Daily Devotional Art Submission Guidelines

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The Upper Room magazine is a daily devotional guide that is published six times a year in many languages around the world. In general, our covers depict events from the Bible. We look for art for each issue within these themes:

January-February: Epiphany (Visit of Magi)/Flight to Egypt/universality of Christ/Jesus with the elders/John the Baptist/Baptism of Jesus
March-April: Last Supper/Passion /Easter
May-June: Biblical Family Relationships
July-August: Ethnic art and/or Miracles of Christ
September-October: Old Testament/Hebrew scripture stories (ordinary time)
November-December: Annunciation/Visitation/Advent/Christmas

Where do we get the cover art?
We obtain the artwork from a variety of sources: museums, art galleries, individual artists, stock artwork agencies, churches, etc.

What are we looking for in our cover art?
We seek diversity in style, era, medium, and ethnicity of artists. We use both realistic and expressionist art. We try to keep a balance of the traditional and the non-traditional. Traditional is any realistic depiction of a Bible scene/event in a traditional style. Non-traditional might be anything that falls outside of the traditional style -- cubist, expressionist, etc.

We also try to balance the artists who depict Bible scenes using non-European figures with artists using Anglo-European figures. Non-traditional images must be accessible to the average reader.

In addition, the following types of paintings would not be considered:

  1. Depictions of a figure alone (Paul or Jesus, for instance) not connected to a specific biblical event
  2. Monochromatic paintings (different shades of the same color)
  3. Merely religious events that are not biblical (such as a depiction of an event in the life of St. Francis of Assisi or of “Charity” as one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues)
  4. Objects alone—such as a dove flying (to represent the dove in the flood narrative) 
  5. Only a portion of the image of Jesus—such as his pierced feet or outstretched hands 
  6. Paintings in which figures are portrayed with a nimbus (halo)
  7. Paintings that depict prophetic/apocalyptic images
  8. Paintings that include words/letters

Also, because of the dimensions of the magazine (6.25" x 4.25"), we cannot publish paintings that feature a horizontal/landscape orientation.

How do you submit artwork?

We prefer that you send an email to [email protected] with a jpeg or tiff attachment or a link for locating and viewing your web page.

OR

You may send a photograph of the artwork or color photocopy to us for consideration.

Cover Art Editor
The Upper Room
1908 Grand Avenue
Nashville, TN 37212

What happens next?
Your artwork will be evaluated by the cover art editor. You will receive a response letting you know whether or not your image will be held for consideration for possible use on a future cover of the magazine. Images may be held for several months until the next meeting of the cover art selection committee.

Cover art selection
The cover-art-selection committee usually meets in August every three to four years. The committee is made up of a diverse group of staff persons from The Upper Room who help select three-to-four (sometimes more) years’ worth of cover art for the magazine. After the meeting, you will be notified if your artwork was selected.

Copyright
You must hold copyright to the image you submit or be able to obtain copyright permission for its use.

Payment
Payment varies, with a minimum of $200.