Room Magazine, Vancouver, BC (2025)

05/31/2023

We don’t want this to be goodbye.

Since Room began its work 48 years ago, we’ve seen a flourishing of BIPOC-led and 2SLGBTQ+-led publications, events, and outreach initiatives. We want to keep nourishing this space. But we need your help desperately.

ROOM is extending our fundraiser to June 10 in a last push to meet our $20k goal, so that we can continue to do the work we do.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keep-room-magazine-going-a-fundraiser/x/14749822 #/

05/17/2023

We’re already at 24% of our fundraising goal, and completely floored by your support! Thank you, thank you 💘

We’re back with more offerings from generous friends of Room, including:
+ Subscription bundles from Prairie Fire Magazine, Femme Art Review, Event Magazine, The Fiddlehead: Atlantic Canada's International Literary Journal, Peripheral Review
+ Book bundles from Massy Books, Metatron Press, Invisible Publishing
& more ❤️📚🔖

Help us continue to bring together communities to celebrate each other and the writing and art at the heart of what we do ⎯ all while receiving literary perks from your most beloved presses and award-winning writers.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keep-room-magazine-going-a-fundraiser/x/14749822 #/

05/09/2023

In 48 years, we’ve seen a dramatic flourishing of BIPOC-led and 2SLGBTQ+ led publications, events, and outreach initiatives emerging from Room. Our pages have never been so diverse, and our programming has never been so vibrant. We want to keep nourishing this space — but without help from our community, Room will be in trouble this fall.⁠
⁠
To raise funds, we’re collaborating with well-loved publishers and magazines to offer: ⁠
+ Subscription bundles to: Prairie Fire Magazine, The Malahat Review, The Capilano Review, Peripheral Review
+Award-winning books from: ECW Press, Coach House Books, Palimpsest Press, Caitlin Press, Gaspereau Press ¶ Printers & Publishers, Collusion Books, Rahila's Ghost Press and Ethel Zine & Micro-Press⁠
+Cool merch from: Word Vancouver, Pulp Fiction Books, Iron Dog Books⁠
+Poetry and manuscript consultations with experienced editors, workshops and classes + more⁠
⁠
Help support our writers, artists, and editors now.⁠

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keep-room-magazine-going-a-fundraiser/x/14749822 #/

04/12/2023

Please read: Room Magazine and the Unbound Reading Series would like to clarify that we are not affiliated with the Delta Literary Society, which held its inaugural Unbound Poetry Festival in 2022. ⁠
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[Image Descriptions: ⁠
⁠
1: On a beige pop-up set against a brown background, black text reads: "Room Magazine and the Unbound Reading Series would like to clarify that we are not affiliated with the Delta Literary Society, which held its inaugural Unbound Poetry Festival in 2022." The bottom of the pop-up reads "⅓" and features a right-pointing arrow. Below this is the Room logo, a white stylized "ROOM."⁠
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2: On a beige pop-up set against a brown background, black text reads: "The Unbound Reading Series is a beloved reading series and writing group based out of Vancouver, BC, that highlights Black creative voices. The Unbound Reading Series has been running readings, workshops, and community events since 2020 with the support of Room Magazine, uplifting the voices of one of our province’s most underrepresented and underserved groups. Room is invested in protecting and supporting the work of the Unbound Reading Series." The bottom of the pop-up reads "⅔" and features a right-pointing arrow. Below this is the Room logo, a white stylized "ROOM."⁠
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3: On a beige pop-up set against a brown background, black text reads: "We are in touch with the Delta Literary Society and working to resolve the confusion caused by their name and logo." The bottom of the pop-up reads "3/3" and features a right-pointing arrow. Below this is the Room logo, a white stylized "ROOM."]

02/23/2023

You know that weird fiction idea you’ve been gnawing on for the last few months? Or maybe it’s been eating you. Either way, time to set that baby free: ROOM’s 2023 Fiction Contest is now open 🌤️

Stand a chance to win $1000 and publication in an issue of ROOM. Submit by Apr 15, 2023 to be read by our fantastic judge, 🎈

Entry fee includes a one-year subscription to Room, beginning with issue 46.3!

