
    • Onkaparinga Writing & Poetry Competition 2026 (Writers SA / City of Onkaparinga)
      • Closing Date: Wednesday, 18 November 2026 (5:00 PM ACDT)
      • Form & Scope: Flash fiction and poetry up to 500 words on the theme “Stronger Together”, exploring community, resilience, and intergenerational connections. Open to SA writers and those with ties to the region.
      • Categories & Awards: Flash Fiction (18+), Poetry (18+), and Youth (12–17). AU$100 prize per category winner. (Source)

    Visual Art & Photography Calls

    • The Elaine Bermingham National Watercolour Prize 2026 (Griffith University / QCAD Galleries)
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026 (11:59 PM AEST)
      • Medium & Focus: Watercolour explorations of landscape (broadly defined to include land, environment, seascape, rural, or urban habitat; representational or abstracted).
      • Prizes & Exhibition: AU$20,000 non-acquisitive major prize. Shortlisted works shown at QCAD Galleries, South Bank, Brisbane from 10 December 2026. Open to Australian artists 18+. (Source)
    • Small Works Art Prize 2027 (Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy)
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 15 November 2026 (Midnight AEDT)
      • Mediums & Dimensions: All 2D and 3D media, including photography, printmaking, painting, drawing, and sculpture. Artwork must not exceed 35 × 35 × 35 cm (inclusive of framing).
      • Prizes & Exhibition: Over AU$15,000 in prizes (including two AU$2,000 solo exhibition packages). All eligible entered works will be exhibited in the gallery from 9–23 January 2027. Full entry guidelines are on the BSG Information Page. (Source)
    • Summer Small Works Show & Prize 2026
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 22 November 2026
      • Mediums & Dimensions: Open to Australian artists 18+ working in drawing, photography, painting, printmaking, mixed media, or short silent moving-image. Artworks must be created in 2026 and measure no larger than A5 (14.8 × 21 cm, max depth 14.8 cm). Theme: “Emergence”.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$1,000 non-acquisitive major prize, eleven AU$100 non-acquisitive awards, and inclusion in the 2027 calendar. Exhibition runs 3–23 December 2026. (Source)

  • Submissions diary 10 October 2026

    Here is a digest of active publishing opportunities, prizes, and open calls across creative writing and visual arts for the week of Saturday, 10 October 2026:

    Literary Prizes & Competitions

    • Australian Book Review – 2027 Peter Porter Poetry Prize
      • Closing Date: 14 October 2026, 11:59 PM AEDT
      • Category: Poetry (single poem, maximum 60 lines, open theme)
      • Eligibility & Rules: Open to all poets writing in English worldwide. Poems must be original and previously unpublished.
      • Prizes & Entry Fee: AU$6,000 first prize; AU$1,000 for each of four shortlisted poets (AU$10,000 total pool). All shortlisted poems are published in *ABR*. Entry fee is AU$30 (AU$20 for current ABR subscribers). Details and listing also available via Writing NSW’s October Calendar.
    • The 2026 Hope Prize
      • Closing Date: 31 October 2026, 11:59 PM AEDT
      • Category: Short fiction or creative non-fiction/memoir
      • Eligibility & Rules: Open to writers aged 18+ internationally. Submissions must explore themes of hope, courage, or resilience; maximum 5,000 words (no minimum); double-spaced. Submit via The Hope Prize Submission Portal.
      • Prizes: AU$13,000 total prize pool (AU$10,000 first prize supported by Simon & Schuster Australia and Readings Books; AU$2,000 second; AU$1,000 third). Winning and highly commended stories will be published in a Simon & Schuster anthology.
    • SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award
      • Closing Date: 30 October 2026
      • Category: Crime fiction / Mystery short story
      • Eligibility & Rules: Stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words incorporating classic elements of suspense, mystery, investigation, or crime. Presented in association with the Australian Crime Writers Association.
      • Prizes & Entry Fee: $1,000 first prize; entry fee $35.
    • Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2026
      • Closing Date: 31 October 2026
      • Category: Poetry (open theme, maximum 40 lines)
      • Eligibility & Rules: Administered by Ballarat Writers; judged by Australian author and poet Melissa Ashley.
      • Prizes & Entry Fee: $1,000 first prize, with additional regional writer awards. Entry fee applies via TryBooking.
    • Geelong Writers Ekphrastic Challenge #10
      • Closing Date: 25 October 2026
      • Category: Flash fiction, short prose, or poetry (maximum 300 words)
      • Eligibility & Rules: Open to members and non-members responding to the designated October artwork prompt.

