You have reached the submissions home for O, Miami.

All calls for work, when active, will be listed on this page. If you don't see the submission category you're looking for, it is not available at this time. Please check back, or contact us with questions.

Please follow all instructions closely.

*Deadline extended to Monday, September 25 @ 9am


2024 O, Miami Poetry Festival Open Call

Miami is a poem we write together.

Everyone’s invited to submit an idea for the 2024 O, Miami Poetry Festival!  


About O, Miami

We believe Miami is the most poetic city in the world. Through our annual festival, education programs, and civic publishing, we create a platform for amplifying Miami’s people, investing in a new shared narrative of our city and a more equitable picture of its future. We believe that art and self-expression should be equally available to every Miamian. 

With generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the annual O, Miami Poetry Festival is our original and signature program. Now in its 13th year, the goal has always been for every person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem during the month of April. Built largely through this Open Call, the festival is a celebration of Miami and its people. Learn more: www.omiami.org.

 

What kind of ideas are we looking for?

We are looking for ideas that amplify poetry and engage Miamians in surprising ways. If you have a proposal that creates poetry, invites poetic encounters, or shares poetry across Miami, we’d love to read it! All projects must premiere in April 2024. 

Here are some examples of projects we’ve supported:

Civic Publishing: Projects that collect poetry by Miamians then broadcast that work into the community through books, public art, and digital platforms.

Examples: My Home, Mi Hogar, Invisible Threads / Strong Ties

Random Acts of Poetry: Projects that surprise people with poetry where and when they least expect it:

Poetry Parking Tickets

Performance: Projects that highlight local talent in new and unexpected ways: 

Open Mic Night at Super Wheels, Drag Poetry Slam

Artist Driven Projects: Projects driven by artists who work in other creative fields:

Portrait at 34, Journey in Phrase

Site Specific Projects: Projects inspired by the history, geography, or architecture of a specific location: 

Poetry in the Pitayas, Everyone’s an Island 

Workshops: A workshop or series, irl or virtual, that generates poetry inspired by a compelling idea, theme, or space:

Conjuring Spirits, Writing with Water, Sopa de Letras

Archival Projects: Projects that dig into O, Miami’s poetry archive and share gems found there: 

Brl Odes

Poetry for Kids: Projects that inspire the next generation of poets: 

Poetry in Pajamas, Chain Letters 

Collaborations with local arts organizations: Poems at the Symphony

Collaborations for social change: Arbor Odes, Poetry for Preservation

Collaborations with local businesses, brands, and products: Student Ice Cream Series, Sweet Surprises
 

Surprise us! We are always open to new ideas for sharing the joy of poetry across Miami. 

*Please note that we are not looking for projects that showcase your own poetry, readings that center a particular poet or poets, or traditional publishing projects.


 

How will we work together?

Selected projects will be developed closely in partnership with O, Miami to ensure delivery on time, within budget, and in the spirit of the Poetry Festival. 

Selected applicants (“Project Managers”) are responsible for project delivery in full. To ensure the success of all projects, we ask for: a collaborative spirit, timely communication, availability for virtual and irl meetings, and an understanding of how your project fits into the Poetry Festival as a whole. 

O, Miami will provide ample support, which will be determined by the needs of each project and project manager. This support may include: funding, ideation, poetry curation, poet liaising, lesson plans, project planning, timelines, logistics, budgeting, locations, site visits, supplies, materials, design, promotion, ticketing, event support, documentation, and anything else needed to bring your idea to life.


How to submit an idea:

Submit an idea here! The application is available in Miami’s common languages: English, Spanish, and Creole. If your project involves technology, you may also consider applying to Technically Poetic, our new commission for artists, here. Stay tuned for details about our upcoming info sessions!

Proposals are due by 6pm on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. All proposals will be reviewed by the O, Miami team, and applicants will be notified by November 1, 2023. Project development will begin in November 2023. All projects must premiere in April 2024. Project wrap should be completed by May 31, 2024.

Applicants do not need to live in Miami, but all projects must engage with Miami’s communities in a respectful, authentic, and purposeful way. 

O, Miami welcomes ideas from everyone! If you are excited about collaborating with us and believe you can deliver a valuable project, we encourage you to submit a proposal. Our work is an act of love for this city, inviting Miamians to share their stories and write a new one together.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Monica Peña, Programs Director, monica@omiami.org

Convocatoria abierta Festival de Poesía O, Miami 2024

Miami es un poema que escribimos juntos.

¡Todos están invitados a enviar sus ideas para el Festival de Poesía O, Miami 2024!


