Umbrella Submission Guidelines

Umbrella welcomes pitches for consideration in the following sections: photography, literary, film, music, theatre and fine art. In approximately 100 words, tell us your idea for the article explaining: what is the article about, who will be interviewed, why is it timely/relevant/of interest to the Quinte arts community and who will write the article.
Email us at qac@quinteartscouncil.org with the subject line: Pitch for Umbrella Magazine.

Please note: we will consider articles “on spec” (written in full before agreeing to an assignment) but only in select cases.

The following criteria will be used to select which pitches are assigned:

Is Your Article Written in the Voice of Umbrella?
Read past articles (see archives) to get a feel for the distinct style, tone, and personality conveyed through the writing, which helps to engage readers and establish Umbrella’s unique identity.

What is the story?
Your article should go beyond mere news or information sharing. It should tell a compelling story that engages readers and provides a narrative arc. Think about the journey you want to take your readers on and ensure your article has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Author’s Writing Experience
Does the author have experience in writing and storytelling? Understanding narrative arcs is crucial for creating engaging content. If you need assistance, consider reaching out to a QAC member writer for guidance.

Previous Features
Check if the subject of your article has been featured in the previous issue of Umbrella. With nearly 500 QAC members, it’s important to provide equal opportunities for inclusion.

Originality
Ensure that your submission has not been previously published elsewhere. Umbrella does not accept press releases or previously published content.

Visual Appeal
Include at least three exceptional, eye-catching, high-resolution photos (1MB+). Visuals are essential for capturing readers’ attention and enhancing the storytelling experience.

Local Focus
Does your article highlight a local artist or artist group? Umbrella aims to showcase local talent and creativity.

Conciseness
Can your story be told in 500 words or less? Brevity is key to maintaining readers’ interest and ensuring your article is concise and impactful.

Time-Sensitive Events
If your article is about a time-sensitive event, consider submitting it to Umbrella’s online events directory What’s On or featuring it in the weekly Cultivating Creativity column in the Belleville Intelligencer.

News Announcements
For news announcements about recent events, submit your news to Umbrella for a spotlight in the monthly e-News.

The Quinte Arts Council is committed to practices that support and promote diversity and inclusion in our communications and publishing, including gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability and career stage. We aim to foster equity, diversity and inclusion, in both the commissioning of articles and in publication.

In addition to our standard Style Guide, we are currently developing a language sensitivity and awareness guide, to serve as a resource when writing about gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race and/or disability, as well as a
photography/ illustration guide to consider diverse representation in our pages. Our vision: Artists and arts organizations are valued, supported and celebrated by the community; arts workers are empowered to achieve creative success with viable, sustainable careers. We are committed to publishing articles written and edited by humans. We reserve the right to reject any submission that we suspect to be primarily generated or created by language modeling software, ChatGPT, chat bots, or any other AI apps, bots, or software.

Please note: Pitches that are not assigned in the print edition of the Umbrella will be considered for the QAC blog, Umbrella e-News or in the QAC’s weekly Cultivating Creativity column in the Belleville Intelligencer.

Umbrella assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Umbrella reserves the right to edit, crop and editorialize all submissions. Members are given priority. Please do not submit previously published work.