DECEMBER 2024: INDEFINITE HIATUS

Understorey Magazine is on indefinite hiatus. Since our last issue in 2021, we have worked with several organizations in hope of finding a new institutional home for the magazine and new sources of funding. All of these organizations, and the people within them, have been incredibly enthusiastic and supportive. Unfortunately, none has the resources to keep Understorey growing. Please read “6 Things I’ve Learned Publishing a Literary Magazine for 10 Years” to learn more about the importance of literary magazines and challenges to keeping them afloat. Please also visit the new Literary Magazines Canada Collective website. This organization grew from discussions with literary magazine editors across Canada and the recognition that we face similar challenges. The LMCC aims to support a more sustainable and resilient litmag culture in Canada.

UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2023

We’re still here! Just working behind the scenes to find a new home for Understorey Magazine. We hope to announce a re-launch in the near future. In the meantime, please read “6 Things” for results of our reader/contributor survey and a behind-the-scenes look at running a literary magazine.

UPDATE: APRIL 2022

A HUGE thank-you to everyone who responded to our survey. We received so many beautiful comments of support and insightful information about the magazine—and literary publishing in general. We will post results of the survey and an update on the future of Understorey Magazine within the next month.

UPDATE: AUGUST 2021

Dear contributors, readers, and supporters,

Since 2013, Understorey Magazine has published the life stories of women and non-binary writers and artists. To date, we have produced 20 issues and featured over 400 contributors.

For the past four years, we have been very grateful to receive funding from the Canada Council for the Arts. This funding has allowed us to pay every contributor and editor.

However, competition for funding has increased and, unfortunately, our grant was not renewed in 2021.

Since we do not receive funding from our administrative partner, Mount Saint Vincent University, our provincial arts organization does not have a relevant grant program for Understorey, and we do not charge fees to read or submit to the magazine, we must pause briefly to consider our next steps.

We will continue with our forthcoming issue on Rural and Remote Living (which is shaping up to be a beautiful digital and print issue). We will then take some time to consider the future of the magazine: what is possible, what is needed, what is valued.

We would appreciate your help with this re-visioning process.

Please respond to our brief survey [no longer open].

If you would like to send additional ideas, please contact Katherine Barrett at editor@understoreymagazine.ca.

A few details about Understorey Magazine are listed below.

Donations are gratefully accepted via Mount Saint Vincent University. See instructions here.

Thank you!

About Understorey Magazine

• Understorey Magazine has been publishing since 2013. It is one of very few literary magazines published in Atlantic Canada.

• We have published 20 issues to date. Issue 21 on Rural/Remote Living will be published in the fall of 2021.

• Our focus is unique among literary magazines in Canada: telling stories of our lives through literary writing and visual art. We have covered many themes, including age, justice, dis/ability, motherhood, women in theatre, francophone women in Atlantic Canada, and African Nova Scotian Women.

• We have published over 400 writers and artists to date.

• All contributors identify as women or non-binary.

• All contributors identify as Canadian citizens, Canadian residents, and/or Indigenous peoples.

• About one third of contributors are from Atlantic Canada, including many Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian writers and artists.

• All contributors are paid.

• All content is open access. We do not charge fees to read or submit to Understorey.

• We aim to support and encourage new and emerging writers. For about one third of writers, Understorey Magazine provided a venue for their first publication.

• All submissions receive a personal reply. We do not use form letters for acknowledgments, acceptances, or rejections. Almost all rejections include feedback to the writers and a reason for the rejection.