Mission Statement

​MASKS Literary Magazine is a Weisman Award-winning, independent, print and online literary magazine committed to amplifying the voices of emerging writers, poets, and visual artists. We're eager to serve as a gateway for emerging creatives and publish new perspectives. MASKS Literary Magazine provides a space for individual artistic development with the larger goal of fostering literary thinking in our culture through our publication. 

  • We've pledged to increase representation of the BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, disabled, multilingual, and other marginalized and underrepresented communities.

  • We believe that the tangible format of print publishing is a valuable art form; as such, we vow to publish both online and in print.

  • We are dedicated to supporting emerging creatives and furthering pay equity in publishing by paying all of our contributors and charging no submission fees.

Our Story

In 2020, the Aesthetics of Research at the Columbia College Chicago Library hosted a small art exhibit, "MASKS." Framed sketches hung in an empty gallery space on walls that nobody could see... because everyone was quarantining at home. The newsprint zine from that exhibit included drawings and stories inspired by the world we were living in and the masks we wear—both physical and metaphorical. Now, MASKS has expanded from that humble zine to an award-winning art and literary publication featuring contributors from all over the world.

Reach Out to Us

Columbia College Chicago Library
624 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605
Questions? Email us at submit@maskslitmag.com
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MASKS Literary Magazine is sponsored by the Columbia College Chicago Library and was founded as part of the Aesthetics of Research Program-an ongoing series of exhibits, events, and other shenanigans dedicated to exploring the role that libraries play in artistic process, creative community building, and resource-sharing in the arts. 
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IMAGES ARE PRESENTED FOR USE AS FINE ART. PURCHASE OF ART DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A LICENSE FOR COMMERCIAL USE. ALL ART, PHOTOS, AND PRINTS WILL STILL CARRY COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS, AND PHOTOCOPYING, SCANNING, AND REUSE ARE PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT OF THE ARTIST.