    Poetry & Prose Submissions (Journals, Agencies & Presses)

    • Curtis Brown Australia – Open Manuscript Submissions
      • Reading Window: 1 October – 31 October 2026
      • Category: Commercial & literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, memoir, and YA/children’s manuscripts
      • Eligibility & Rules: Open to unagented writers who are residents of Australia and New Zealand. Requires a one-page synopsis, author bio, and sample chapters (first 50 pages) submitted via their online agency portal.
    • Overland Literary Journal – Submissions
      • Status: Open for general submissions
      • Category: Short fiction (up to 3,000 words), poetry (up to 3 poems per submission), and creative essays
      • Guidelines & Payment: Actively seeking progressive and experimental writing. Accepted print and online contributors receive standard industry rates (AUD $150–$500+ depending on genre and format).
    • The Freelance Writing Network Lit Mag Roster – October Open Windows
      • Status: Windows closing late October / early November 2026
      • Featured Publications:
        • The Iowa Review: General submission window open through October for fiction, poetry, and non-fiction.
        • The Massachusetts Review: General reading period open for essays, stories, and poetry.
        • Foglifter Journal: Submissions open for upcoming print issues focusing on hybrid forms, non-fiction, and poetry.
    • Phosphorescent Lit – Issue 3: “Fever”
      • Closing Date: 16 November 2026 (04:59 UTC)
      • Category: Poetry (up to 3 poems) and short prose (fiction/creative non-fiction up to 2,500 words)
      • Theme: “Fever” — exploring heat, delirium, obsession, intensity, and illness. Fee-free general submission route.

    Visual Art & Photography Calls

    Here is your weekly digest of active publishing opportunities, literary prizes, and visual art open calls, cross-referenced against your tracked bookmarks and regional directory listings:

    1. Literary Prizes & Competitions

    • Peter Porter Poetry Prize 2027 (Australian Book Review)
      • Closing Date: Wednesday, 14 October 2026 (Midnight AEDT)
      • Form & Scope: Single poems in English, maximum 70 lines. Open internationally to poets of any citizenship.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$10,000 total prize pool (AU$6,000 first prize; four shortlisted poets receive AU$1,000 each and publication in ABR).
      • Entry Fee: AU$30 (or AU$20 for current ABR subscribers). (Source)
    • The Hope Prize 2026
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Prose short stories between 2,000 and 5,000 words exploring the experience of people facing hardship, poverty, or marginalisation with resilience, dignity, and hope. Open globally (18+).
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$13,000 prize pool (AU$10,000 first prize; AU$2,000 second prize; AU$1,000 third prize).
      • Entry Fee: Free to enter. (Source)
    • SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award 2026 (Australian Writers’ Centre)
      • Closing Date: Friday, 30 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Original, unpublished crime fiction between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Open to writers residing in Australia.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$1,000 first prize. Judged on narrative tension, plotting, and characterisation.
      • Entry Fee: AU$35. (Source)
    • Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize 2026 (Ballarat Writers Inc.)
      • Closing Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Form & Scope: Poems up to 40 lines. Theme: “Night”.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$1,000 first prize, AU$400 second prize, AU$100 third prize.
      • Entry Fee: AU$35 per poem (AU$25 for BWI members; AU$15 for subsequent poems). (Source)
    • Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize 2026 (Overland)
      • Closing Date: Friday, 4 December 2026 (Midnight AEDT)
      • Form & Scope: Short fiction up to 3,000 words loosely themed around the concept of “travel”.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$5,000 first prize and publication in *Overland*; two runner-up prizes of AU$750 each.
      • Entry Fee: AU$20 general entry / AU$12 subscribers. (Source)
    • Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets 2026 (Overland)
      • Closing Date: Friday, 4 December 2026
      • Form & Scope: Original poetry up to 80 lines by writers who have not yet published a full-length commercial poetry collection.
      • Prizes & Terms: AU$9,000 prize pool (AU$6,000 first prize; AU$2,000 second; AU$1,000 third) plus publication.
      • Entry Fee: AU$20 non-subscribers / AU$12 subscribers. (Source)
    • Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize 2027
      • Closing Date: Friday, 12 December 2026 (6:00 PM AEST)
      • Form & Scope: Full unpublished fiction or narrative non-fiction manuscripts up to 80,000 words.
      • Prizes & Terms: Traditional trade publishing contract with Hawkeye Books plus an author coaching and structural/line editing package valued at AU$3,500. Two categories awarded: Open and Own Voices.
      • Entry Fee: AU$45 standard / AU$99 with comprehensive written assessment. (Source)