Acerca de O, Miami

Creemos que Miami es la ciudad más poética del mundo. A través de nuestro festival anual, programas educativos y publicaciones cívicas, creamos una plataforma para amplificar a la gente de Miami, invirtiendo en una nueva narrativa compartida de nuestra ciudad y una imagen más equitativa de su futuro. Creemos que el arte y la autoexpresión deben estar igualmente disponibles para todos los habitantes de Miami.

Con el generoso apoyo de la Fundación John S. y James L. Knight, el Festival anual de poesía O, Miami es nuestro programa original y exclusivo. Ahora en su decimotercer año, el objetivo siempre ha sido que cada persona en el condado de Miami-Dade encuentre un poema durante el mes de abril. Construido en gran parte a través de los proyectos surgidos de esta convocatoria abierta, el festival es una celebración de Miami y su gente. Puedes obtener más información en www.omiami.org.

 

¿Qué tipo de ideas estamos buscando?

Estamos buscando ideas que amplifiquen la poesía y aborden a los miamenses de maneras sorpresivas. Si tienes una propuesta para crear poesía, invitar a encuentros poéticos o compartir poesía en Miami, ¡nos encantaría leerla! Todos los proyectos deben estrenarse en abril de 2024.

Estos son algunos ejemplos de proyectos que hemos apoyado:

Publicaciones cívicas: Proyectos que recopilan poesía de los miamenses y luego transmiten ese trabajo a la comunidad a través de libros, arte público y plataformas digitales: 

My Home, Mi Hogar, Invisible Threads / Strong Ties

Actos de poesía aleatorios: Proyectos que sorprenden con poesía dónde y cuando menos lo esperan: 

Poetry Parking Tickets

Actuación: Proyectos que destacan el talento local de maneras nuevas e inesperadas: 

Open Mic Night en Super Wheels, Drag Poetry Slam

Proyectos impulsados por artistas: Proyectos impulsados por artistas que trabajan en otros campos creativos: 

Retrato a los 34, Journey in Phrase

Proyectos en lugares específicos: Proyectos inspirados en la historia, la geografía o la arquitectura de un lugar específico: 

Poetry in the Pitayas, Everyone’s an Island

Talleres: Un taller o serie, presencial o virtual, que genera poesía inspirada en una idea convincente, un tema o un espacio: 

Conjuring Spirits, Writing with Water, Sopa de Letras

Proyectos de archivo: Proyectos que profundizan en el archivo poético de O, Miami y comparten joyas encontradas allí: 

Brl Odes

Poesía para Niños: Proyectos que inspiran a la próxima generación de poetas: 

Poetry in Pajamas, Chain Letters

Colaboraciones con organizaciones artísticas locales: Poems at the Symphony

Colaboraciones para el cambio social: Arbor Odes, Poetry for Preservation

Colaboraciones con empresas, marcas y productos locales: Student Ice Cream Series, Sweet Surprises
 

¡Sorpréndenos! Siempre estamos abiertos a nuevas ideas para compartir la alegría de la poesía en todo Miami.

*Ten en cuenta que no estamos buscando proyectos que muestren tu propia poesía, lecturas que se centren en un poeta o poetas en particular, o proyectos editoriales tradicionales.


¿Cómo trabajaremos juntos?

Los proyectos seleccionados se desarrollarán en estrecha colaboración con O, Miami para garantizar la entrega a tiempo, dentro del presupuesto y en el espíritu del Festival de Poesía.

Los solicitantes seleccionados ("Gerentes de proyecto") son responsables de la entrega del proyecto en su totalidad. Para asegurar el éxito de todos los proyectos, solicitamos: espíritu de colaboración, comunicación oportuna, disponibilidad para reuniones virtuales y presenciales y una comprensión de cómo encaja tu proyecto en el Festival de Poesía en su conjunto.

O, Miami brindará un apoyo amplio, que estará determinado por las necesidades de cada proyecto y gerente de proyecto. Este apoyo puede incluir: financiamiento, ideación, curación de poesía, enlace con poetas, planes de estudio, planificación de proyectos, cronogramas, logística, presupuesto, locaciones, visitas a locaciones, suministros, materiales, diseño, promoción, emisión de boletos, soporte para eventos, documentación y cualquier otra cosa que sea necesaria para hacer realidad tu idea.


