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Learn more.
What's a zine?
What does "polemical" mean?
How is art chosen?
Is there a print edition?
How often are calls for submission?
Where are we based?
Are contributors paid for submissions?
How can I join the Polemical team?
What's a zine?
A zine - pronounced like 'magazine' - is a “a noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter.”
Our zine is volunteer-run, and we distribute our publication for free in strictly digital forms. Our zine does not have a jury or selection process, and we welcome art of all mediums and subjects.
What does "polemical" mean?
Polemical is an adjective meaning “of or involving strongly critical or disputatious writing or speech.”
To provide more context: “A polemic is a strong attack or argument against something. Most of the time the topic is on a controversial subject; like important issues concerning civil or human rights, philosophy and ethics, politics, religion, and so on...The word polemic stems from the Greek term polemikos, which means “war.” This makes it easy to remember its current meaning and purpose—like the definition of the original term, a polemic is essentially a rhetorical war against an issue.”
Although perhaps traditionally a negative word, we have taken "polemical" to define a counterculture movement which goes against the grain of conventional publication/zine ideology. Our magazine was born as a criticism of the juried selection process, and it has simultaneously provided our contributors with a free platform to be critical of their world. We do not shy away from controversial topics - we use our words to fight for our rights, and we provide a global platform for intergenerational artists to defend their beliefs.
At Polemical Zine, it is our hope to isolate argumentation from hostility and create a safe and free space for all artists to voice their opinions.
How is art chosen?
Any and all art which is not hateful or inappropriate will be published, to a maximum of two submissions per person, per issue.
When necessary, artists will be asked to blur nudity or allow for the addition of a trigger warning - this is done to ensure our publications adhere to Internet guidelines and provide a safe space for all our readers and contributors. In the case that spelling errors distract from a written piece, slight edits may be made; otherwise, art is accepted exactly as is.
Currently, written submissions have no word limit, and a multi-piece visual arts/photography/poetry series can count as one submission if specified as so by its author.
Is there a print edition?
Our magazine exists solely in the form of free, digital publications, and they are hosted on Issuu for sharing purposes.
However, we do not see our online format as a weakness! We chose this model to:
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Remain free and accessible to artists around the world
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Maximize our readership and share your art with the largest audience possible
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Provide contributors with a URL they can link to their portfolios/resumes
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Embed videos and music, allowing for a wider variety of content/artists
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Minimize environmental impact by eliminating paper waste & transportation needs
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Scale our magazine while continuing to accept everybody's art
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Use time savings to put together more frequent calls for submission - providing artists with even more opportunities
How often are calls
for submission?
Currently, Polemical Zine releases approximately one publication every three months. Since we are volunteer-run, our timelines are very much dependent on the schedules and commitments of our talented staff members, who keep busy outside of their work with Polemical Zine by contributing to other roles, jobs, and hobbies.
Where are we based?
Polemical Zine was originally based in Toronto, Canada, but we have always accepted art from around the world. Since Issue 08, we've worked with staff and contributors in the following 72 countries:
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China (People's Republic of China)
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
England
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Haiti
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mexico
Montenegro
Nepal
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Northern Ireland
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Philippines
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Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Ireland
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan (Republic of China)
Thailand
Trinidad
Turkey
Ukraine
USA
Wales
Are contributors paid for submissions?
Polemical Zine was created to provide free publishing opportunities for amateur artists. To remain as accessible as possible, we publish all art received, our calls for submission are free, and it is free to read and share our issues.
However, this also means that none of our staff nor our contributors receive monetary compensation for their work. We understand that some artists are only able to take paid opportunities, and we respect if you are unable to volunteer your talents to our magazine at this time.
How can I join the Polemical team?
We are currently not accepting applications for volunteer-staff members. However, please keep up with our social media as positions will open up as we continue to grow!
Our team currently consists of an editor-in-chief, a marketing manager, a social media manager, senior & junior graphic designers, and illustrators. We do not require any editors since we only make slight grammatical edits to written pieces and accept all other art as is. If you are interested in growing your portfolio, we would love for you to submit your work to our next publication as a contributor!
What's a zine?
What does "polemical" mean?
How is art chosen?
Is there a print edition?
How often are calls for submission?
Where are we based?
Are contributors paid?
How can I join?
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