    2. Poetry & Prose Submissions

    • Meanjin (Edition 86.1 – Autumn 2027)
      • Submission Window: Opens Friday, 23 October 2026 (Midday AEST) — Closes Friday, 27 November 2026 (6:00 PM AEST)
      • Categories: Poetry (up to 3 poems), Short Fiction (up to 5,000 words), and Non-Fiction/Essays (up to 5,000 words).
      • Theme & Guidelines: Broad overarching theme of “Storytelling”. All accepted contributions are paid upon publication. Portals open on Submittable. (Source)
    • Curtis Brown Australia — Open Submissions Month
      • Window Closes: Saturday, 31 October 2026
      • Scope: Literary agency accepting unsolicited queries and manuscript proposals across literary fiction, commercial fiction, narrative non-fiction, and young adult writing without prior referral. (Source)
    • Australian Poetry Collaboration Issue 41 (Meuse Press)
      • Closing Date: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
      • Scope: Seeking collaborative poetic works written jointly by two or more poets.
      • Submission: Electronic submission via editorial guidelines. (Source)
    • Overland (General Submissions)
      • Status: Open / Ongoing on Submittable
      • Scope: Essays, critical reviews, fiction, cultural commentary, and political writing.
      • Contributor Rates: Standard industry rates apply (AU$150–AU$500 depending on length and print vs. online placement). (Source)
    • One Sentence Poems & Eunoia Review
      • Status: Open / Year-round rolling submissions
      • Scope: Single-sentence poetry (One Sentence Poems) and short fiction/poetry/creative non-fiction with rapid turnaround (Eunoia Review). Both accessible directly via your Raindrop writing collection.

    3. Visual Art, Photography & Illustration Calls

    • Aesthetica Art Prize 2026/2027
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 11 October 2026 (Late entries accepted through 18 October 2026)
      • Mediums: Photography, digital media, drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture, and video art.
      • Prizes & Terms: £10,000 Main Art Prize, £1,000 Emerging Art Prize, group exhibition in York, and publication in the Future Now: 100 Contemporary Artists anthology.
      • Entry Fee: Registration via site checkout. (Source)
    • Small Works Art Prize 2027 (Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy)
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 15 November 2026 (Midnight)
      • Mediums & Specs: Open to all 2D and 3D media (including photography, drawings, printmaking, painting, and small sculpture). Artwork must not exceed 35 × 35 × 35 cm.
      • Prizes & Exhibition: Over AU$15,000 in prizes, including two AU$2,000 solo exhibition packages and category awards. All eligible entries will be hung in the exhibition from 9–23 January 2027.
      • Entry Details: Detailed entry and hanging requirements available on the BSG Information Page. (Source)
    • Red Art Prize 2027 (Red Gallery, Fitzroy North)
      • Closing Date: Sunday, 20 December 2026 (or until gallery exhibition capacity is reached)
      • Mediums: Open-call exhibition launching the 2027 season for 2D and 3D contemporary visual art, drawing, print, and photography.
      • Entry Fee: From AU$60. (Source)
    • Collect Art — Open Call for Photography & Fine Art
      • Closing Date: Thursday, 15 October 2026
      • Scope: Curated international feature issue for street photography, documentary photography, and contemporary drawings/paintings.
      • Format: Up to 12 high-resolution images, brief artist statement, and bio. (Source)
  • Class, edited by Les Wicks

    Class, edited by Les Wicks

    Download the anthology

    Les Wicks gathered an international crowd to build the poetry anthology ‘Class’, published in Australia in 2024 by Meuse Press. The book grew directly out of debates held in Canada and India across 2023 and 2024. It tackles the reality of economic divides during an era when the gap between rich and everyone became extreme.

    Instead of pushing a single political line, this collection serves up a mixture of human friction. Dozens of writers contribute, including Jeltje Fanoy, PiO, Vaughan Rapatahana, Marra PL. Lanot, and Gabriel Rosenstock. These poems break through social walls, exposing human vulnerability and the stubborn fight for common ground.

    Les Wicks unfurl posts

  • Steve Cox works in exhibition

    William Mora Galleries
    30 April–28 May 2026

    Address: 1/60 Tanner St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia

    Steve Cox’s works will be shown as part of a group exhibition.