Cómo enviar una idea:

¡Envía una idea aquí! La aplicación estará disponible en los idiomas más comunes de Miami: inglés, español y creole. Si tu proyecto involucra tecnología, también puedes considerar aplicar a nuestra nueva comisión para artistas, Technically Poetic, aquí. ¡Queda atento para obtener detalles sobre nuestras próximas sesiones de información!

Las propuestas deben presentarse antes del miércoles 20 de septiembre de 2023 a las 6 pm. Todas las propuestas serán revisadas por el equipo de O, Miami y los solicitantes serán notificados antes del 1 de noviembre de 2023. El desarrollo del proyecto comenzará en noviembre de 2023. Todos los proyectos deben estrenarse en abril de 2024. La finalización del proyecto debe completarse antes del 31 de mayo de 2024.

Los solicitantes no necesitan vivir en Miami, pero todos los proyectos deben involucrarse con las comunidades de Miami de una manera respetuosa, auténtica y decidida.

¡O, Miami da la bienvenida a las ideas de todos! Si te entusiasma colaborar con nosotros y crees que puedes entregar un proyecto valioso, te animamos a que envíes una propuesta. Nuestro trabajo es un acto de amor por esta ciudad, invitando a los miamenses a compartir sus historias y escribir una nueva, juntos.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, comunícate con Monica Peña, directora de programas, monica@omiami.org.

Festival Pwezi O, Miami 2024 | Demann Soumisyon

Miami se yon powèm nou ekri ansanm.

Nou envite tout moun soumèt lide yo genyen pou Festival Pwezi O, Miami 2024! 


Osijè O, Miami

Nou panse Miami se vil ki pi powetik nan lemonn. Atravè festival nou òganize chak ane, pwojè edikasyon nou met sou pye, ak materyèl sivik nou pibliye, nou kreye yon platfòm pou nou monte volim vwa moun Miami; nou envesti nan chanje istwa vil nou an epi met tèt ansanm pou bati yon lavni ki pi ekilibre. Nou panse lèza ak ekspresyon-tèt dwe disponib menm jan pou tout moun ki nan Miami.

Fondasyon John S. ak James L. Knight kore Festival Pwezi O, Miami an chak ane. Se yon pwojè orijinal e esansyèl, e ane sa a, se 13èm edisyon festival la, kote objektif nou se toujou pèmèt chak moun nan Konte Miami-Dade tonbe sou yon powèm pandan mwa d avril. Se demann soumisyon sa a ki pèmèt nou òganize festival sa a, ki se yon selebrasyon Miami ak moun ki rete ladan. Pou aprann pi plis, vizite: www.omiami.org.


Ki kalite lide n ap chèche?

N ap chèche lide ki santre sou pwezi e ki angaje moun Miami yon fason yo pa t atann. Si ou gen yon pwojè ki kreye pwezi, ki pèmèt moun dekouvri pwezi, oswa ki simaye pwezi nan tout Miami, nou ta renmen li pwopozisyon sa a! Tout pwojè yo dwe fèt nan mwa avril 2024. 

Men kèk egzanp pwojè nou te ankadre:

Piblikasyon sivik: Pwojè ki kolekte pwezi moun Miami ekri, epi ki simaye powèm sa yo osen kominote a, sou fòm liv, èvreda piblik, oswa sou platfòm dijital yo:  

My Home, Mi Hogar, Invisible Threads / Strong Ties

Ak powetik sanzatann:  Pwojè ki siprann moun ak pwezi, yon kote ak yon lè yo pa t ap atann: 

Poetry Parking Tickets

Pèfòmans: Pwojè ki mete aksan sou talan onivo lokal yon fason ki nouvo e ki vini sanzatann: 

Open Mic Night at Super Wheels, Drag Poetry Slam

Pwojè atis prezante: Pwojè prezante pa atis ki dabitid travay nan lòt domèn kreyatif: 

Portrait at 34, Journey in Phrase

Pwojè sou yon sit espesifik: Pwojè ki gen sous enspirasyon yo nan listwa, jewografi, oswa achitekti yon sit espesifik:

Poetry in the Pitayas, Everyone’s an Island 

Atelye: Yon atelye oswa seri, an prezansyèl oswa vityèl, ki jenere pwezi enspire pa yon gwo lide, tèm, oswa espas:

Conjuring Spirits, Writing with Water, Sopa de Letras

Pwojè achiv: Pwojè ki fouye nan achiv pwèzi O, Miami e ki pataje bijou yo jwenn la: 

Brl Odes

Pwezi pou timoun: Pwojè ki enspire jenerasyon powèt k ap vini yo:  

Poetry in Pajamas, Chain Letters 

Kolaborasyon avèk òganizasyon lèza onivo lokal:  Poems at the Symphony

Kolaborasyon pou chanjman sosyal:  Arbor Odes, Poetry for Preservation

Kolaborasyon avèk biznis, mak, ak pwodui lokal: Student Ice Cream Series, Sweet Surprises 


Siprann nou! Nou toujou ap chèche nouvo lide pou pataje kè kontan pwezi pote atravè Miami. 

