Catalyst volume 23 - 'Divine Embrace' launching June 2026

 

Catalyst Volume 23, ‘Divine Embrace’, features talent from our thriving poetry community in Christchurch alongside international voices, including a special feature of poetry from Iran, and Trans-Tasman connections from Australia, and incredible artwork by Jason Bezas.

The featured poet is Sahar Tavakoli, poet, translator, publisher, and multidisciplinary artist who was born in Tehran, Iran. She has published numerous books and translated various English-language authors into Persian, including Edna O’Brien, the Irish writer, and Swiss authors like Zoe Jenny and Daniele Pantano. She has experienced constraints that authoritarian systems maintain and became a target of the Iranian regime due to her political and cultural activities in 2023 and fled to Switzerland. 

Catalyst 23 features outstanding artwork by Jason Bezas, a multidisciplinary London based artist from Greece. After going through the process of studying and practicing architecture for the first 4 years of being in the UK, he felt a nudge towards something less constraining and more introspective. A series of life changing events forced him to take a step back and rethink his life. This took him on a journey of drawing, reading, and writing, one that shifted his trajectory from a certain but stressful future, to a life of searching for the optimal way to find peace through art. 

We are excited to be hosting three launch events for Catalyst 23 this year:

Firstly, at our home in Christchurch, Wednesday 3 June, 7pm at the Space Academy, Christchurch. Celebrate the launch with readings by contributors, followed by an open mic.

Secondly in Sydney, Saturday 11 July, 3-5pm, ellipsis Gallery, Level 1, 41 Crown Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Featuring readings by contributors.

Finally, our international launch will be held at the 45 World Congress of Poets in Pristina, Kosovo, 25 – 30 September.

Join us to launch the new volume of Catalyst, and celebrate these themes of hope as a discipline, as we wrap our readers in a ‘Divine Embrace’.

Fuego vol. 3 and National Poetry Day

 

detail from cover artwork: 'Frida Catrina' by Alex Diaz.

 

August 22 is National Poetry Day in Aotearoa and also the traditional launch day for Fuego the World Congress of Poets literary journal, edited by Doc Drumheller and published by The Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press.

Fire meets water. Volume 3 features poems from Ashley-Rakahuri River Estuary Young Writers competition, haiku from KidsFest's Haiku Hikes and literary works from New Zealand's leading and emerging writers. There are two feature sections highlighting poetry from Mexico and China as well as the usual melting pot of work from around the globe.

Fuego vol. 3 was launched with a special event at Rangiora Library on National Poetry Day including readings from several featured poets and local children.

Deadline 1st July: call for submissions Fuego vol. 3

 

 

Image credit: Man on fire by: @andref.photo (Unsplash)

 

 

Fuego - The World Congress of Poets Literary Journal

 

A reminder that the annual deadline for Fuego (volume 3) is 1st July 2025 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Please read carefully - submissions that do not follow the guidelines below will not be considered.

• Email submissions only.
• Submissions must be previously unpublished and not submitted elsewhere for publication.
• Please send no more than five poems in English and a short BIO to: fuego.wcpjournal.submissions@gmail.com
• Please keep your BIO to no more than 100 words, otherwise we reserve the right to edit.
• Please also include in the subject line: Your Name and Submission e.g: 'Doc Drumheller, WCP Journal Submission'.
• Submissions that do not follow this guideline will not be opened. Please help us avoid spam!
• Send work attached as a Word document. Send all your poems and BIO in one attachment please and include your email and postal address.
• Use Times New Roman 12pt font, single spaced, with no header, footers or any other formatting.
• We reserve the right to make minor edits to layout for publication.
• The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2025.

Catalyst: Celebrating 20 years of indie publishing.

Spewing literary lava since 2003.

The forthcoming NZ launch of Catalyst volume 20 marks twenty years of independent publishing for the literary arts journal based in Waitaha - Canterbury.

Founded in the extinct volcano of Lyttelton Harbour, Whakaraupo by editor Doc Drumheller with collaborator Ciaran Fox, the then new kid on the block of NZ literary journals started a poetry open mic and print journal in 2003. The project developed out of creative writing workshops facilitated by Doc Drumheller at underground arts venue, gallery and workspace, Creation. Participants dreamed up the name Catalyst as a signal that the new journal was aimed at shaking up the poetry publishing scene and opening space for young and emerging poets unable to access more established, literary or academic creative writing journals and publications and present them alongside renowned poets from Aotearoa and beyond. 

Catalyst  has always shown an interest in poetry fusions, experimental writing and forms, and particularly, other languages. The first ten years of Catalyst saw poetry presented in translation from half a dozen different languages and cultures. Since then, Doc has travelled to numerous countries presenting Catalyst and building an international friendship and reputation while bring home to Aotearoa feature sections of poetry from around the world. Volume 20 features poetry from China and Israel. 

The visual elements of Catalyst have also reflected an interest in design and art from the fringe. With a strong focus on Aotearoa artists both locally based and international, the journal always features a strong visual aesthetic and has occasionally included pageworks of poetic/design fusion on the front and back covers as well as internally.

In keeping with this experimental aesthetic, Catalyst also began publishing recordings of spoken word in collaboration with composers, sound artists and songwriters, produced by Jody Lloyd aka Trillion. Three volumes of spoken word/sonic collabs were released on CD. 