✨ https://room.submittable.com/submit%2F185468%2Fcontest-entry-fiction ✨

NOTE: We have ten free entries to offer low-income writers for each of our contests to encourage barrier-free access to contest submission. We encourage those who may benefit from a free entry, for any reason at all, to contact us at contests [at] roommagazine [dot] com.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: An illustration of clouds overlaid with a tan filter. The left-middle of the graphic reads, “2023 FICTION CONTEST” in white text. To the right of this is a photo of Heather O’Neill in a half-circle frame, with white text that reads, “Judged by Heather O’Neill.” In the top left of the graphic, white text reads, “Submit by April 15,” while the Room logo – white block font that reads ROOM – sits in the top right corner. At the bottom of the image, white text reads: “1ST PRIZE: $1,000 + possible publication in ROOM / 2ND PRIZE: $250 + possible publication in ROOM / HONOURABLE MENTION: $100 + publication on ROOM’s website.”

02/03/2023

A new staff member is joining Room Magazine: Marketing and Communications Coordinator Natalie Wee!

Natalie Wee is a q***r creator whose work is deeply informed by grassroots communities. She wrote two poetry collections, Our Bodies & Other Fine Machines (San Press, 2021) and Beast At Every Threshold (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2022). Born in Singapore to Malaysian parents, Natalie is currently a settler in Tkaronto.

We’re so happy to have you on the team, Natalie. Welcome to Room ♥️

12/31/2022

That’s a wrap, baby! Thank you for an amazing 2022. We couldn’t have done with without all of you. Looking back with gratitude, and forward with excitement. See you all in 2023 ✨

12/20/2022

Gifting last-minute or long-distance? Our team put together a voucher to make giving a year of Room a little more fun in the moment. We’ll send a printable file to any new subscribers between now and December 31st.

Already prepped your gift and want a voucher? Buying in the new year and still want to send as a gift? Email to [email protected] and we’ll send you one too!

Stay warm ❄️

12/18/2022

Writer and editor Rebecca Mangra interviewed poet Alycia Pirmohamed about her debut collection Another Way to Split Water for Room Magazine. Their conversation from nature writing, to experimenting with craft, to finding ways to belong in multiplicity. Read more here: http://bit.ly/3PwvDzC

12/16/2022

Room has been running since 1975, publishing luminaries such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Ivan Coyote, Eden Robinson, Hiromi Goto, Miriam Toews, and more. Many of our back issues are still available for order! Make a custom bag filled with themes that interest you 📖 https://roommagazine.com/product-category/bundles/

11/29/2022

Let’s be honest: it’s been a hard few years. This is why we need your support now, more than ever.

Room is Canada’s oldest feminist literary journal, and has published fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, art, interviews, and book reviews for over forty years. Published quarterly by the West Coast Feminist Literary Magazine Society, also known as the Growing Room Collective, Room showcases writing and art by people of all marginalized genders. Members of the collective, located in various parts of so-called Canada, volunteer thousands of hours each year because they believe in a place for writers and artists that are on the margins. There has never been a more critical time for the promotion and engagement of writing by cis and trans women, Two-Spirit people, non-binary people, and trans men, and the truth is: we can’t do it without you.

This Giving Tuesday, we hope we can count on you to to make a contribution, however big or small, to help keep Room running. Visit roommagazine.com/giving-tuesday/ to learn how you can support us, today and beyond 💖

10/12/2022

It's true: we're looking for some brand new RoomMates! We're re-launching our Patreon, and with brand new tiers, brand new features, and a pay-what-you-can option, there’s sure to be something for every potential RoomMate. The best part? The first 25 RoomMates who sign up for a tier of $5 or above will get a FREE back issue of Room their choosing, and RoomMates signed up for a tier of $15 or more will get a FREE limited edition, not-for-sale-anywhere-else tote bag!

The work we do wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community, and we thank you for forty-five years of readership and community engagement. Let’s make it forty-five more! ✨

*While supplies last, offer available only within Canada.

08/26/2022

We’re hiring! ✨🎉

Room is looking for a Marketing Intern to support our Marketing and Contests Coordinator in designing and executing an improved marketing plan for the magazine! This position is fully remote, with optional opportunities to meet the team, work from the office, or attend events for applicants in Vancouver.

