Text reading 'BLOCK PARTY' in large, white, stylized font on a black background.
Four cartoon skeletons dancing under a banner that reads "Book Party" with a dog holding a balloon in its mouth, all against a starry black background.

Arts & Literary Magazine

Since 2021, Block Party has worked to grow a local arts community and celebrate creativity…

We’ve been partying ever since.

Issue 07:

CRUSH

Submit Now!
Submit Now!

Block Party has a CRUSH on you… will you submit your work for publication, yes or no?

CRUSH can be love, pressure, success, devastation, transformation. How will you interpret the theme for Block Party’s 7th issue? 

Deadline to submit:

DECEMBER 1, 2026

Eligibility

Ontario writers and artists.

We Accept…

Prose (1,500 words max)  

Poetry (50 lines max)  

Photography (300 dpi)  

Digital / Visual Art (300 dpi)  

Video (Private YouTube link)

For artworks, please include its medium and year of creation.

Silhouette of a bone.

Details

Times New Roman or Arial, 12 pt font

.doc, .docx, .pdf, .jpg (art)

Simultaneous submissions are encouraged; email blockpartysubmit@gmail.com to withdraw your submission upon publication elsewhere. Please do not send submissions through this email.

Don’t send me hateful or bigoted work, you will be immediately blacklisted. Go away.

Payment

$10 / acceptance

Paid via eTransfer.

Read Block Party Magazine here for free!

Contributors are asked to interpret the theme in whatever art form they choose. Enjoy their wonderful work!

RADIO. Block Party. 06. Cartoon skeleton hoisting a radio above his head.
HOME. 05. Fall 2023. Cartoon skeletons looking out windows of an apartment complex.

06: RADIO (‘24)

05: HOME (‘23)

Sucker. 04. Winter 2023. Cartoon skeleton laying in a coffin.
HEAT. 03. Summer 2022. Cartoon skeleton roasting marshmallow over the world on fire.

04: SUCKER (‘23)

03: HEAT (‘22)

02: BLOOM (‘22)

01: BODY (‘21)

BODY. 01. Winter 2021. Cartoon skeletons with outstretched limbs.
BLOOM. 02. Spring 2022. Cartoon skeleton head in the middle of a flower.

BLOCKTOBERFEST

In 2023, 80+ people gathered downtown to celebrate Block Party’s HOME issue and the launch of five fabulous chapbooks.

It was a night of readings, laughter, and mischief.

For a taste of 2023’s Blocktoberfest, check out this video created by internationally beloved Naomi Cabral (@naomicbrl on YouTube)!

Drawing a cartoon skeleton head on a chalkboard.
Joseph, Laura, and Isla smiling and holding Laura's book.
Crowd of people from the back row.
Chapbooks and branded buttons on display.
A smiling man with curly hair and a beard photographed inside a car.

Joseph Donato

Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Joseph is super cool and popular. He’s completing his Creative Writing MFA at the University of Guelph and is just loving it. He’s published work in various journals and magazines, but maintains that Block Party is Number One (but don’t tell Horror Pop Mag, of which he is creator and reigning Overlord). Joseph is a fan of The Kardasim Podcast, Conor Oberst, and serving.

Follow @blockpartymag on Instagram for more!

Issue 06: RADIO is free to read online! Link in bio!! 🎵 Everyone who contributed to this issue is so wickedly talented, so please do check out their work when you’ve got a chance! Also yes: Block Party has found a new home on my own website
The music issue is here, 06: RADIO! Thank you so much to the wonderful contributors who worked with me on this issue. Your patience, kindness, and talent mean the world to me. I’m so excited for everyone to enjoy your amazing talents!!! Clic
RADIO is almost here! Meet the awesome contributors who are making this issue possible: Yoda Olinyk Roméo Desmarais III Lauren Frechette Nirris Nagendrarajah Vivian Cheng Yoon Bae Jesse June Jack Grace Moffat Noah Farberman Lucas Chick Tala E
📻 You all seriously outdid yourselves with these submissions. Thank you to every single person who sent me work for this issue, the interest in publishing with Block Party is overwhelming and so so so rewarding. All responses have been sent to you
Don’t play in my face—submit your work NEOW! Yeah, YOU🤬 Submissions close end-of-day August 15th, so you better get to work! #blockparty #toronto #torontoart #magazine #artist #zine #writer #writing #callforsubmissions #submit #radio #
Keep the submissions coming for Issue 06: RADIO! Deadline is August 15 🫣 #blockparty #toronto #art #writing #callforsubs #submissions #torontoart #torontowriting
Submissions are open! 📻 Ontario artists and writers— you’ve got one month to send me your work inspired by music. Guidelines and the submission form are both on the website (blockpartymagazine.com). You’ve got a month… L
Introducing… Issue 06: RADIO! Submissions open July 15th, so start thinking about what you want to create based on a song you love (or hate). Check out the submission guidelines on the website (link in bio) so you’re ready to go when t
I’m backkkkk 🤭🚨🫡😈 Welcome to Block Party 2.0! I’ve got several updates for ya. In summary: 1. A new call for submissions for our next issue is coming in the next few days, right here on Instagram. I’ll now only be accepting wo
That moment when you, a queen, come across another queen, and discuss how best to maximise your joint slay. Saw & met so many friends at this year’s indie literary market! Big thanks to @meetthepresses, @ampersandreview, @sheridan_college
READERS ANNOUNCED & CASH BAR 📣 Join Block Party on Friday, October 6th to celebrate the launch of our first ever chapbook season + hear some incredible readings from Issue 05: HOME. 📆 Friday, October 6 ⏰ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm 📍Society Clubhouse