    Steve Cox unfurl posts

  • Calendar of publishers and events

    UNFURL Writing+art publishers list
    • UNBORDER
    • Subfolio
      A submission platform that makes finding a home for your work easy. Find calls and submit to magazines, presses, and contests. Submit to many organizations at once directly from your portfolio of work or submit directly to a call.
    • The Greensboro Review
      Publishing the best poetry and fiction from emerging and established voices since 1966.
    • The Greensboro Review
      The Greensboro Review Submission Manager Powered By Submittable – Accept and Curate Digital Content
    • FilmNeverDie
      Run by enthusiasts, FilmNeverDie joined the global movement in film & Polaroid photography back in 2011. Film is a very special medium that holds you back in the moment!
    • Westwords
    • Wakefield Press
      Wakefield Press is an independent book publishing company based in Adelaide, South Australia.
    • Vagabond Press
      Independent literary press based in Sydney.
    • Subbed In
    • Simon & Schuster AU
      Find new book releases, best sellers lists and see when your favorite author is making their next appearance.Simon & Schuster AU is your one stop online book store for book and author news.
    • Revolutionaries
    • Rabbit Poetry
    • Puncher & Wattmann
      Puncher & Wattmann is an award-winning book publisher supporting quality Australian writing. Contact Puncher & Wattmann for more details.
    • Pink Shorts Press
      Publishing socially conscious and slightly offbeat books. Running workshops in brand voice, writing and editing for anyone who works with words. Creating custom books and publications for businesses and organisations with a story to tell. Loudly independent and proudly South Australian, based on Kau
    • Odyssey Books
    • no more poetry
      cargo.site
    • Lacuna Publishing
      Welcome to Publishing, the home of bold, original writing that excites, entertains and informs new ways of thinking.
    • Incision Press
      Words for the Queer Revolution
    • icoe.com.au
    • Hunter Publishers Australia
      A singular blend of Australian and international fiction, poetry, graphic novels, and non-fiction. Independent , original, engaged.

    For more links and information, click on the button at the top of this RSS feed.

    If you want to help improve and edit this listing, or have a suggestion, write to UNFURL.

  • Australian arts on the internet in 2025

    1. Australian Poetry
    2. Australian Painters
    3. Australian Artists
    4. Patrick White
    5. Review articles of Australian poetry and poets
    6. Literature, Commentary & Cultural Review
    7. Academic & University-Affiliated Journals
    8. Visual Arts News & Criticism
    9. Poetry specific
    10. Performing Arts (Theatre, Music, Opera)

    Australian Poetry

    The past year has celebrated established mastery and urgent new voices, with David Brooks claiming the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. The sector also saw the release of the Best of Australian Poems 2025 anthology and a vibrant Poetry Month program fostering community engagement.

    Australian Painters

    The 2025 awards season saw Julie Fragar and Jude Rae recognised for their exceptional portraiture and landscape work respectively. Major institutions also celebrated historical figures, with the National Gallery of Australia launching comprehensive retrospectives of modernist painters Ethel Carrick and Anne Dangar.

    Australian Artists

    The visual arts landscape was defined by the opening of the 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial and significant prize announcements. First Nations sovereignty and connection to Country were central themes, while contemporary artists like Gene A’Hern and Jonathan Jones received acclaim for their site-specific and abstract works.

    Patrick White

    Focus on Patrick White has been renewed through the prestigious literary award named in his honour, won this year by David Brooks. The playwrights’ award also recognised new talent, while fresh critical scholarship continues to examine White’s complex legacy and “dilemmas” in contemporary Australian culture.

    Review articles of Australian poetry and poets

    Literature, Commentary & Cultural Review

    Australian Book Review (ABR)
    Australia’s premier critical magazine, offering reviews, essays, commentaries, and new creative writing.
    Editor: Peter Rose
    https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/

    Sydney Review of Books (SRB)
    A dedicated online literary journal focusing on long-form criticism and essays.
    Editor: James Ley
    https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/

    Meanjin
    Now defunct.
    https://meanjin.com.au/

    The Monthly
    A national magazine covering politics, society, and the arts, featuring long-form journalism and reviews.
    Editor: Michael Williams
    https://www.themonthly.com.au/

    Inside Story
    An independent news and current affairs site featuring strong arts and culture analysis.
    Editor: Peter Clarke
    https://insidestory.org.au/

    Island Magazine
    A premium literary magazine from Tasmania that publishes high-quality fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
    Editorial Manager: Jane Rawson
    https://islandmag.com/

    Mascara Literary Review
    A bi-annual journal focusing on contemporary writing by First Nations, culturally diverse, and neurodivergent artists.
    Artistic Director: Michelle Cahill
    https://www.mascarareview.com/

    Rochford Street Review
    An independent online journal reviewing Australian literature, poetry, and small-press publications.
    Editors: Mark Roberts and Linda Adair
    https://rochfordstreetreview.com/

    Peril Magazine
    An Asian-Australian arts and culture magazine publishing poetry, prose, and visual arts with a focus on diverse perspectives.
    Chairperson: Lian Low
    https://peril.com.au/

    Academic & University-Affiliated Journals

    Griffith Review
    Operating out of Griffith University, this quarterly features public intellectual essays, reportage, and creative writing.
    Editor: Carina Garland
    https://www.griffithreview.com/

    Westerly Magazine
    Based at the University of Western Australia, this journal publishes fiction, poetry, and essays with a focus on WA and Asia.
    General Editor: Daniel Juckes
    https://westerlymag.com.au/

    Southerly
    One of Australia’s oldest literary journals, published by the English Association (Sydney).
    Editor: Elizabeth McMahon
    https://southerlyjournal.com.au/

