The 8th House

The 8th House: Poetry and Short Stories

The 8th House: Poetry and Short Stories brings together emerging and established Black writers in Nova Scotia for community events in May 2026 in Halifax, Annapolis Valley, and Cherry Brook, featuring live readings of poetry or prose from the participating writers. The project culminates in a zine that captures the work of the participants and is distributed to local bookstores, as well as being for sale at the live events. The theme for the event, the 8th House, represents ancestors, transformation, death, rebirth and tenacity.

Submission deadline: February 16, 2026

  • Meet the team

    The 8th House was created in 2025 by Chloe Bramble. Through a partnership with AfterWords Literary Festival, The 8th House was able to secure funding…

    Read more: Meet the team

about us

Open to emerging Black writers in Mi’kma’ki.

Submission deadline: Feburary 16, 2026.

Eligibility requirements:

  • You are an emerging Black writer who may have up to three publication credits, but who has not been published in book or ebook form. 
  • You are 18+
  • You reside in Nova Scotia, and have for the six months prior to January 1, 2026 (preference will be given to writers residing in event areas [Halifax, Cherry Brook, Wolfville]). Limited travel bursary is available for applicants outside these areas. 

Submission guidelines:

  • We are inviting writers to submit work to participate in a live performance, be published in a zine and participate in mentored writing workshops with local established Black authors. 
  • To apply, writers should submit unpublished poetry or prose pertaining to the theme The 8th House. The 8th House represents ancestors, transformation, death, rebirth and tenacity.  
  • Poetry submissions may be three to five pieces of poetry.
  • Prose submissions may be up to 3500 words in length. 
  • You may submit EITHER poetry OR prose.
  • The resulting live performances of the submitted work will be 8-10 minutes long. 
  • Depending on length, written works may be edited for the zine publication with author approval. 
  • Your submission should be typed, double spaced, in Arial or a similarly easy to read font, in 12 point text. It can be saved in a word document or PDF and attached to your submission email. Please also include a short bio (three to four sentences) and a letter of intent, which can be a few paragraphs long. In the letter of intent please tell us:
  • Why you want to be part of The 8th House project.
  • What you most hope to learn from the mentorship workshops.
  • Your publication history.
  • Email your submission by February 16 at 11:59pm AT to the8thhousemikmaki [at] gmail.com
  • Project timeline:
  • Feb 16, 11:59pm AT – Submission deadline
  • March 3 – Applicants notified of final decision
  • March 13, 14 – Virtual workshops
  • March 27 – Zine edits due, if applicable
  • April 20-25 – Approval of zine edits by participants
  • May 8 to 10 – Live events, details to be announced

Writers selected for this edition of The 8th House will work with one of these mentors.

Andre Fenton bio here

Asiah Sparks bio here

Cory Lavender bio here

Here’s the team behind The 8th House.

Chloé Bramble (she/they) is an artist, community organizer and veterinary technician from the beautiful island of Waladli. She creates opportunities for BIPOC artists to gather, learn, create and share their work. As an artist, Chloé practices writing and textile arts. Through her work, Chloé strives to create environments that celebrate their fellow Black community members. They are currently settled in Kjipuktuk, on the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. 

The AfterWords Literary Festival is a supporting partner of The 8th House project. Learn more about AfterWords here.

See The 8th House Writers present their work on stage.

Stay tuned for details about our live events, happening in Halifax, Cherry Brook, and the Annapolis Valley in May 2026.

A compilation of the writers involved in the inaugural edition of The 8th House project.

The 8th House Zine will be published in May 2026. It will be available for purchase at our live events, and at select bookstores and other retailers.

We’d love to hear from you.

Email us at the8thhousemikmaki [at] gmail.com or find us on Instagram.