Today, we’re proud to publish the 1455 Young Poets Anthology—a collection of powerful, original work from writers ages 10 to 21 across the globe, each exploring the theme of hope in bold and unexpected ways.

This book has been a long time coming.

What began as an idea—an open call, a belief that young voices are not only worth hearing but essential—quickly became something much larger. Hundreds of submissions arrived from across the country and around the world. What we found, again and again, was not just talent, but clarity. This collection features urgency as well as imagination. These pages boast a willingness to confront the world as it is, while still insisting on what it might become.

These poets are asking real questions:

Where does hope come from?
What does it look like in a fractured world?
What does it mean to believe in something better—and to keep believing?

And they’re answering in ways that are intimate, surprising, and, at times, astonishing.

As the inaugural title from 1455 books, this anthology represents something more than a publication. It’s a commitment—to accessibility, to authenticity, and to building a literary culture that makes space for new voices, not later, but now.

If you’ve been part of the 1455 community, you’ve helped make this possible.

If you’re new here, this is a good place to start.

📘 The Young Poets Anthology is now available
bookshop.org
Amazon

If you’re able:

• Pick up a copy

• Share it with someone who loves poetry

• Or simply spend time with these voices

They’re shaping what comes next.

And we’re just getting started.

On behalf of the team at 1455 books, I thank you. Stay tuned for much, much more!

—Sean

For months, we’ve had the privilege of reading the remarkable work of young writers from around the world. Their poems are thoughtful, courageous, funny, heartbreaking, and full of the kind of honesty that reminds us why literature matters.

On launch day, these young voices deserve to be heard.

That’s where we need your help.

We’ve put together an easy promo kit with graphics, sample caption, and even a full media kit for anyone who would like to feature the Young Poets Anthology in a newsletter, on a website, or other places outside of social media. Get everything you need from the link below:

Young Poets Anthology Promo Kit

If you’re willing to help, there are three simple things that make an enormous difference:

1. Pre-order the book

The book releases June 23, 2026, but it’s available now for pre-order in paperback on Bookshop.org and as an ebook on Amazon.com

Pre-orders send an important signal that there is excitement around a new release and help build momentum heading into launch week. Better yet, you’ll be among the first to receive this inspiring collection.

If you’ve been thinking about picking up a copy, please consider pre-ordering now.

2. Share it on social media

Whether you’re a contributor, parent, teacher, friend, supporter of the arts, or simply someone who believes in encouraging young people, sharing this project helps these writers reach readers they never could on their own.

Every social media post, newsletter mention, email, and conversation expands the audience for these emerging poets and reinforces that their words matter.

And that poetry matters in the new generation.

3. Leave a review on June 23rd

Reviews are one of the most powerful ways to support a new book’s visibility. They help online retailers recommend it to more readers, build credibility for first-time buyers, and increase the visibility of the anthology long after launch week has ended.

For many of these young poets, this may be their first published work. A review isn’t just feedback on a book, it’s encouragement for the next generation of writers and a signal that their creativity deserves an audience.

Our hope has always been bigger than publishing a collection of poems. We want to celebrate young voices, foster confidence, and create opportunities for emerging writers to see that their words have value.

Thank you for helping make that possible. We truly couldn’t do it without this community.

Even if you do not purchase the anthology, please consider leaving it a five-star review to support us.

Review on Amazon

On the evening of January 21, 2013, after having recited the poem I wrote at President Obama’s inauguration before over a million people on the National Mall, I began to read some of the many thousands of emails in my inbox from people of all walks of life, ages, ethnicities, and races. The common thread of the messages, I noticed, was an expression of gratitude for the poem, through which they felt connected to and represented in the American narrative, as noted in our nation’s motto, Out of many, one. I was especially touched by an eighth-grade class that depicted the poem through a series of drawings which I’ve since framed and hung in my office.

But I also noticed something curious: many people referred to the poem as my “speech,” indicating to me that because they felt a connection to and understanding of the poem, to their minds it surely couldn’t be a poem. I intuited that this was probably the first time in their lives they had encountered a contemporary poem by a living poet, just as I had never made a real connection to a poem/poet until my mid-twenties—which prompted me to begin writing. As a result of those messages, I made a conscious commitment to do whatever I could so that people might have an opportunity to meaningfully engage with poetry earlier in life. That’s why I am so moved by this book’s intentions, which is to provide a space to support and celebrate these phenomenal, young voices. That is also why I’m delighted to share here some reasons why I believe poetry matters, especially at their age.

