What is DSTL Arts?

DSTL Arts is a 501c3 nonprofit arts mentorship organization that inspires, teaches, and hires emerging artists from underserved communities.

Based in Los Angeles, CA, we achieve our mission through multiple programs and services that inspire people of all ages in our community, and we empower them to be the artists they know themselves to be.

The acronym in our name stands for Develop Skills and Transcend Limits, which we believe can be done through the Arts. Our vision is to replace the idea of the starving artist, with the reality of the working artist in the minds of all our program participants.

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Submit to Conchas y Café Zine – Submission Form

Conchas y Café Zine is a DSTL Arts publication produced through our 15-week Conchas y Café Bilingual Community Writing Workshop series. The series is offered twice a year, and each 15-week series explores a different theme and various creative writing techniques.

To participate in the current workshop series and have full access to the class materials and DSTL Arts staff feedback on your poetry and writing before submission, ENROLL FOR FREE at https://DSTLArts.org/calendar.

Submissions to Conchas y Café Zine are FREE and open to individuals residing in Los Angeles County (unless fully enrolled in our workshop series).

Please read the following submission guidelines before submitting your artwork for consideration. Submissions that do not follow our guidelines will not be considered for publication.

Artists whose work is accepted for publication will receive one (1) FREE contributor's copy of the upcoming issue of Conchas y Café Zine. We will contact you if your work is accepted for publication within three (3) weeks after our submission deadline.

Current Submission Period and Workshop Dates:

September 2, 2025–December 16, 2025

Publication Release (tentative): June 30, 2026

Submissions are accepted online only and must follow our guidelines.


Current Theme: Pájaros y galaxias / Birds and Galaxies

Submission Guidelines

  • Submitting Artists must agree to the Terms of Use noted on this submission form and guarantee that no part of their submission is generated using Generative Artificial Intelligence platforms.
  • All submissions must be theme-appropriate.
  • Submissions that do not fit under the current theme will not be considered for publication.
  • For more details about the current theme and possible inspiration, go to: https://DSTLArts.org/conchasycafezine
  • Media-specific guidelines below:

Creative Writing Submissions:

All creative writing submissions must be typed, 12pt., Times New Roman font, or similar, and must include a title and the author’s name as you wish it to appear in the zine.

Creative writing submissions must be uploaded in either .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.

Submissions must be written primarily in English and/or Spanish. Other languages are welcome within your text, but the overall written work must be primarily English or Spanish.

Poetry:

  • All types, forms, and styles accepted (ex. haiku, sonnet, free-form, etc.)
  • Up to five (5) poems, not to exceed ten (10) pages total
  • Poetry submissions must be formatted as you want them to appear in the zine. (Note: the font will be changed, but your line breaks, indentations, etc., will be preserved as much as possible)

Flash Fiction/Short Stories/Creative Nonfiction:

  • 500 words or less
  • Single-spaced
  • Up to two (2) works of prose per person
  • Ensure all spelling, grammar, formatting, etc., is complete and finalized. No edits shall be made after submission.


Visual Art Submissions:

(including Mixed Media/Collage, Comics, Fine Art, Illustrations, and Photography)

All visual art must be submitted as:

  • .JPG or .PNG format at 300dpi resolution (print-ready resolution only, NO SCREEN SHOTS OR SOCIAL MEDIA DOWNLOADS)
  • All artwork must be converted to CMYK color space.

Comics:

  • 5” x 8” margins, portrait orientation. Anything outside the 5” x 8” margin will be cropped out, so keep important elements within those margins.
  • Four (4) pages per comic, maximum
  • Artists may submit up to two (2), 4pg. comics (8 pages total of illustrated work)

Photography, Fine Art, and Illustrations (including Mixed Media/Collages):

  • 5”x 8” margins
  • .JPG or .PNG format, 300dpi (print-ready resolution only, NO SCREEN SHOTS OR SOCIAL MEDIA DOWNLOADS)
  • Artists may submit up to two (2) illustrations and/or two (2) photographs
DSTL Arts