Submissions
Submission Preparation Checklist
As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
- Please note that membership in CBAA is not required to contribute to Openings.
- The submission file must be in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
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The text must be single-spaced; use 12-point font; employ italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
Higher resolution versions of the images will be required after an article has been accepted.
Each image should be at least 300 ppi at the approximate print size of the image. -
Manuscripts are considered with the understanding that they have not been published previously in either print or electronic format. A manuscript will be considered previously published if another work has, either singly or in combination: the same title; the same opening paragraph; 25 percent or more of the same content. If the article is before another journal for consideration an explanation should be provided in the Comments for the Editor box at the time of submission.
Manuscripts that are accepted and subsequently found to be previously published will be removed from publication. - Where available, URLs for the references have been provided (with the understanding that neither CBAA nor Openings: Studies in Book Art, are responisble for the content on any separate URL location nor for any and all copyright or intellectual property infringment perpetrated by such third party sites).
- The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements of the most recent Chicago Manual of Style.
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In text citations should take the form of endnotes that are formated in the shortened endnote citation style.
Example:
Footnote/Endnote Shortened Citation
Minow and LaMay, Presidential Debates, 24-25.
Pollan, Omnivore’s Dilemma, 99-100.
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If a bibliography is also included, scholarly articles should use full bibliographic citation. All other articles should use shortened bibliographic citations, e.g.:
Footnote/Endnote Full Citation
Newton N. Minow and Craig L. LaMay, Inside the Presidential Debates: Their Improbable Past and Promising Future (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008), 24-25.
Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (New York: Penguin, 2006), 99-100.
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Copyright permission has been secured (when necessary) for images or other copyrighted materials.
Please consult with the editor if you are unsure whether or not copyright permission is required. - A note has been added in the Comments for the Editor box alerting the editor to any potential conflicts of interest for the review of the article. E.g., a submitter in a close personal relationship with an editor or potential reviewer should declare that person's name; a student should declare where they are in school so their own advisors are not asked to review their article. The editor will use this information to recuse anyone with a conflict of interest from being involved in the publication decision.
- REMEMBER: Double-check all dates, titles, spellings of names, etc. mentioned in your article.
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For Academic/Scholarly Articles make sure that the instructions in Ensuring a Blind Review have been followed.
Do Not Include An Author's Bio as part of the initial article submission.
Academic/Scholarly Articles
Openings: Studies in Book Art is committed to publishing current scholarly research on the artist book. This double-blind peer-reviewed journal is dedicated to scholarship about the book as medium, construct, and work of art, and more generally to the arts of the book in all their interdisciplinary forms throughout the world.
Openings welcomes manuscripts based upon research and scholarly debate involving the artist book with a focus upon, but not exclusively limited to:
The history of the book, ancient to contemporary; interdisciplinary methodologies; topical debates considering the development of the artist book; studio praxis; history; art history; material culture; visual studies; museum studies; collecting; cultural history; multimedia; pop culture; public art; art activism; pedagogy; methodology; historiography; etc.
Works that reflect interdisciplinary and diverse perspectives are especially welcome.
Manuscript submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Submissions should be between 3,000 and 10,000 words in length, with a maximum word count of 12,000 including endnotes and other reference materials. Submissions of less than 3,000 words will not be accepted for blind peer-review.
Manuscripts must be formatted according to the Submission Preparation Checklist.
For any questions not addressed by the website, contact the Academic/Scholarly Articles Editor.
Book Reviews
Openings: Studies in Book Art the journal for the College Book Art Association (CBAA) welcomes both Book Reviewers and Book Reviews to be published in its open-access, online journal on a rolling basis. Openings is committed to providing broad access to its readers regarding recent publications with respect to book art in all its interdisciplinary forms.
Openings seeks proposals for academic Book Reviews of recently published criticism on book arts, media studies, or craft and artistic practices. Proposals are not peer reviewed but individually considered by the Book Reviews Editor. If you would like to be a book reviewer the Book Reviews Editor can recommend potential titles.
Proposals for book reviews, of 250 words maximum, should include the title of the book to be reviewed, author, year of publication and demonstrate how the book relates to the themes and audiences of Openings. Book suggestions will be considered up to three months prior to publication date.
Once selected, the Book Review Editor will work with the reviewer to set an initial deadline for the submission of text. The reviewer will typically have approximately six weeks to write the review, which should range between 750 and 1,250 words in length, with a maximum word count of 2,000.