Whenever I look back on my teen and early adult years I often wonder how I would have been better able to understand, accept, and navigate my life as gay, immigrant, and Latino youth had I been introduced to poetry by poets who write about such matters, and written poetry myself. We find empathy and support in poetry, which can feel like someone holding our hand and saying, me too. In turn, we’re able to extend greater empathy toward others. At a young age we tend to live in polar extremes, in pure blacks and whites, and not in the grey spaces wherein life truly unfolds. Poetry allows us to enter and explore those spaces through which we learn to embrace the emotional complexities and contradictions of our lives, rather than run away from them. This kind of emotional mapping is essential in our development, allowing us to walk through our often-bewildering worlds with more direction, confidence, and hope. Ultimately, for these and other reasons, the reading and/or writing of poetry lets us mature into kinder and more emotionally intelligent and self-aware beings.

In closing, I urge all educators of youths everywhere to invite poetry into your classrooms—no matter what subject matter—as an important part of students’ emotional and intellectual development. I offer my sincerest thanks to the parents of these poets for supporting their creativity, which I’m certain will continue enhancing every facet of their lives, regardless of their future livelihoods. And lastly, my most heartful congratulations to all you young poets in this anthology. May you always keep poetry in your lives and continue to be enriched by its power, as well as enriching the lives of others though your own words.

1455 Literary Arts, the nonprofit dedicated to building community through storytelling, announces the June 23 publication of the 1455 Young Poets Anthology. The collection features 177 poets aged 10 to 21 from 36 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and nine countries across four continents. The anthology includes an introduction by Richard Blanco, the fifth presidential inaugural poet, and centers on the theme of hope.

At a moment when young people are often defined by what they consume, 1455 invited them to create—and to be heard. These poems, chosen from hundreds of global submissions, represent a diverse cross-section of creatives seldom invited to participate in literary or cultural conversation.

“In times of uncertainty, it’s the youngest voices that often see most clearly what can still be saved,” said Sean Murphy, Executive Director of 1455 Literary Arts. “We want to give them the platform they deserve.”

A Global Collection, Grounded in Hope

The anthology features poets from the United States, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Armenia, the Philippines, India, and Canada. The youngest contributor is a fourth-grade student; the oldest is 21. The work ranges from sociopolitical reflection to deeply personal meditation, all centered on the concept of hope as something honest, complex, hard-won, and defiant.

“The work we received reflects multi-faceted and provocative variations on the theme,” Murphy added. “Some poems wrestle with chaos, others are deeply personal, and all of them expand our understanding of what hope can mean in 2026.”

A Physical Book in Their Hands

The doors to traditional publishing are narrowing—fewer outlets, shrinking resources, and less space for new voices, especially young ones. The 1455 Young Poets Anthology offers something rare: a professionally published book featuring 177 emerging writers, most of whom have never been published before.

“Holding a physical book with your name in it changes something,” Murphy said. “It tells a young writer: I am in print. No one can take that away from me. For many of these poets, this will be the first time they see themselves as part of the literary world—and we believe it won’t be the last.”

Zero Barriers, Professional Platform

Submissions to the anthology were free, and contributors retain full ownership of their work. This project was sourced through outreach to thousands of libraries, schools, and campuses nationwide, and amplified through the 1455 community. The anthology will be available in paperback and e-book formats wherever books are sold and distributed to libraries. 1455 is also working with donors to place copies in as many communities as possible. This collection arrives amid growing national conversation about youth voice, access to the arts, and the future of creative expression.

The cover features original artwork by Kim Triedman, whose work has been widely exhibited throughout the United States. Retail price: $14.99. Learn more at 1455litarts.org/ypa

On June 23, 1455 books — the new publishing imprint of 1455 Literary Arts — releases its first anthology: 177 young poets, ages 10 to 21, writing on a single theme: HOPE.

They come from 36 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 9 countries. The introduction is by Richard Blanco, the fifth U.S. presidential inaugural poet. The youngest contributor is a fourth grader from Boulder.

We did the hard part. Hundreds of submissions reviewed. 177 poets selected. Free to enter, no fees of any kind, every contributor retains ownership of their work. The manuscript is finished. The distribution is locked: Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and IngramSpark for libraries. The launch is in motion.

We need help making it travel.

This is a genuinely national story, with local angles in 36 states and voices from 8 countries. A presidential inaugural poet is introducing young writers whose first published work will share a binding with his name.

