4yearsofhopeproject

[4yearsofhopeproject]

Final Dates for your Diary

We're excited to announce final dates for our first Zine!

We'll be accepting pieces of writing and visual art -- and as a reminder, our theme this year is Hope through Fear.

Submissions open: 1st August 2025

Submissions close: 30th November 2025

Keep an eye out for more information on what we're looking for and for submission guidelines in the next few days!

[4yearsofhopeproject]

YEAR 1

We’re happy to finally be sharing with you some full information about our first year here at 4 Years for Hope! We’re a small team, and all have life stuff going on, so please bear with us as we establish what’s going on over here, but here we have some things we can share.

Theme

Our first year’s theme is…

HOPE THROUGH FEAR

We’ll be welcoming submissions surrounding this idea, and exploring it throughout our work. We hope that our community can come together throughout the uncertain times we’re all facing right now and project a little bit of hope and community in spite of that. 

Causes

We’re going to be supporting three causes this year and setting aside a little for an emergency fund, so that we can assist in donating to any emergencies happening throughout the year. Our three main causes this year are:

Disability Belongs

Disability Belongs™ is a diverse, disability-led nonprofit that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities, and that advances policies and practices that empower people with disabilities to have a better future. Our mission is to drive cultural and policy change to ensure our full representation and influence, creating a more accessible, equitable, and inclusive society.

Centre for Reproductive Rights

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization of attorneys and advocates working to ensure reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights for the dignity, equality, health, and well-being of every person.

Point of Pride

Point of Pride helps the most vulnerable members of our community feel seen and supported through access to life-saving health and wellness services.

Dates (sort of!) for your Diary

We’ll be announcing our submission opening dates in the first week of May. Submissions will open in early June. 

Keep an eye out here around then for further updates! In the meantime, please share with your friends!

[4yearsofhopeproject]

4 Years of Hope

Hi there! We're 4 Years of Hope, aiming to bring you a mission of creativity, community and a little light in the darkness throughout whatever the next 4 years brings you. We know things are looking to be hard for a lot of folks right now, and we want to help a little in our own small, creative ways.

What will we be doing?

Each year, we'll be publishing an eZine featuring writing and art from around the globe in this wonderful writing community we've forged, aiming to help folks out there appreciate the joy of creativity. Each project will have a different theme specifically relating to hope. There will also be voluntary donations towards a charity supporting causes close to our heart in these difficult times.

Who are we?

We're run by a small team of community artists, just hoping to make a little bit of a difference.

Via is an author, theatre maker and workshop leader who supports folks to be the most creative version of themselves. They aim to inspire, empower and enfranchise through their work, and love to explore challenging and educational themes. They love cats, and if they could be any kitchen implement they would be a spatula.

Alex is a Canadian artist, musician, and YA author. When they’re not at the keyboard, you can find them hosting tabletop game night, working on illustrations, or at their other keyboard composing music. Their life’s work is to connect with queer youth who feel as lost and hopeless as they once did and provide a little bit of hope for the future, be that through writing, music, or comedy.

Em is a poet, parent, and artist specializing in sculptures. She loves to see what beauty comes from creativity and community and has a non-trivial obsession with turtles.

What's next?

We're still getting things set up on our end, but please keep an eye out over the next few weeks for announcements about our first Zine theme, and our first charity!