Arcanum is the secret language shared by the African diaspora…

We are a global collective of Black creatives making space outside the margins. We are the storytellers, the healers, the offbeat, and unconventional. We are an intersectional community whose mission is to uplift the work of our peers.

Arcanum Magazine is a digital and print magazine for creative writing, visual art, cultural criticism, and journalism by and for the Black diaspora. Just because we are Black artists does not mean our work has to be based in tragedy, and edited for mass consumption. It should also be funny and joyful and risky and heartwarming. All those things we are, so often, not allowed to be. Arcanum is liberation, here we exist freely.

Our mission is to platform and pay Black people for their work. A portion of the creative work by Arcanum Magazine contributors will be free and accessible online.

Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. There is no fee to submit.

We believe anything created by a Black person, is a Black subject!

Most importantly, we will pay you for your work.

The categories we publish in Arcanum Magazine are described below:

Creative Writing

This can include fiction, nonfiction, short stories, poetry, personal essays. All genres are Black genres! We want to hear your unique voice. Use this space for projects that heal you and the audience.

Cultural Criticism/News/Journalism

Here we’re looking for op-eds of any kind (pop culture/political/humor etc.), interviews, thought pieces, essays (preferably non-academic), reviews (books, movies, albums etc.), and current events. Note this is not the place for speed driven journalism. We want your best work, so take your time. Everything is relevant!

Visual Art

Treat us, the editors, like people who are commissioning your work. We are looking for artwork to accompany written pieces as well as stand alone work. This can include, painting, drawing, sketches, photography, videos, sculpture, etc.

Please, do not submit anything that has been published elsewhere.

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