A 14-year-old in Addis Ababa. A 17-year-old in New Orleans. Rural communities, major cities, overlooked regions, and global capitals — young writers from places that rarely sit together inside the same literary project.

They wrote about hope — not the bumper-sticker version, but the honest, complicated, hard-won kind.

“Unflinching, searching, and alive, these poems redefine hope for a new generation.” — Sean Murphy, Executive Director, 1455 Literary Arts

The full press release, media kit, poet bios, and cover art are at 1455litarts.org/ypa.

This anthology is the most ambitious thing we’ve done. We’d like to grow it and give it the momentum it deserves—and your tax-free support will make all the difference.

Need some additional inspiration? Check out our Young Poets Award reading and celebration!

With the official announcement of our forthcoming Young Poets Anthology, the inaugural publication from 1455 books, it makes sense to revisit our conversation with Richard Blanco, an inaugural poet who also is generously contributing a foreword to the collection.

Richard Blanco was selected by President Obama as the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history—the youngest, the first Latinx, the first openly gay person, and the first immigrant to serve in that role. Last year, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden. In addition to being a deeply gifted writer and public intellectual, he’s also an educator, an advocate, and one of the most thoughtful people I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with.

We cover a lot in this episode. Art and activism, yes—but also attention and agency. We talk about the challenges of writing political poetry that is also beautiful, personal, and true. We talk about the pressure of platform, what it means to have a public voice in a fractured nation, and how to resist despair in a time when cruelty and confusion seem to have the upper hand.

Some more highlights from our discussion, below, followed by the complete conversation.

ABOUT RICHARD BLANCO

Instagram: @poetrichardblanco

Facebook: Richard Blanco Poetry

X (formerly Twitter): @rblancopoet

Website: richard-blanco.com

With the official announcement of our forthcoming Young Poets Anthology, the inaugural publication from 1455 books, it makes sense to revisit our conversation with Richard Blanco, an inaugural poet who also is generously contributing a foreword to the collection.

Richard Blanco was selected by President Obama as the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history—the youngest, the first Latinx, the first openly gay person, and the first immigrant to serve in that role. Last year, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden. In addition to being a deeply gifted writer and public intellectual, he’s also an educator, an advocate, and one of the most thoughtful people I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with.

We cover a lot in this episode. Art and activism, yes—but also attention and agency. We talk about the challenges of writing political poetry that is also beautiful, personal, and true. We talk about the pressure of platform, what it means to have a public voice in a fractured nation, and how to resist despair in a time when cruelty and confusion seem to have the upper hand.

Some highlights from our discussion, below. Stay tuned for Pt 2 (and the complete video)!

ABOUT RICHARD BLANCO

Instagram: @poetrichardblanco

Facebook: Richard Blanco Poetry

X (formerly Twitter): @rblancopoet

Website: richard-blanco.com

A new generation is writing its way forward. 1455's Young Poets Anthology showcases powerful and original work from writers under 21 across the globe—all exploring the theme of hope in brave and often unexpected ways. These poems challenge us to interrogate what it means to believe in something better, and how imagination and empathy will guide us forward. As one of the inaugural titles from 1455 books, this collection represents a commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and the future of literary culture. Discover the voices that are shaping what comes next.

ABOUT

1455’s first Young Poets Anthology brings together powerful, original work from writers under 21 across the globe, each exploring the theme of hope in bold and unexpected ways. As one of the inaugural titles from 1455 books, this collection reflects a commitment to accessibility, authenticity, and the future of literary culture.

Featuring poets ranging from ages 10 through 21, these diverse voices grapple with the world as it is, and imagine a better future. These poems question what hope means in 2026, what it will mean in a year, or one hundred years. Where can hope be found? How can it be nurtured or repaired? These poets express uncertainty, confidence, resilience, and renewal, offering deeply personal reflections about holding on to hope, encouraging it in our communities, and using creativity and empathy to sustain it. In the spirit of Emily Dickinson’s image of hope as “the thing with feathers,” this anthology invites readers to consider their own definitions, and to witness how a new generation gives voice to possibility.

1455’s Young Poets Anthology is not simply a collection of extraordinary poems—it’s a living document to the power of young voices. In a changing world filled with uncertainty, these writers provide clarity and courage, and occasionally articulate new ways to see a future that’s at once inclusive and filled with opportunity. This work will endure as a snapshot of today’s realities, and a blueprint for ways we might move forward with purpose and peace. This book seeks to amplify myriad perspectives, connect readers across cultures, and serve notice that the next generation of literature is not only here now, but ready to help and inspire us.