    Axon: Creative Explorations
    Published by the University of Canberra, this open-access journal focuses on poetry and creative practice-led research.
    Editors: Jen Webb and Paul Hetherington
    https://axonjournal.com.au/

    TEXT: Journal of Writing and Writing Courses
    The journal of the Australasian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP), publishing scholarly articles on creative writing.
    Managing Editors: Julienne van Loon and Ross Watkins
    https://textjournal.scholasticahq.com/

    Visual Arts News & Criticism

    Art Monthly Australasia
    The region’s flagship visual arts publication, providing critical discourse and exhibition reviews.
    Editor: Michael Fitzgerald
    https://www.artmonthly.org.au/

    Art Almanac
    A monthly guide to galleries, news, and awards, serving as the essential “gallery guide” for the industry.
    Editor: Melissa Pesa
    https://www.art-almanac.com.au/

    ArtsHub
    The primary trade publication for the Australian arts industry, covering news, jobs, and policy.
    Content Director: George Dunford
    https://www.artshub.com.au/

    Artist Profile
    Focuses on the artists themselves, featuring in-depth studio interviews and photographic profiles.
    Editor: Kon Gouriotis
    https://artistprofile.com.au/

    Memo Review
    Australia’s only weekly online review dedicated strictly to visual art exhibitions (primarily Melbourne/Sydney).
    Editorial Team: Rotating academic and critic collective
    https://memoreview.net/

    Runway Journal
    An open-access digital platform for experimental art and criticism, managed by a rotating board of artists.
    Co-Chairs (2025): Ena Grozdanic and Athanasios Lazarou
    https://runway.org.au/

    un Projects (un Magazine)
    An independent platform for contemporary art criticism, focusing on local dialogue and artist-led discourse.
    Editor: Rotating guest editors per issue
    https://unprojects.org.au/

    Poetry specific

    Cordite Poetry Review
    A comprehensive online journal for Australian and international poetry and criticism.
    Editor: Kent MacCarter
    http://cordite.org.au/

    Australian Poetry Journal
    The flagship publication of the national poetry body, publishing contemporary poems and critical essays.
    Editor: Jacinta Le Plastrier (Publisher)
    https://www.australianpoetry.org/

    Performing Arts (Theatre, Music, Opera)

    Limelight
    Australia’s leading independent magazine for classical music, opera, and the performing arts.
    Editor: Jo Litson
    https://limelightmagazine.com.au/

    Australian Stage
    Provides reviews and news covering theatre, opera, dance, and musicals across major capital cities.
    Editor: Review team based
    https://www.australianstage.com.au/

  • This happened …

    This happened …

    Late in 2019, the Australian prime minister (marketing guru and shitty-pants Scott Morrison, ‘Sco-Mo’ to you) and his theatre assistants removed the federal administration’s arts appendix. One moment the word ‘Arts’ appeared somewhere in the names of government departments, and the next it had gone. Snip! And he chucked it in the bin. 

    Well, not exactly… ‘Arts’ was removed from a department’s name. To compensate, the yarts (as they are called in Australia) got an office. The Office of the Arts: <https://www.arts.gov.au/>. Never have the arts and government been so closely aligned than in this uniform resource locator.  

    There were articles in newspapers, outrage on the arts websites, and a long rash of angry emojis at the end of comments on Facebook.  

    The conservative government in Australia, returned at the May 2019 election by a slender margin, had decided a feature of the victory after-party would be to show the country’s angry, artistic child the door. “Your mother and I are tired of you! Always with your hand out, and never a word of thanks! Get a job!” And then, the ‘clap’ of the fly-screen door and a barely audible ‘clack’ of its tiny snib that seemed to say, “And don’t come back.”  

    Making art is a patient, lonely business. Making any progress seems to require years of practice and a bit of luck. Guidebooks and internet articles about being an artist, full of advice and clichés, pile up very quickly. Be yourself. Tell your truth. Talent is important, endurance essential. In the age of Instagram, sexy drawings and a bubble-butt are handy, but not essential (or so they say). Governments are not needed, but academic sinecures, supervising doctorates in novel-writing or discussions of queer theory, good if you can get them. When universities are financially sous vide, as they will be emerging from the 2020–forever pandemic, place bets at long odds that the arts will be favored for rehabilitation.  

    Governments, truth be told, don’t want to help. The governing classes are too busy ‘governing,’ which might as well mean lying, or fudging, or crying crocodile tears, or making a killing on the stock market, or taking a holiday in Hawai’i. To be the governor is to be the winner, the one who calls the shots, to be ‘the decider.’ From their high station in life these decider-governors have a role in narrating our social experience. They have a role we give them in legislating to tell us what is and is not important. (Have you noticed how very often our prime minister tells us what is important, and how very important is the very thing he is now saying?) It’s been a long time since governors of any stripe have shown us how the arts and sciences are important. Business, the economy, the stock market, and jobs are important. Wages growth, arts, and science, women, not so much.  

