Hello readers!

A publication must stand for something, or else why does it exist? Cobblestones was conceived as a practical editorial exercise, but if artists are asked to contribute their hard work to a publication, then the publication must stand for and center them. These simple principles are intended to articulate exactly how Cobblestones will do so in actual practice. They will serve as touchstones when a theory of publication is inevitably tested by real conditions over the course of this directed study.

1. Listen to the artist. Without artists, there are no publications. The artists are the purpose and the stars of the publication. It is presumptuous to speak for them. Every artist will be invited to submit a biographical statement and an artist’s statement about their piece(s) for publication alongside their creative work.
2. Pay the artist. Art is work. All work deserves pay. Even if the amount that can practically be paid is relatively nominal, each artist whose work is accepted must be compensated. Cobblestones will pay $20 per accepted submission.
3. Never ghost the artist. The artist invested time and energy to submit their work, and to do so is to put oneself in a vulnerable position. All submissions will be responded to, regardless of the answer given, as a matter of professional respect. 
4. Punch up, not down. Art is inherently political. Soliciting artistic production is therefore a political act. Cobblestones will take every opportunity to stand in solidarity with historically marginalized communities and will not accept submissions that seek to harm them. Submissions of a racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise bigoted nature will be rejected. Submissions that challenge systems of oppression will be encouraged.
5. No robots. Art is a human activity, and humans deserve the credit and payment for its production. Cobblestones will not accept work that is the result of generative AI. Please do not submit work that has been generated by an AI.
6. Be accessible. Art should be readily accessible regardless of the audience’s means. Publication should be equally accessible regardless of the artist’s means. Cobblestones will never put any portion of its collected work behind a paywall of any kind. Cobblestones will not seek to limit the republication rights of the work it prints. Cobblestones will never charge artists a reading or submission fee.