CONTRIBUTORS

Why It Matters

Emerging voices with clarity

• Not commentary about young people—this is their work, in their own words, responding to the world.

Hope, without clichés

• These poems don’t offer easy optimism. They explore hope as complex, uncertain, and hard-won.

Real literary credibility

• Introduction by Presidential Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco shows this work is being taken seriously.

A rare first publication moment

• For many contributors, this is the first time seeing their work professionally published and shared at scale.

A window into a global generation

• Voices from nine countries offer a rare, firsthand look at how young people are thinking and feeling right now.

Unfiltered, not overproduced

• The work isn’t shaped by trends or market expectations—it’s direct and personal.

  ---

Breaking past traditional publishing limits

No financial barrier to entry

• Writers submitted and were published at no cost, removing one of the biggest publishing barriers.

No traditional publishing gatekeeping

• Work was selected on merit, not connections, credentials, or market positioning.

A model designed to promote, not just release

• This project is designed to be seen: it’s supported by a full campaign across media, social, and community.

Releasing on June 23, 2026!

To learn more about this anthology, visit https://1455litarts.org/ypa/!

The 1455 books Contest offers writers the rare opportunity to bring a full-length manuscript—poetry, fiction, or nonfiction—from draft to publication. Open to writers 21 and older, this program identifies one exceptional book to be professionally edited, designed, published, and promoted as part of the 1455 books catalog.

Each selected author receives full publishing support, professional marketing, and author promotion through 1455’s literary network, events, and partnerships. This is your chance to transform your manuscript into a published book with a mission-driven publisher that values integrity, accessibility, and lasting impact.

Great stories deserve to be read

At 1455, we believe the future of publishing should be open, transparent, and collaborative. The 1455 books contest exists to give one writer the same quality of professional publication typically reserved for established authors—without the barriers of traditional publishing.

By publishing and promoting the contest winner’s work, 1455 books aims to:

• Champion diverse, original voices whose stories reflect the complexity and beauty of lived experience.

• Provide equitable access to professional publication and marketing support.

• Foster lasting careers by equipping writers with tools and visibility beyond the book launch.

• Build a community where storytelling is valued as a force for empathy, innovation, and change.

Being published by 1455 books offers more than seeing your work in print—it’s joining a community of writers who use storytelling to connect, question, and redefine what literature can be. This project is a testament to resilience, artistry, and the collective force of diverse voices shaping modern writing.

Key Details

• Submission fee: $25

• Submit your final manuscript, professionally edited and ready to be published

• For writers 21 and older: one selected full-length book (poetry, fiction, or nonfiction) will be published by 1455 books

• Winner to receive professional book cover design, print setup, publishing, marketing, and distribution

• Winner to be featured in author events and PR sponsored by 1455

• Deadline: April 30, 2026

Why send your work to 1455 books?

Today’s publishing world hasn’t always made space for every voice. That’s why 1455 books was created: to make the path to publication transparent, and empowering. We believe in amplifying authentic voices and giving writers the recognition, respect, and visibility their work deserves.

When your piece is selected as the winner, you retain full ownership of your work. 1455 books only requests permission to publish your writing and share it for related promotions or events—your words will always remain yours to adapt, or expand elsewhere.

At 1455 books, you’ll find a community that values collaboration over competition, integrity over gatekeeping, and purpose over profit. Here’s what you can count on when you submit your work:

• Mission-driven publishing — 1455 books is removes barriers with low submission fees offset by nonprofit donors.

• Professional experience — selected writers receive professional design and publishing support.

• Meaningful visibility — be featured across 1455’s website and social media community online.

• Purpose beyond publication — every book sold supports future opportunities for emerging voices.

Learn more and submit

The 1455 books Contest offers writers the rare opportunity to bring a full-length manuscript—poetry, fiction, or nonfiction—from draft to publication. Open to writers 21 and older, this program identifies one exceptional book to be professionally edited, designed, published, and promoted as part of the 1455 books catalog.

Each selected author receives full publishing support, professional marketing, and author promotion through 1455’s literary network, events, and partnerships. This is your chance to transform your manuscript into a published book with a mission-driven publisher that values integrity, accessibility, and lasting impact.

