Literary Journal

Contingent

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Journals & literary magazines2 open opportunities listed

About the magazine

Contingent is an online platform and editorial project that operates as a distributed, process-oriented space for contemporary art and writing. Founded as a response to the increasing commercialization of the art world, it prioritizes experimentation, dialogue, and the often-overlooked labor behind artistic production. Its core mission is to foster a community of practitioners who engage with the contingent nature of art-making—acknowledging that meaning is never fixed but always situated, relational, and in flux. Through its MAILBAG columns and other initiatives, Contingent invites contributions that challenge conventional formats and embrace the provisional, the collaborative, and the unfinished.

Submitting your work

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Artists and writers approaching Contingent should prioritize clarity of intent and a willingness to engage in ongoing conversation. The platform favors proposals that are conceptually grounded, formally inventive, and open to revision. Before submitting, familiarize yourself with the tone and scope of previous MAILBAG columns—concise, thoughtful, and often interdisciplinary. Avoid overly polished or promotional language; instead, articulate the questions driving your work and how they might resonate within a communal, process-oriented context. Responses may be slow, but feedback is typically substantive. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please note them.