In each print issue, aAh! Magazine explores one word which runs as its theme. We are excited to announce that the theme for our upcoming print issue is COMMUNITY.

aAh! Magazine invites all Manchester Met students interested in journalism, writing, design, illustration and photography to pitch ideas to be considered for print publication for the upcoming issue: The COMMUNITY Issue.

The COMMUNITY Issue will paint a picture of Manchester and the communities that lie at the heart of the city, exploring togetherness, unity and inclusion. We want to shine a spotlight on the city’s multiculturalism and the different groups and communities and the things and ways through which we can create solidarity and connection.

We are looking for pieces that explore, challenge, or celebrate the idea of community and what it means to you – whether it’s the power of connection, the impact of shared spaces, personal experiences, friendships, relationships, collectives, finding your community or the importance of belonging – we want to hear your interpretation of our theme.

We are looking for features, interviews, reviews, opinion pieces, creative prose, poetry, artwork, and photography that offers a critical, insightful and creative slant on the theme of COMMUNITY. We would like inventive and thought-provoking perspectives to create a magazine that opens conversation and breaks convention.

Check out our previous themed print magazines to see how student journalists, creative writers and artists have explored past themes, and explore our editor’s ‘COMMUNITY’ themed prompts below to support you to generate ideas for this issue.

Writers – Interested in getting involved?

aAh! welcomes all student writers and journalists to pitch ideas to be considered for print publication. Have an idea for a feature, interview, review, opinion, listicle, how-to, profile or Q&A? Pitch your ideas via email to aAh.Editor@gmail.com to be considered for publication.

COMMUNITY Prompts

News and Features: How we create solidarity through protest and movements.

Arts and Culture: Theatre communities (Royal Exchange Theatre community programme Local Exchange); How collaborative art projects – think murals or zines – build a sense of shared purpose among students.

Fashion and Beauty: How what we wear can bring people together; Collective efforts to reduce overconsumption and promote conscious fashion choices.

Lifestyle: Ways to get involved in your local community – volunteering, etc; How being part of a community can improve your mental health; The impact of social media on our sense of belonging and community; Online vs physical connection.

Music: How music creates unity; The communal experience of live performance; Rave culture and community.

Literature: How book clubs build connection; How inclusive poetry/fiction can make people feel like they belong.

Food: Recipes that bring people together; Ways to build community through food; How food defines communities and helps us form connections; Creating community through cooking.

Eligibility 

All Manchester Met students and alumni are invited to contribute to aAh! Magazine. Artists and designers are welcome to submit works in any medium: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, photography, textile, installation, any mixed media, digital, performance and film (jpg still image and a link to video) etc. Submit your visual work in a digital format in the highest possible resolution you have available – not below 300 dpi.

Visual Guidelines

We will accept work and visuals in JPEG, PNG or TIFF formats. Artwork must be at least 300 dpi or more. All artwork must be at least 210 x 297 mm to fit in the magazine, and should fit comfortably on a page of this aspect ratio.

Register your interest to join The COMMUNITY Issue Print Editorial and Design team

We’re looking for volunteer writers, editors, graphic designs, illustrators, photographers and social media creators to join the aAh! Magazine team. Register your interest to join the core team, receive briefs and be part of our new issue. Email the team on aAh.Editor@gmail.com to get involved and attend our weekly team meeting. 

About aAh! Magazine

aAh! is a well-established online and print arts and culture magazine, run by student volunteers with a passion for journalism and a love for Manchester. It is an honest, engaging, and curious publication; a trusted source for relevant and current news, views, creative work, and trends.

aAh! is a growing publication, and is looking for journalists, editors, graphic designers, illustrators, filmmakers, photographers, and social media marketers on an ongoing basis to help make aAh! An informed, inspiring, witty, and opinionated collective and student voices and talents that make our city brilliant.

Join the aAh! Magazine MS Teams Group ‘General Channel’ to stay in the loop and follow @aAh_mag for upcoming opportunities.