The Catalyst UCSB

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The Catalyst UCSB

The Catalyst is a UCSB student-run literary magazine. Contact: [email protected]
Instagram: thecatalystucsb The return of The Catalyst!

NOW accepting submissions for the 2017-2018 Issues! The Catalyst is a literary magazine affiliated with The Arnhold Program and COMMA, the English Specialization, run by UCSB students featuring the original work of UCSB students. Not seen since 2007, The Catalyst is now returning not only as a place for our words but for community. With the first issue in six years, we aim to revive and re-create

The Catalyst for a new generation of student visionaries. This will be a place where creativity and academics join, and by proximity, affect each other. The new edition of The Catalyst will be an explosion of materials in a contemporary style. It is not only a place where student fiction and poetry meet in print, there will also be room for literary criticism, art and photography, Book Arts, Spoken Word, music/lyrics, Film & Media, expository profiles, as well as more traditional forms of creative writing. We also welcome work that joins multiple artistic disciplines. We encourage collaborative work and hope to foster communication between and among students from different backgrounds and interests. The Catalyst is itself an art object. Each issue will be unique, with depth through juxtaposition, arrangement and composition to create an aesthetic suited to the particular piece within the issue. We envision an environment that enables undergrads to participate in contemporary discussion about all ranges of literature and art, which will in turn, enrich inspiration and enthusiasm for original student work. The Catalyst is open to all majors who wish to contribute their unique perspective. We encourage students to pick a project, investigate it, and take charge of a section. We want to emphasize that The Catalyst is not a journalistic publication. We will be accepting submissions of work done at any time that fits the wide-ranging mission of our publication. We hope you will be inspired to work with a group of passionate students who are excited to provide a forum for your talent, your voice!

05/28/2026

Guess who stopped by and visited Prof Donnelly yesterday? Christine Ho, Catalyst EIC class of 2020!

05/19/2026

We are excited to invite you all to attend the last launch of the 2025-26 school year! The Spring edition of The Catalyst will be debuted at the Isla Vista Community Center on June 3. The event begins at 5 pm, and you can expect food, drinks, music and spoken word! Come celebrate with us one last time until next academic year! 🌸

📍 Isla Vista Community Center
🗓️ June 3
🕰️ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

05/08/2026

It was such an honor to welcome our guest Michelle Zauner, and read her some of the works that were inspired by her book “Crying in H Mart,” as well as her music with Japanese Breakfast. Thank you, Michelle!! (more photos to come!)

05/05/2026

Guess who came to visit Prof. Donnelly today? Welcome back Yiu-On! (Literature Editor class of ‘23)

04/24/2026

We are so excited to share with you all our exhibition located in the UCSB Library’s Makerspace! Head to the library to see it close up and personal, and you can even leave with a printed piece of poetry or prose from a past catalyst issue!! Huge thanks to last year’s editorial team, especially Ashley Evans, for putting this together 🫶🏼

04/18/2026

Get ready for the next issue of The Catalyst magazine! As we continue to work behind the scenes to create another wonderful publication, we are already so excited to share it with you all this coming June 3rd. But it is not too late to submit art and writing!! Follow the link in our bio 🔗 the portal closes May 1st

04/14/2026

‼️📢 Calling all writers!! If you want a chance for your piece to be published in the spring issue of The Catalyst submit now through May 1st!!! We are looking for poetry, prose, short stories, scripts and everything in between! Link to submit in our bio 🌹

04/09/2026

We are so proud to have had a very successful Winter Issue launch party!! A special thanks to and for their beautiful musical contributions 💌 If you are interesting in being a part of the next one, the Spring Issue writing and art submissions are open! 🔗 in our bio

02/27/2026

Reminder that we will be hosting our launch party for The Catalyst’s winter issue at the Isla Vista Community Center on March 12 at 5pm! We are looking forward to seeing all your beautiful faces!! Bring your friends for a night full of music and spoken word. There will be food and drink provided 🤗

02/20/2026

Save the date! Our launch party for the Winter 2026 issue of The Catalyst is March 12 at 5:00 pm. We will be joined by the wonderful and for a night full of music and spoken word. We are looking forward to seeing you there!!

Address

University Of California
Santa Barbara, CA
93106-9010

Website

http://www.thecatalystucsb.com/

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