New magazine combines local, University artists

A new Bloomington-based literary magazine, fiore, aims to fill in the gaps left by other local art magazines and newspapers.

The magazine, started by two former Cultureweek managing editors, is currently accepting submissions of art, prose, poetry and photography for its first issue, due out after winter break.

“It can be that little publication at Soma that people pick up and think, ‘Wow, I live in a town with so much creative energy, and fiore has it all down on paper,’” Dawn Shanks, fiore editor and publisher, said.

The new magazine encourages submissions from IU students and Bloomington residents alike, a wider scope than other magazines, Shanks said.

The first issue will be distributed mid-January and the submission deadline is midnight Oct. 31.

Shanks drew a comparison between fiore and Canvas, a Union Board publication that only accepts submissions from IU students.

“We cater specifically to students because they pay us with their student fees,” said Allison Parks, Union Board Canvas director.

By serving a broader audience, Shanks said she wanted to mold an art forum that covers more than students and reaches beyond the places and events of Bloomington.

“I really see the arts community being represented well and thoroughly by The Herald-Times and IDS,” she said. “But how much is really dedicated to how Bloomington community members find themselves creatively through poetry and photography? I don’t see that quite as much.”

Bright red flyers tacked up around campus call for poetry, prose, photography, art, short stories and satire, but fiore is open to reviewing any submitted piece, Shanks said.

“If you have something that isn’t on the flyer that you think is really great, like a song, submit it,” Shanks said. “I want to read it, I want to consider it. If that’s how you express yourself artistically, then why not?”

Some students who have submitted work to other publications plan to use fiore as another medium to showcase their work.

Logan Sibrel, a senior BFA student in School of Fine Arts who published his paintings in Canvas last year, said he already submitted art to the Union Board publication, but plans on submitting to fiore as well.

“Any time you can say you’ve been published is a good thing, and people all around the campus get to see your work,” Sibrel said. “I think that fiore probably would introduce you to a new crowd. You can change who sees your work.”

A straightforward black-and-white design will allow readers to focus on each piece, said fiore art director Sarah Kaiser.

“The idea is a minimalist design to feature the work that people are submitting,” Kaiser said. “We want the work to stand out on the page and be the center of attention. We want to keep distractions away and make people focus on what they’re reading.”

Volunteers run the publication and will distribute fiore bi-monthly for free, according to a fiore press release.

“Right now, what I really want are creative people that want to submit their work,” Shanks said. “This publication is only going to be as good as its submissions. Bloomington people are so creative, and if we can get as many people to submit as possible, it’s going to be a really banging first issue.”


fiore, a new literary magazine
When: Submit by midnight Oct. 31 for the first issue and Dec. 31 for the second issue
More info: Send submissions to fioremag@gmail.com