Pulse Magazine: Call out for LGBTQ+ Artists

About this event

Pulse Issue 6 is coming out in September 2026! And we want you to design our front cover!

Issue no. 6 of Writing East Midlands’ digital and print magazine, Pulse, releases in September 2026, and we thought it’d be fun to get you, the readers, involved. We’re looking for creative queer people to have a go at designing an image for our next front cover—whether that’s a photograph, a drawing, or something else entirely—that showcases the theme of Issue 6: Queer Writing.

We want you to send your own original designs so that we can pick our favourite! The artist whose work is chosen will recieve £75 as well as a full credit and biography published on our website, in the magazine itself and across our social media. If you’d like to give it a go, make sure to submit your idea by the deadline: Sunday 23rd August 2026 at 11.59 pm.

The competition is open to creatives from the LGBTQIAP+ community. You do not have to be from the East Midlands to enter.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Theme

The theme for this edition is Queer Writing.

Our writers will be looking at concepts such as what it means to be a queer writer. Do you always have to write about being part of the LGBTQIAP+ community to be considered a queer writer? Is writing as a queer person an inherently political act?

Others will be examining the role of writing on the path to self-discovery, and how creating stories can help us to realise new and exciting parts of our identity. From accuracy in queer historical fiction to worldbuilding in LGBT fantasy books, we’ll be casting a light on just a few of the many dimensions of this rich theme.

We want you to capture this theme in just one image. This could be a more literal interpretation of the theme ‘Queer Writing’; it could mean focusing on one of the topics listed above; or you could relate it to your own personal experiences. We’re open to all sorts of ideas—the more creative, the better! And we’re more than happy for you to respond as closely or as loosely as you desire. It can be as abstract as you’d like. We can also arrange for an associated narrative to be included in the magazine if required.

Take a look at some of our previous editions and get a feel for how we’ve captured our themes in the past.

Specifications

• High-quality JPG, PNG or PDFs only
• 2480  x 3508 pixels resolution minimum
• 300 dpi
• Blank space (can be coloured) around one central feature is ideal but not vital—see previous editions here for inspiration
• No text on the image—we’ll be adding this in
• The design must be an original piece and must be your own: we will not accept art produced by AI

KEY INFORMATION

Please email your completed artwork to Lola via [email protected] before the deadline. Make sure to attach your image to the email and let us know how you’d like to be credited. If you are successful, we will be in touch with you through this email address to arrange payment.

The deadline to enter is Sunday 23rd August 2026 at 11.59 pm.

The competition is open to creatives from the LGBTQIAP+ community. You do not have to be from the East Midlands to enter.

If successful, you will receive £75, publication on the front cover of Pulse Issue 6 and full credit in the magazine, on our website and across social media.

Do get in touch if you have any questions. You can contact Lola via [email protected] or Molly via [email protected]

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!