Smart queer writing with a disco heart, a space for queer thinking and vital ideas.

catflap is the cutting-edge literary magazine from Outburst Arts, Belfast’s premier queer arts festival. catflap is a design-led publication – envisioned by Other Office – and publishes writers at the precipice of their careers alongside those just setting off.

catflap #3 is distributed by Public Knowledge Books internationally and is available to buy in these locations.  If you are interested in stocking catflap in your part of the world, please get in touch.

Belfast (local):

• PaperxClips
• No Alibis
• Outburst Arts Online Shop

UK

• Artwards Bookshop Limited (London – Broadway & Clarence)
• Big Shop Friday (Milton Keynes)
• Burley Fisher Bookshop (London)
• Category Is Books (Glasgow)
• Colours May Vary (Leeds)
• Common Press Bookshop (London)
• ICA Bookshop (London)
• MagCulture (London)
• Magalleria: Independent Magazines (Bath)
• Print Culture (Glasgow)
• Public Knowledge Books  (UK)
• Rare Mags (Manchester)
• Rova Editions Limited (Bristol)
• Shreeji Newsagents (London)
• Tenderbooks (London)
• Unitom – Universal Tomorrow Ltd (Manchester)
• Unique Magazines (Newcastle)

Europe

• Athenaeum Boekhandel (Amsterdam)
• Ausloser – (Sebastian Gansrigler)
• Chandal Store (Barcelona)
• Do You Read Me!? (Berlin)
• Librairie Sans Titre (Paris)
• She Said (Berlin)
• Softcover (Vienna)
• Well Read (Lisbon)

North America

• Skylight Books (Los Angeles, CA)
• The City Reader (Portland, OR)
• Ulises (Philly, PA)
• Walker Art Centre (Minneapolis, MA)

Asia

• Spruce Gallery (Manila, Philippines)

It’s Salon time kitties…

We’ve been thinking recently about queerness and this city. How we go about making work in this place. So, we want to have our next salon dedicated to the ways the cities we live in curb and shape and hold the queer art we’re trying to make.

We have some special guests and most of all we’re dying to hear what you think…

Join us on 24th April at 7pm in our Salon’s home of The Good Room of Bullit Hotel.

How does this city, this place, impact you and the art that you make or that you observe? Do you have work or ideas you’d like to share? We’d be particularly delighted to hear from artists whose work deals with the city, but everyone is welcome as always.

Book below to avoid disappointment!

Submissions are now open for the 4th edition of catflap, Outburst’s acclaimed annual publication of smart new queer writing with a disco heart.

catflapis a space queer thinking beyond the academic, where pop culture meets queer ideas and tenderness is as revolutionary as rage.

catflap loves exciting, sharp, bold,  daring queer commentary and poetry; send your queer essays, curious critiques, and personal provocations that ask vital and beautifully dangerous questions.

catflap #4 is edited by poet Mícheál McCann and will be launched with a special event as part of Outburst Queer Arts Festival 2024, November 15th-23rd.

Issues #2 and  #3 are now available in indie bookshops, online via our website shop and distributed internationally by Public Knowledge Books

WHAT YOU CAN SUBMIT

1. Essays of up to 5,000 words

2. Two or three poems (maximum)

All submissions must be the original work of the author and not previously published elsewhere in part or in full, in printed or in digital format. Intellectual property of the work will remain with the writer, however Outburst reserves the right to be the sole publisher of the work for a minimum of one year from the date of publication.

All selected contributors will receive a fee.

Email your work in Word or PDF format only to hello@outburstarts.com with the email subject line CATFLAP SUBMISSION 2024

Deadline for submissions is 12 midday on Monday 29th July 2024