After submission and during the editing process, the Book Review Editor will keep the reviewer abreast of copyediting and production timelines.
For any questions not addressed by the website, contact the Book Reviews Editor.
Exhibition Reviews
Openings: Studies in Book Art the journal for the College Book Art Association (CBAA) welcomes both Exhibition Reviewers and Exhibition Reviews to be published in its open-access, online journal on a rolling basis. Openings is committed to providing broad access to its readers regarding recent exhibitions with respect to book art in all its interdisciplinary forms.
Openings seeks proposals for upcoming or currently presented Exhibition Reviews of recent exhibitions on book arts, artist books, media studies, or craft and artistic practices related to book arts. Reviews of individual artist books or a group or genre of artist books may also be considered. Proposals are not peer reviewed but individually considered by the Exhibition Reviews Editor.
Proposals for exhibition reviews, of 250 words maximum, should include the title of the exhibition to be reviewed, names of some of the artists involved, the dates of the exhibition, and demonstrate how the exhibition relates to the themes and audiences of Openings. Exhibition suggestions will be considered up to three months prior to the exhibition's opening date. If you would like to review an exhibition, the Exhibition Reviews Editor can recommend potential exhibitions and locations.
Once an exhibition has been selected for review, the Exhibition Reviews Editor will work with the reviewer to set an initial deadline for the submission of text. The reviewer will typically have approximately six weeks to write the review, which should range between 750 and 1,250 words in length, with a maximum word count of 2,000.
After submission and during the editing process, the Exhibition Reviews Editor will keep the reviewer abreast of copyediting and production timelines.
To submit an exhibition review for consideration, please contact the Exhibition Reviews Editor.
Student Perspectives
Student Perspectives, the student-driven section of the online open access journal Openings: Studies in Book Art published by the College Book Art Association (CBAA) welcomes submissions.
Student Perspectives is committed to presenting the graduate and undergraduate perspective on the topics of book art, artist books and studio practice.
This section is a chance for students to showcase their personal experiences as they learn about and practice the book arts and as they engage with the book art community. Some questions you might consider:
- How do you engage with book arts?
- Would you like to share?
- What topics and ideas are important to you and that you think do not receive the visibility in the book arts field they deserve?
- Are you passionate about book arts and the direction they historically or currently are taking?
- Are you working on a special project that you think deserves greater visibility and attention?
- Would you interview another book artist?
Student Perspectives welcomes manuscripts based upon research and scholarly debate involving the artist book, as well as interviews and other topics that reflect the book art student experience.
Interdisciplinary and diverse perspectives are especially welcome.
To propose other subjects not listed above contact the Student Perspectives Editor.
Manuscript submissions of between 750 and 2,000 words in length, with a maximum word count of 3,000, are accepted on a rolling basis. Submissions of less than 750 words will not be accepted.
For any questions not addressed by the website, contact our Student Perspectives Editor.
Studio Praxis and Pedagogy
Studio Praxis and Pedagogy the professional practices supporting section of the College Book Art Association’s journal Openings: Studies in Book Art welcomes submissions from studio practitioners and educators presenting their studio praxis or pedagogical practices for the benefit of other members of the making and teaching community. Manuscript submissions must be between 750 and 2,000 words in length–with a maximum word count of 3,000, are accepted on a rolling basis. Submissions of less than 750 words will not be accepted.
This section is a place for professionals to showcase and share their experience with other professionals in order to improve studio praxis and pedagogical practice of the book arts and engage with the book art community in general.
Studio Praxis and Pedagogy welcomes manuscripts based upon studio artists extensive development of printing and bookmaking techniques and experiences that shed new or different light upon scholarly and practitioner debates involving the artist book.
Works that reflect interdisciplinary and diverse perspectives are especially welcome.
To propose other subjects not listed above contact the Studio Praxis and Pedagogy Editor.
For any questions not addressed by the website, contact the Editor for Studio Praxis and Pedagogy.
Copyright Notice
The College Book Art Association (CBAA) would like to use certain copyrightable work(s) owned by you in connection with its print and online publications. To use these works we will seek for your express permission using our Copyright License Agreement. This Copyright License Agreement provides us with a non-exclusive license to use your copyrightable work and you retain full ownership of the work(s). We will provide attribution to you the artist/author wherever we use the copyrightable work(s) and take reasonable steps to protect copies of your work in our possession and control.
Once your materials have been accepted to be published in Openings our Editor will work with you to make sure that this process is completed in a timely manner answering your questions.