Complete Reader Submission Rules
What We Publish
Essentially, any previously unpublished content of various lengths that might be of interest to those in the arts funding field or Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) members. In practice, that could be anything from poetry and interviews to photo essays and articles. We look for clear, quality work that provokes, surprises, or enlightens the viewer. Please refer to the About page for more information on our focus areas.
How to Format Your Submission
Written works should be 4,000* words or less, correctly cited, and adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style. Please include with all submissions your name, a short bio (250-words or less), cover photo or image, and contact info. Written works should be submitted with appropriately credited and high-resolution imagery; pieces submitted without imagery will be published with imagery as GIA and its editors see fit.
Written works should be delivered as a .doc, .docx, or link to a Google Drive or Dropbox file. All other works should be submitted as a .jpg, .png, .mp3, .mp4, or link to a Google Drive or Dropbox file. We cannot accept .pdf or .txt files.
For artwork, please submit files in as high a resolution as possible. We recommend images that are at least 1920 pixels wide to ensure they look good on most modern screens. Images submitted may be cropped in order to suitable display alongside text. We request that all images be submitted with photo credit, captions, and alt-text, as well as detailed notes on placement. If these are not provided, the GIA editors will determined copy as they see fit or choose other imagery as GIA and its editors see fit.
You retain all rights to your work, but by submitting you grant GIA permission to replicate it on the Reader website and/or in print, emails, and social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook).
* Please note that submissions longer than 4,000 words will not be able to be published.
Publishing Timelines & Promotions
We strive to publish content in a timely manner and coordinate estimated publishing dates with contributors when confirming the acceptance of submissions.
All Reader submissions are guaranteed to be featured in the GIA Reader Snapshot and across our social media channels. However, we cannot ensure a define timeline for promotion in GIA mailings and social media (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook). This is in order to accommodate the various content being managed and the need to prioritize emergent or previously scheduled content.
Alongside final submissions, please include any and all social media handles (across all relevant platforms) and any specific hashtags.
Everything Else
Our team is small — we will follow up on all submissions, but it may take up to 8 weeks. GIA members will be granted priority, but anyone is welcome to submit. All published submissions will be compensated as follows:
$150 - $350 for 500 to 2,000-word articles.
$350 - $750 for 2,000 to 4,000*-word articles.
$50 - $200 for each accepted poem ($25 for poetry reprints).
$50 - $200 for each accepted visual artwork.
* Please note that submissions longer than 4,000 words will not be able to be published.
For articles or submissions with multiple authors, individuals are responsible for discussing with GIA and/or Reader editors how compensation will be allocated in advance. We recommend discussing this at the beginning of the process! We promise this will save everybody time and give the most clarity around labor and compensation. Additionally, some contributors forgo accepting payment or request to allocate their fees as a donation to an eligible organization. We love this! Please just let us know if you’d like to do so. Please note that payments cannot be sent until an accurate W9 form is received by GIA, whether for the contributors or for sending as a donation.
You retain all rights to your work, but by submitting you grant GIA permission to replicate it on the Reader website and/or in print, emails, and social media. If you have any questions about this process, just reach out to us at gia@giarts.org with “GIA Reader Submission” in the subject line.