Sa sèlman, nou pa enterese nan pwojè ki santre sou pwèzi pa w, lekti ki santre sou yon sèl powèt oswa yon gwoup powèt patikilye, oswa pwojè piblikasyon tradisyònèl.


Kijan n ap travay ansanm?

Pwojè nou chwazi yo ap fèt nan yon tèt kole sere avèk O, Miami pou asire livrezon atan pwojè a, respè bidjè nou fikse, ak respè lespri Festival Pwezi a. 

Aplikan nou chwazi yo (“Manadjè pwojè” yo) responsab livrezon pwojè a nan tout sa li ye. Pou asire siksè tout pwojè yo, nou mande: yon lespri kolaborasyon, kominikasyon atan, disponibilite pou reyinyon vityèl ak an prezansyèl, e yon konpreyansyon jan pwojè pa w la entegre nan Festival Pwezi a. 

O, Miami pral bay bon jan ankadreman selon bezwen chak pwojè ak manadjè pwojè a. Ankadreman sa a gen ladan: finansman, echanj lide, jesyon pwezi, kominikasyon avèk powèt yo, plan leson, plan pwojè, orè, lojistik, bidjè, lokalite, vizit lokal yo, founiti, materyèl, konsepsyon, promosyon, tikè, sipò pou evènman, dokimantasyon, ak nenpòt lòt bagay ki nesesè pou lide w la tounen reyalite.


Kijan pou soumèt yon lide:

Soumèt yon lide la a! Aplikasyon an ap disponib nan lang pifò moun pale nan Miami: anglè, panyòl, ak kreyòl. Si pwojè ou gen teknoloji ladan l, panse pou w aplike pou “New Poetry & Tech Commission” (Komisyon Nouvo Pwezi ak Teknoloji) nou an la a. Rete branche pou detay sou sesyon enfòmasyon ki pral vini yo!

Pwopozisyon yo dwe soumèt anvan 6zè diswa mèkredi 20 septanm 2023. Ekip O, Miami an pral revize tout pwopozisyon yo, epi y ap avèti aplikan yo anvan 1ye novanm 2023. Devlòpman pwojè yo pral kòmanse nan mwa novanm 2023. Tout pwojè yo dwe kòmanse nan mwa avril 2024. Tout pwojè yo dwe fini anvan 31 me 2024.

Aplikan yo pa bezwen rete Miami, men tout pwojè yo dwe sible kominote osen Miami, yon fason ki respektab, otantik, e objektif.

O, Miami akeyi lide tout moun! Si ou anvi kolabore avèk nou e ou kwè ou ka bay yon pwojè ki enpòtan, nou ankouraje ou soumèt yon pwopozisyon. Travay nou se yon aksyon lanmou pou vil sa a; nou envite moun Miami pataje istwa yo e ekri yon nouvèl istwa ansanm.

Si ou gen nenpòt kesyon, souple kontakte Monica Peña, direktè pwogram yo, nan monica@omiami.org

*Deadline extended to Monday, September 25 at 9am


 

Technically Poetic: An Artist Commission

With funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, O, Miami is proud to announce the creation of Technically Poetic, an artist commission that unites poetry and technology.

We are seeking an established artist or artist team of any discipline to create an original project that uses technology to spread the poetry of Miamians to Miamians. The first commissioned project will premiere in April 2024 during the O, Miami Poetry Festival in Miami, FL.
 

About O, Miami

We believe Miami is the most poetic city in the world. Through our annual festival, education programs, and civic publishing, we create a platform for amplifying Miami’s people, investing in a new shared narrative of our city and a more equitable picture of its future. We believe that art and self-expression should be equally available to every Miamian. 

Now in its 13th year, the goal of the O, Miami Poetry Festival is for every person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem during the month of April. Built largely through an open submission process, the festival is a celebration of Miami and its people. Learn more: www.omiami.org.
 

About Technically Poetic: An Artist Commission

The inaugural Technically Poetic artist commission is open to established artists of any discipline with a portfolio showing their capacity to successfully complete large scale projects that engage the public. Artists who have not yet had the opportunity to work at a large scale should show a progressive creative career that indicates they are ready for their first major work. 

