The application period for the 2025/2026 Antenna Press Publishing Award is closed. The winners will be announced September 17, 2025. Please join Antenna’s newsletter to be notified when the award opens again.
2025-2026 Antenna Press Publishing Award Jury
Awards are decided by a jury of individuals with diverse backgrounds in culture, writing, publishing and visual art. Jurors score submissions according to this rubric. The 2025 Antenna Press Award jurors are Issy Manley (cartoonist and educator, New Orleans, LA), Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello (Author and Translator, Miami, FL.) & Nic[o] Brierre Aziz (Interdisciplinary Artist, New Orleans, LA)
Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello: I’m honored to jury for the 2025 Antenna Press Publishing Award and am grateful to everyone who is entrusting us with their work this year. Antenna is an integral part of the New Orleans artistic community, supporting artists, authors, readers, and writers. The press publishes stunning voices in artistic formats that highlight the essence of the work, energizing local and regional culture with care.
Nic[o] Brierre Aziz: I began working with Antenna as the Director of Programs in 2018, became a member of the collective in 2020 and exhibited my first ever solo exhibition at the gallery in 2023. I truly believe the organization directly supports artistic collaboration and growth like no other in New Orleans – and if you are interested in expanding your practice in any way you should apply to this award and any others you are able to with Antenna.
Issy Manley: I’m really looking forward to helping connect other artists/ writers to this amazing opportunity to bring their projects to life in print and connect with more audiences. Working with Antenna to publish and print “No One Wants to Work Anymore” was a really wonderful experience that had a huge impact on my art practice and the reach of my work. I was so appreciative of the continued support Antenna offered my project, from mailing online orders to printing a second run and nominating my collection for an award!
Awardees receive:
- $1500 stipend (to be split among any authors/artists/collaborators).
- Up to 20 hours of design and layout assistance from Paper Machine staff.
- 25 copies of the first edition of 100 copies. The remaining 75 copies will be sold through Antenna Press. The author can purchase additional copies at 40% off the retail price. Additional editions will be produced once the first edition sells out, and the author/artist will receive 8% royalties per copy sold.
Every two years, Antenna Press awards 5 recipients the opportunity to publish their book through Antenna Press. Aligning with Antenna’s mission, we are specifically interested in publishing ideas that, and are at the intersection of gender and identity, the environment, equity, renewable resources, abolition, restorative justice, and the histories of the Gulf South. Projects can be unique and creative interpretations of all types of publications including but not limited to artist books, chapbooks, photo books, comics, graphic novels, guidebooks, and how-to guides.
Antenna Press accepts proposals for thoroughly developed book projects through the Antenna Press Publishing Award.
Emerging and established artists and writers from all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We welcome submissions from Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, immigrants, and LGBTQ-GNC+ artists, including those with disabilities. We are committed to publishing the voices of artists known and unknown, particularly those who interpret ideas through the lens of New Orleans or have connections to the City or the Gulf South region.
We award five book project proposals every two years. Four awards are given to individuals or groups based in the state of Louisiana or the Gulf South region (Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas). One award per year is given to a national applicant. We do not accept applications from international applicants at the moment.
Please email pmprograms@antenna.works with any questions.
Project Proposals
Project proposals consist of well-developed content that is close to completion. Proposals are accepted during the application period through Submittable.
We encourage you to include in your application:
- A clear description of the proposed project, including historical narrative about the project’s development and any desired production processes and materials.
- Examples of final page designs, or manuscript of any text and/or image that may be included in the proposed project.
- Samples of relevant or related past work.
- A bio or artist statement
- A brief description of your interest in publishing in the Gulf South.
- Availability to fulfill the publication in the next year and a half.
- People who have received awards of any kind from Antenna in the last 2 years are not eligible
- Single issues of periodicals are not eligible (example, issue 4 of a magazine).
Available Production Processes
- 9 x 12 inches is the maximum publication size, with a limit of 250 page count. Our printer is a Ricoh ProC7210 digital laser printer with capability to print color, black and white as well as foil and white toner.
- We offer perfect glue binding, staple/saddle stitch binding, and spiral binding.
- Artist/authors are required to scan or otherwise digitally render and finalize images and illustrations and are responsible for the editing and finalization of any text in the book.