    UNFURL, my arts publishing project, was a reaction to artists’ reactions to government biases against the arts. Who needs government money anyway? I thought. It turns out, lots of people working in the arts need audiences, and it’s not easy to find and maintain audiences without government assistance. And, even within my narrow range of interests—writing and visual arts—the connections between arts activity and funding are deep. Poetry is not the malnourished tenant of the attic it was in Australia in the mid-1980s. The long lists of books for review and the number of official insignia on web pages are two possible measures of this.  

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    At the same time, long-established literary magazines have had their funding cut. There is money for the arts, so long as it is going to places where the expenditure can be seen to be spent. Government wants the internet to sing “Hey, big spender!” while it cuts funding to Meanjin and others. It may be partly Meanjin’s fault: it has had nearly thirty years to figure out how to get its great store of content online for prospective subscribers to access, while the failure to do so begins to look like obstinacy.  

    UNFURL asked writers and artists to promote their own work to their own social media contacts while doing the same for other artists and writers: it’s a tool for artists to find new audiences and readers. UNFURL /1 started with a couple of writers I knew, Davide Angelo and James Walton, and a writer whom Angelo recommended, Anne Casey. Susan Wald, also published in the first UNFURL, was a painter whose work I liked and who had an exhibition planned for early 2020. I wanted to establish a process that could lead to unexpected choices. I would try not to make selections. I wanted artists to select or recommend other artists; and I wanted those artists to choose for themselves what they wanted to show with as little mediation as possible, encouraging people to show and to publish work they liked, and that might not have been selected (or grouped together) by an editor or curator.  

    Government wants the internet to sing “Hey, big spender!” while it cuts funding to Meanjin and others. It may be partly Meanjin’s fault: it has had nearly thirty years to figure out how to get its great store of content online for prospective subscribers to access, while the failure to do so begins to look like obstinacy.

    It is more efficient to work on all one’s secret agendas simultaneously, so I should also admit my concern that belle-lettrist aesthetics (including the idea that poetry is language’s semantics incubator) and faux-modernist experimentation have combined to make poetry mostly irrelevant and a branch of marketing. —One only has to look at the writing being selected by the selectors to see that something is wrong with the practice of selection. As much as possible, I think, best to leave artists to make their own choices; and if there are mistakes, then, we’ll know who to blame. 

    And then, in March 2020 … then was the actual end of the world-as-we-knew-it. Those crazy ‘preppers’ I’ve made fun of started to look like visionaries. “Where the fuck is my bolthole, goddammit!?” and “How big is your bolthole, my friend!?” could have been common questions in some circles. People who could afford it, and had somewhere to go, did leave town. Gen-Xers lost their hospitality jobs, decided that they couldn’t afford their share house rent, and moved back ‘home.’ Artistes no longer had audiences. Artiste-enablers, stagehands, administrators and carpenters, were also out of work.  COVID-19 put the arts and sciences back in the news. 

    The intersectional tragedy of pandemic and conservative political hostility to the lefty arts seemed to many like another opportunity to turn indifference into punishment. It was hard to disagree with pundits who have been cataloging this punishment.   

    UNFURL, possibly because of all this, has done quite well. By the time UNFURL /5 was released, writers and artists could expect to reach about two thousand readers within a couple of weeks of publication. (Each new UNFURL number provided a little boost to the previous issues, so that all the issues now clock up numbers in the thousands.) Eighty per cent of readers were in Australia, and most of the rest in the USA, Canada, UK and Ireland. The male:female ratio of readers was almost 50:50. The largest age group of readers was 18–35 years. (Though if everyone is ten years younger on the internet, maybe that’s 28–45.)  

    It’s difficult to read poetry on small-screen devices, so I did not expect UNFURL to be read on phones. The visual arts component of UNFURL is quite effective on phones and tablets, however. It seems likely that readers interested in the writing in UNFURL resorted to their desktops and printers. Sixty to seventy percent of downloads of UNFURL were to mobile and tablet devices.  

    I learned that women writers (poets) had a ‘stronger’ following among women readers than men had among readers of any kind. It was very apparent, with Gina Mercer, for example, that a very significant number of readers returned more often, subscribed more often, and were women.  

    I learned that women writers (poets) had a ‘stronger’ following among women readers than men had among readers of any kind. It was very apparent, with Gina Mercer, for example, that a very significant number of readers returned more often, subscribed more often, and were women.  

    I learned that social media isn’t the be-all and end-all of connecting with an audience. Old-fashioned email also works really well. Some artists and writers had no significant social media presence but used email effectively to communicate with friends and contacts.  