The intern will work closely with the Marketing and Contests Coordinator on this project and will have some freedom to discuss areas of focus and particular interest to them. The intern will be mentored by Managing Editor Shristi Uprety or Publisher Nara Monteiro depending on their career goals and industry interests.

Applicants must be enrolled in or a recent graduate (within 3 years) of a program in an accredited post-secondary institution related to the job.

This is a position funded by our friends at Mags BC, and as such, will be paid in monthly lump sums, with weekly hours being decided on a weekly basis with the Marketing and Contests Coordinator, though we expect the position to be part-time and no more than 20 hours/week.

You can find the full job description on our website, or at the link in our bio. Please forward your resume and cover letter, and/or any lingering questions to our Publisher, Nara Monteiro, at [email protected] by August 31st, 2022.

08/15/2022

It’s here, it’s on sale for a limited time, and it’s audacious, baby!

Issue 45.3 Audacity is finally here and available for you to pre-order. This is the last week for you to grab your copy on our website for just $9!

Curated by the all star team of Molly Cross-Blanchard, Karmella Cen Benedito De Barros, Ellen Chang-Richardson, and Michelle Ha, this issue is chock full of spunky, honest, exciting artwork, writing, and reflections. Like Molly writes in her Editor’s Note: “Whether the creators were being vulnerable with their frustrations and insecurities, or bold with their boundaries and f**k yous, the one common thread running through this whole issue is bravery.”

Don’t be afraid: grab your copy at roommagazine.com/shop/audacity/ and get audacious with us ✨

07/15/2022

Our 2022 Poetry Contest is OPEN, and this year’s Poetry Contest judge is the prolific Lillian Allen 🎉

A leading Canadian poet and an international exponent of dub poetry, Lillian Allen was acclaimed a foremother of Canadian poetry by the League of Canadian Poets. She is a two-time Canadian Juno award winner for her albums of dub poetry, Revolutionary Tea Party and Conditions Critical. She is an arts activist and a cultural strategist who initiated and developed several key equity impacting arts programs. A mentor to the mentors and ‘Godmother of Everything’, Lillian is the recipient of many awards and citations.

In this interview, we chat with Lillian about making the world new, sound publishing, the role of the poet in today’s world, and what she is looking for in this year’s poetry contest submissions.

As always, link in bio for the interview ✨This year’s poetry contest closes on August 15th, 2022.

06/30/2022

June is National Indigenous History Month, and June 21st is Indigenous Peoples Day. At the end of the month and ahead of on July 1st, we'd like to take some time to highlight some of our collective’s favourite Indigenous authors and their works! We hope that this list will help you not only freshen up your pile of to-read books, but also allow you to uplift and support Indigenous stories and craft beyond a single month or day.

Find our reading list via the link in bio, or head over to our website 🧡

06/27/2022

Join us on Tuesday July 5th for the launch of Issue 45.2, Tipping Point!

In the words and imaginations of Sneha Subramanian Kanta, Lacey Yong, Eberechukwu Peace Akadinma, and Ava Fathi, our writers confront heritage, environment and choice in times of upheaval. They give light to the rich interior lives of people of colour in this moment.

This event will be in English, and pay-what-you-can. All donations are greatly appreciated. Grab your tickets and learn more about our featured contributors, at the link in our bio 💫

05/09/2022

In many Asian cultures, life revolves around the table, whether that’s prepping and cooking, having a meal with friends and family, passing down generations of stories, or simply having a cup of tea. It’s a place for gathering and building relationships and community. With Issue 46.1, we would like to do just that.

We invite you to submit your unpublished work to share with us “Around the Table” for 46.1–an issue we hope will serve as a platform for supporting Asian stories and voices.

The idea of “Around the Table” is to curate a safe space for Asian stories and to uplift Asian voices of all kinds. This includes, but is not exclusive of, stories and voices of Asians from the South, East, Southeast, West, Southwest, Pacific, and Central, q***r Asians, Asians of diasporic groups, and Canadian/American or Westernised Asians.

The deadline for submission is July 31, 2022! More info in our bio 📝

Room Magazine