The selected proposal will amplify Miamians and their poetry using technology. The project will be public-facing, with the primary goal of meaningfully engaging Miami’s residents. While the artist/team does not have to currently live in South Florida, they do need to have a plan for engaging with Miami’s communities in a respectful, authentic, and purposeful way. 

The artist/team will work closely with O, Miami to develop and deliver the project on time, within budget, and in the spirit of the commission. For an example of how we collaborate, please see: 

My Home, Mi Hogar: a mural project by collective Boa Mistura from Spain, in partnership with Miami Beach Senior High School and the City of Miami Beach

This City Is: a large-scale projection that describes Miami through statements from Twitter, Reddit, Craigslist, and other online spaces

Portrait at 34: a poetry photo booth in collaboration with local artist Najja Moon

View Through: a project adapting web search algorithms to feature poems by incarcerated writers

Connectify/Free_Wi-Fi[poesia]: a device emitting hundreds of micro poems that imitate wifi signals across Miami and Havana
 

How to Apply:

Apply here! Proposals are due by 6pm on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Proposals will be reviewed by a committee of arts professionals. All applicants will be notified by November 1, 2023.

The total commission budget is $30,000, including a $5,000 artist fee and $25,000 project budget. If the artist/team does not live in South Florida, travel and accommodations should be reflected in the proposed project budget. The budget is firm, so please account for contingencies.

O, Miami welcomes applicants of all identities. If you are excited about this commission and believe you can deliver a valuable project, we encourage you to apply. You may also consider applying to our general 2024 O, Miami Poetry Festival Open Call here

If you have any questions, please reach out to Monica Peña, Programs Director, monica@omiami.org. Our goal is to support you in submitting a successful application. We can’t wait to read about your idea!

Whose voices speak through us in the stories we tell? 

How much of “you” is actually the gift, legacy, or influence of another generation: your grandfather’s stories, child’s jokes, mother’s quirks, neighbor’s recipes, students’ insights? How do these become the language you use to describe the world around you?

O, Miami is seeking submissions of writings spanning generations and rooted in Miami, for an upcoming audiobook. This project seeks to depict the complex and diverse makeup of this city by honoring the way intergenerational ties inform our perspectives as Miamians. 

Those selected through the submission process will have the opportunity to refine their written piece with the guidance of a mentor. Participants will then record their revised story at the legendary Abbey Road Institute Miami for an O, Miami-published audiobook.

Listen to our first audio project, Unfinished Concrete, here.


What to Submit

We're seeking written submissions no more than 1,000 words. Open to writers of any genre and age, including but not limited to essay, poetry, interview, short stories, etc. We encourage you to think broadly about the forms of stories passed between generations—oral histories, recipes, family jokes and lore, sewing patterns, dance moves, etc—and consider how these modes might be transformed into a creative text.

Need an example? These pieces from previous O, Miami publications show a few ways one might approach the prompt of intergenerational storytelling: The Forest of Little Havana, Daniel Rivero (Waterproof); Voices of Two Kitchens, Sophia Liautaud & Amelia Badri (On/Off-Shore); Lincoln Park Memorial Cemetery, Christell V. Roach (Waterproof).

The best way to understand what we’re looking for is to check out this ORIGINAL GUIDE we created to help you write a submission. If you’re a teacher, we encourage you to use it in your classroom and have your students submit their pieces for consideration!

We are also offering a workshop in late September in preparation for this project; consider attending if you’re interested in submitting and would like a workshop setting to help you develop your piece. Stay tuned for more details!

Tip: Because this call is for written pieces that will be featured in an audiobook, consider reading your piece aloud during the drafting and editing stages to make decisions on word choice, etc. 

Recording dates will be December 12-14, 2023. If selected, you must commit to recording in person during that date range.


Who can Submit

  • Current residents of South Florida who can commit to two virtual mentoring sessions in mid-October and an in-person recording session during the following date range: 12/12/23-12/14/23
  • You do NOT have to be a professional, semi-professional, or even aspiring writer or artist. We’re interested in what everyone in Miami has to express.


How to Submit

  • Go to omiami.org/pages/submit and follow the instructions.
  • You’ll need to create a Submittable profile (if you don’t already have one). It’s completely free.
  • You may submit up to three (3) times, but please make each piece its own submission. Each submission should be maximum 1,000 words. 


Rights/Compensation

  • All submitters, if their work is chosen, grant first North American serial rights to O, Miami Books
  • Contributors receive $100
O, Miami