    I also learned that visual artists were, generally speaking, more enthusiastic and positive about using social media, and even better at basic stuff like answering messages. Visual artists be like Molly Bloom; writers be like Prince of Denmark.  

    I found that both writers and artists did things in UNFURL other publications might not permit (requiring, as they mostly do, first publication rights). Philip Salom published groupings of new and old poems. Alex Skovron published poems, prose, paintings, and drawings. Steven Warburton published a series of pictures about how one canvas evolved over several years. Robyn Rowland published poems and their translations into Turkish for her readers in Turkey. Ron Miller published a brief survey of his life’s work in space art.  

    All that and more to come.  

    Published first on the website of Stephen J Williams.

  • Unfurling guide

    UNFURL is a publishing and social media project  
    that promotes writers and artists. 

    • UNFURL publishes work you select. 
    • Other artists and writers join you to promote the UNFURL in which you are published. 
    • You return the favor when later UNFURLS are published.  
    • There are no fees or hidden costs. 
    • UNFURL does not want or use your social media contacts. 
    • New UNFURLS now reach thousands of readers; currently 80% of these are in Australia, and 20% in the USA, UK, and elsewhere. 
    • No contracts or obligations. It works on the honor system.  

    Contents of this guide

    What is UNFURL? 

    UNFURL is a publishing and social media project in which writers and artists distribute their work and reach new audiences by combining the power of their social media contacts.  

    Each UNFURL number (or edition) is an independently hosted web page—and that web page is linked to the UNFURL website where all the contributors’ biographical info is maintained.  

    The UNFURL website is at ‹unfurlwritingart.wordpress.com› or ‹unfurl.online›. 

    How have you been chosen to join it? 

    Someone liked what you were doing and suggested you.  

    UNFURL does not read submissions from writers or artists. UNFURL keeps an eye on quality by getting artists to recommend other artists.  

    Is it free for contributors and readers? (Yes) 

    UNFURL is free for readers and contributors. It costs you nothing to distribute or for readers to read.  

    Writers and artists who contribute co-operate to promote each other by offering to use whatever means they have to distribute the URLs of each edition as they become available. That could be as simple as sharing the link on your Facebook timeline, Instagram feed, website, or Twitter.  

    Each time a new edition of UNFURL is released the network of social media contacts widens.  

    Keeping UNFURL alive expands the audience for your work.  

    What can it do? 

    UNFURL can 

    • publish galleries of photos (JPGs) 
    • link Word and PDF files so that they can be read online or downloaded 
    • embed videos from YouTube or Vimeo 
    • link to audio files 
    • publish plain text that is not embedded in any other file (along with any associated photos, drawings, and illustrations) 
    • create visual stories that are a combination of pictures and words 
    • link to other destinations on the internet—your website(s), for example. 

    How often will it be published? 

    There will be new editions of UNFURL now and then, depending on how long it takes for contributors (and UNFURL editors … yes, it is possible there might one day be more of them) to herd all their cats. There are no deadlines.  

    Does UNFURL have a home on the web? 

    Yes. It is hosted on Stephen J. Williams’s website at ‹unfurlwritingart.wordpress.com›. 

    There is also a Facebook group which Facebook users can like and follow: ‹https://www.facebook.com/pg/unfurlhome›.  

    There is a list of links to various editions at ‹https://linktr.ee/unfurl›. 

    First steps 

    When you are invited to UNFURL you will also be invited to a Facebook contributor group. There’s information and discussion in it you may find useful. However, the basics are outlined here.  

    If you do not have a Facebook account, essential information is also sent to your email address.  

    It’s self-curation, people 

    You decide for yourself what you want to publish.  

    You can assume the only constraints are the editor’s time, and your work’s legality and decency (the last being a fiction entirely in the editor’s mind).  

    Occasionally the editor may try to prevent you making a mistake, and how things work out will depend on how you respond to friendly advice. You must approve of your contribution.  

    Visual artists, painters, photographers 

    For visual artists of any kind UNFURL is straightforward. It’s about images, still or moving. You have options. 

    • For complete personal control over the content, you could ‘host’ (or publish) all images yourself and UNFURL will simply link to your content. 

    This could be your website, or your Google Drive folder of photographs, or your Flickr account. You just need to keep in mind that if you manage it this way you have decided to opt out of the integrated presentation of images that UNFURL is offering to you. 

    In this case all UNFURL needs is an artist statement, biographical information, a photo of you, and the links to your work. 

    • Video art stays on YouTube or Vimeo and is embedded in UNFURL. 
    • If you want to create a gallery in an edition of UNFURL, gather your images together and prepare them in the following way: 

    Make the images as small as possible to display properly on a laptop or tablet computer — about 1200 pixels wide (at 72dpi) is usually enough. 