 

The interest in spoken word and performance was baked into the DNA of Catalyst as the open mic grew up alongside the journal. The first poetry slams in Christchurch were organised by the Catalyst crew at the Wunderbar in Lyttelton, eventually morphing into a slam show known as Poetry Idol. With the advent of the NZ Poetry Slam national competition, Catalyst continues to host the Ōtautahi Poetry Slam. Not content with introducing Christchurch to the entertainment potential of slam, Catalyst developed a new show for the Christchurch Writers Festival based on a mash-up of slam, improv and reality TV, known as Survivor: Poetry. 'Survivor' was staged in three successive WORD Christchurch festivals. Rumour has it, it may be down, but not out.

 

The first ten years saw Catalyst published under the imprint of Neoismist Press. With volume 10, Neoismist was retired and The Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press was born. The Press has its own flag and continues to establish a sovereign nation for poets and poetry. In 2014, it launched the first volume of an emerging poets series called Republic of Poets. The format presents longer selections from three feature poets. Volume 2 is a twinkle in the eye.

Scroll forward and Catalyst volume 20: Oma, oma, oma! was officially welcomed in the Mediterranean at the World Congress of Poets 2023. Doc Drumheller is now a member of the executive board of WCP and founding editor of official WCP international journal Fuego.

 Catalyst remains a proudly print-based journal and continues to showcase local and international writers to a global audience. The Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press continues to publish chapbooks (Catalyst Christmas Cracker) and in its own 10th anniversary, also released the first collection by co-founder Ciaran Fox titled They Crackle in the Rain which was shortlisted as an unpublished manuscript for the inaugural John O'Connor First Book Award in 2022.

They Crackle in the Rain. Poetry by Ciaran Fox, launching 25th October

 

Fuego! Announcing the launch of volume 1 of the World Congress of Poets official literary journal

 

Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press with support from Waimakariri District Creative Communities (Creative NZ) fund are proud to present the launch event for Fuego volume 1, the literary journal of the World Congress of Poets.

Celebrating National Poetry Day on Friday 25th August in style, Waimakariri Libraries has one of the most prestigious events in the country as host of the launch of brand new international literary journal, Fuego.

Edited by Doc Drumheller, Fuego features poetry and art from around Aotearoa and the world, with a special North Canterbury flavour to the fire of volume 1, acknowledging the investment by Waimakariri District Creative Communities as well as local boy done good, Doc Drumheller.

The book launch will be held at Rangiora Library on Friday 25th August (NZ National Poetry Day) at 6pm and featuring poetry readings and more.

Fuego volume 1 - book launch

Friday 25th August, 6pm

Rangiora Library, 141 Percival St, Rangiora

 

Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press and Catalyst Literary Arts Journal invites submissions of artwork for our 20th anniversary issue and 10th under the imprint of Republic of Oma Rāpeti Press. 

2023 is the Year of the Rabbit - water hare (almost like we planned it that way...) therefore, the theme for artwork this issue is 'RABBITS' (rāpeti) or things generally cunicular. 

Deadline for submissions is 10th July. Artwork should be original, your own work and preferably not already published in a literary journal in Aotearoa New Zealand. Submissions should be emailed to catalyst_submissions@yahoo.com with 'artwork' in the subject line.

World Congress of Poets announce new international literary journal - Fuego - call for submissions

 

Image credit: Man on fire by: @andref.photo (Unsplash)

 

 

Fuego - The World Congress of Poets Literary Journal
 

The World Congress of Poets are delighted to announce that they will start several new initiatives in 2023. One of these new projects is a literary journal produced by our Executive Board. The goal of this new literary journal is to provide more opportunities for our members to publish their work, and to also improve the quality of writing by our members.

 
Fuego will become an annual publication that will strive to showcase poetry from featured countries, including poetry by children, youth, and adults. The spotlight for this inaugural edition will be to feature Waimakariri, New Zealand, and is
funded by Waimakariri Creative Communities. The Editor in Chief for Fuego Volume 1 is Doc Drumheller.

The deadline for the inaugural issue of Fuego is 1st July 2023

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Please read carefully - submissions that do not follow the guidelines below will not be considered.

• Email submissions only.
• Submissions must be previously unpublished and not submitted elsewhere for publication.
• Please send no more than five poems in English and a short BIO to: fuego.wcpjournal.submissions@gmail.com
• Please keep your BIO to no more than 100 words, otherwise we reserve the right to edit.
• Please also include in the subject line: Your Name and Submission e.g: 'Doc
• Drumheller, WCP Journal Submission'.
• Submissions that do not follow this guideline will not be opened. Please help us avoid spam!
• Send work as a word attachment, send all your poems and BIO in one attachment please and include your email and postal address.
• Use Times New Roman 12pt font, single spaced, with no header, footers or any other formatting.
• We reserve the right to make minor edits to layout for publication.
• The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2023.

The Deadline Loometh - Catalyst is currently open for submissions!

 

It's that time of year again when we are open for submissions to our print-only journal.

Deadline is 1st April every year and full details on how to submit are available on our 'Submissions' tab above. We strongly recommend reading that page and following the guidelines. 

One of the best guidelines is to get hold of a copy of Catalyst and check out what we like to publish generally - this may give you a fair sense of what we might be interested in (and what is noticeably absent). Having said that, if what you're doing is experimental and unique and doesn't appear in Catalyst yet, we're all ears/eyes. But still, follow the guidelines.

Looking forward to reading your work!

Yours, the Catalyst Crew.