At Magic Cabinet, we’re driven by our vision for community-led, community-driven impact. Which is why we’re partnering with The Seventh Wave, an arts and literary nonprofit illustrating the power of community storytelling.
Magic Cabinet is excited to announce our partnership with The Seventh Wave, a BIPOC- and queer-led arts and literary nonprofit that invites writers, artists, activists, and creators to take part in conversations surrounding the most pressing social issues of our time. These conversations unfold across mediums and genres, uplifting the voices of artists and creators wherever they are in the world or their creative journeys.
Our partnership will focus on The Seventh Wave’s Community Anthologies program, a digital series showcasing the work of 32 writers and artists across four thematic mini-issues. Each anthology is led by an editor-in-chief, who works alongside three other EICs as part of a cohort. Over seven months, the EICs learn how to curate a call, select submissions, edit, and nurture their contributors’ work, guided by The Seventh Wave’s ethos of intentionality and community care. We’re big fans of the cohort model and can vouch for its benefits, which include peer learning and collaboration around shared goals.
“We’ve been building for eight years, and this moment is another new beginning for us,” said Joyce Chen, Executive Director of The Seventh Wave. “Our partnership with Magic Cabinet enables us to double the number of folks we publish in a given year while also creating an opportunity for storytellers from the community to curate their own anthologies. We can’t wait to share this new platform for community and conversation with folks in January 2024.”
Through our partnership, we’ll work closely with the 2023 cohort to select work from the anthologies that aim to foster meaningful dialogue around participatory problem-solving and community engagement. This partnership will enable Magic Cabinet to move beyond our direct grantmaking towards an integrated approach that centers community-led philanthropy in our storytelling and our partnerships.
“We’re excited to see the phenomenal work that will emerge from the 2023 Community Anthologies Cohort,” said Zach Grossnickle, Sr. Manager of Brand and Communications at Magic Cabinet. “The Seventh Wave’s commitment to uplifting community voices in their programming mirrors Magic Cabinet’s mission of shifting power to community as the experts. Together, we’ll elevate powerful narratives that center the experiences of writers and artists who have a deep connection to the communities we serve.”
In addition to its Community Anthologies program and annual magazine, The Seventh Wave also hosts in-person and digital residencies, designed to bring artists, writers, and activists together to exchange ideas, share resources, and nurture their creative practices alongside each other. To learn more about their programs, visit theseventhwave.org.
The Seventh Wave’s 2023 Community Anthologies are now live. Learn more here.