    Use a ‘lossy’ and compressible format like .JPG. 

    If possible, put a very discrete watermark on your images. (This helps to protect you against unauthorised re-use.)  

    Name the files with the title of the work, a date (year), and your name. Add the dimensions of the work, if you wish, or if you think it is relevant. 

    This is the format: 

    Title of work (medium, dimensions, YEAR) Artist’s Name.jpg 

    • When UNFURL captions the work, the work’s title will appear in italics, exactly as you have named the file. UNFURL simply drops the “.jpg” from the end.  
    • Send the images to ‹unfurleditor@gmail.com›. 
    • Include any text that you would like to appear as biographical information and/or artist’s statement. 
    • And include a picture of yourself, please, to go with the biographical information. 

    Writers 

    UNFURL hosts a document that contains your writing and biographical information. 

    UNFURL maintains the document in a format consistent with other writers.  

    Achieving this requires documents to be made with a Word template that uses automated styles to apply formatting to the text. If you are not used to doing this in Microsoft Word, or with working with Word online, the UNFURL editor will assist you.  

    • Create a text document of your own in whatever program you use for writing. (If you use a typewriter, congratulations and UNFURL will scan your pages and publish the images.) 
    • Make sure that document contains only basic formatting—i.e., bold or italics—and is preferably an RTF-type document (rich text format). 
    • You can send this document to UNFURL, or 
    • Cut and paste all the text you want to publish into the online document that UNFURL will embed directly into the edition in which your work will appear. You access that online document through a link that the UNFURL editor sends to you.  
    • If your writing contains complicated or fancy indenting (Go, poets!), do that last and in the final document. 
    • Microsoft Word cannot do everything. If you are imagining something ‘different,’ speak to the UNFURL editor and an attempt will (probably) be made to accommodate your pernicketiness. 
    • You will get to proof everything before it is published.  
    • For the time being the document you create will not be embedded in the UNFURL in which you are published. Instead, a link in the UNFURL will open a PDF that can be read online. UNFURL hopes that embedding will be possible in future.  

    The editing process for writers sometimes includes collaborating on an online version of the document to be published by UNFURL. It’s an uncomplicated way to work and exchange questions on a document without passing versions back and forth.  

    If the editor sends you a link, it will open in a browser and will save itself automatically when you make changes.  

    The online document appears slightly different on-screen than on paper. To view how the document will look if printed (or as a PDF), click on “View” in the menu bar …  

    And then click on “Reading view” … 

    What then? 

    • You’ll be invited to join a Facebook ‘unfurl contributors’ group. If you are on Facebook, please join. 
    • If you do not have a Facebook account, congratulations. Stay connected through email — ‹unfurleditor@gmail.com›. 
    • Distribute the links to unfurl editions as they become available. 
    • Each new edition will have links to the previous editions, or to the UNFURL home page, so your contribution is not forgotten.  
    • Your contribution is listed at the unfurl home, and on various other sites, like linktr.ee, ‹https://linktr.ee/unfurl›. 
    • Every unfurl has its own bit.ly link so we can count readers and follow where those readers are.  
    • Use those links to promote your writing and art through your social media, your website, or even just by sending the link to your friends by email.  
    • You can link directly to your section of the UNFURL in which you are published. 

    Privacy 

    No social media contacts or email lists are exchanged or shared with or between UNFURL contributors. Lists and contacts remain private.  

    UNFURL maintains a separate subscriber list.  

    Doing your bit to distribute UNFURL 

    Every UNFURL has links to every other edition of UNFURL, so the work you have done to contribute to the publication always pays back. At the very least, your work remains in front of readers and the links in your ‘bio’ continue to provide a new avenue for readers to discover your work.  

    Distributing UNFURL is easy. Each edition has a link, and a related group of constantly updated reference pages on the web. 

    UNFURL uses bit.ly links so we can count how many people are reading your work.  

    • The contributor Facebook group will publish links to each edition and other materials you can use.  
    • You can put these links in Facebook posts, with your own recommendation or with the few words provided in the Facebook contributor group. 
    • If you do not have a Facebook account, the links will be sent to your email address. (The emailed information is sent to everyone anyway.) 
    • Use Twitter to distribute the link. Add a few relevant hashtags, and/or send it directly to people or groups you think may find it interesting. 
    • Instagram is not a highly effective tool for working with links, but it is worth a try if you have an account. Use one of your own graphics, or one from UNFURL, and put the bit.ly link in the first comment, along with appropriate hashtags.  
    • You can use your own email contact lists to send the UNFURL link to your friends and family. 
    • You can put the UNFURL link on your web page, in the bio section, or listed as another place to view or read your work.  

    Links/URLs 

    Artists and writers who have joined UNFURL