The Columbus Anthology
Edited by Amanda Page
Belt Publishing (Forthcoming)

Although Columbus is the capital city of the state of Ohio, it does not live in the national imagination the way older Ohio cities, such as Cincinnati and Cleveland, do. They have secured a distinct cultural presence for themselves, while Columbus is still becoming — and rapidly. In the last twenty years, Columbus has grown in population by two million people.

“The Columbus Anthology” will attempt to capture what Columbus is becoming, and to define a distinct cultural presence for Columbus and its citizens. Through the voices of local artists, activists, writers, musicians, and other enthusiastic residents who want to contribute, “The Columbus Anthology” presents a collective wisdom through its collected work.

“The Columbus Anthology” is the latest in Belt Publishing’s series of city-based anthologies. Editor Amanda Page is collecting essays, articles, and poetry about life in Columbus, Ohio, by writers who live in or have ties to Columbus, Ohio. Says Amanda: “The anthology is a chance to collect our thoughts about the place we live, the city we’re building, and the reasons we call it ‘home.’”

Submissions for The Columbus Anthology are currently open.

Amanda Page is an essayist and educator in Columbus, Ohio. Originally from the southern tip of the state, Amanda focuses on the relationship between who we are and where we’re from. Her work has been featured in Assay Journal, Eat This Poem, The College Investor, Columbus Underground, Modern Dog and Animal Wellness. She is on the advisory board for Wild Goose Creative, where she oversees the Flyover Library and subsequent events. She is an Assistant Professor of writing and humanities at Mount Carmel College of Nursing. Learn more about her work at amanda-page.com and/or follow her @amandadashpage on Twitterand Instagram.

About Belt’s City Anthologies

Says Belt Publishing:

“Each book is edited by a native or resident of that city, who asks the community to send in its stories, be they of revitalization, loss, family, history or hope — and be they written by professional authors, college students, or public servants. The essays, photographs, and poems that comprise the final product are impassioned, emotional, visceral tales of individual lives lived in places that have been too often overlooked, stereotyped and misrepresented elsewhere. The books resonate profoundly with anyone who has lived in or lives in the city, be it a young professional new to town or a retiree who moved away decades ago. So too do they fascinate those unfamiliar with a city, as the collective voices harmonize to provide an inside-out snapshot. Our books take you on tours led by natives.”

Belt Publishing is an independent, Cleveland-based publisher of anthologies “written by and for Rust Belt communities,” including Akron, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Flint, Pittsburgh, and Youngstown.