Great stories deserve to be read

At 1455, we believe the future of publishing should be open, transparent, and collaborative. The 1455 books contest exists to give one writer the same quality of professional publication typically reserved for established authors—without the barriers of traditional publishing.

By publishing and promoting the contest winner’s work, 1455 books aims to:

• Champion diverse, original voices whose stories reflect the complexity and beauty of lived experience.

• Provide equitable access to professional publication and marketing support.

• Foster lasting careers by equipping writers with tools and visibility beyond the book launch.

• Build a community where storytelling is valued as a force for empathy, innovation, and change.

Being published by 1455 books offers more than seeing your work in print—it’s joining a community of writers who use storytelling to connect, question, and redefine what literature can be. This project is a testament to resilience, artistry, and the collective force of diverse voices shaping modern writing.

Key Details

• Submission fee: $25

• Submit your final manuscript, professionally edited and ready to be published

• For writers 21 and older: one selected full-length book (poetry, fiction, or nonfiction) will be published by 1455 books

• Winner to receive professional book cover design, print setup, publishing, marketing, and distribution

• Winner to be featured in author events and PR sponsored by 1455

• Deadline: April 30, 2026

Why send your work to 1455 books?

Today’s publishing world hasn’t always made space for every voice. That’s why 1455 books was created: to make the path to publication transparent, and empowering. We believe in amplifying authentic voices and giving writers the recognition, respect, and visibility their work deserves.

When your piece is selected as the winner, you retain full ownership of your work. 1455 books only requests permission to publish your writing and share it for related promotions or events—your words will always remain yours to adapt, or expand elsewhere.

At 1455 books, you’ll find a community that values collaboration over competition, integrity over gatekeeping, and purpose over profit. Here’s what you can count on when you submit your work:

• Mission-driven publishing — 1455 books is removes barriers with low submission fees offset by nonprofit donors.

• Professional experience — selected writers receive professional design and publishing support.

• Meaningful visibility — be featured across 1455’s website and social media community online.

• Purpose beyond publication — every book sold supports future opportunities for emerging voices.

Learn more and submit

The Young Poets Anthology is a global showcase for writers under 21, giving emerging voices a platform to be recognized, celebrated, and published. Selected work will appear in a professionally produced book — one of the first titles in our 1455 books catalog — and be promoted widely to readers and the 1455 community.

The theme is hope

For 1455 books’ first annual Youth Poetry Anthology, we are accepting submissions on the theme of HOPE. What does it mean to envision a better world? What does Hope mean, in today’s world? What does Hope look like? Where do you find Hope? What can we do, as writers, or human beings, to inspire more Hope? What are the forces creating barriers to Hope? How do we extract Hope from the dark corners or create it from nothing? Emily Dickinson wrote that “Hope” is the thing with feathers. What do you say? We believe poetry has the power to illuminate unimagined possibilities and are excited to feature the best young writers from around the world.

Being published in the Young Poets Anthology means more than seeing your poem on the page — it’s about joining a movement of young writers whose words will inspire, challenge, and connect readers across the world. This is your chance to leave a mark, to take your craft seriously, and to be part of a book that celebrates the next generation of literary voices.

Key Details

• Submission fee: Free

• Eligibility: Writers under 21

• One poem: Send us your best one

• Publication: Spring 2026, in print through 1455 books

• Deadline: January 30, 2026

Your words can change the world

We know sending your work out into the world can feel intimidating—especially for new writers. That’s why we’ve created 1455 books: to make the path to publication transparent, fair, and welcoming. We believe in nurturing authentic voices and helping young poets gain real experience in a supportive, mission-driven environment.

When your poem is selected for the Young Poets Anthology, you retain full ownership of your work. 1455 books only requests permission to publish your poem in the anthology and share it for related promotions or readings—your words will always remain yours to use, share, or publish elsewhere.

At 1455 books, you’ll find a community that values courage over credentials, accessibility over exclusivity, and creativity over competition. Here’s what you can count on when you submit your work:

• Mission-driven publishing — 1455 books removes barriers for young poets with completely free submission.

• Professional experience — selected poets receive professional design and publishing support.

• Meaningful visibility — be featured across 1455’s website and social media community online.

• Purpose beyond publication — every book sold supports future opportunities for emerging voices.

Learn more and submit

The Women Writers Anthology honors the craft, courage, and creativity of women authors across genres—poetry, fiction, and nonfiction—whose work deepens our understanding of the world. This anthology will bring together diverse perspectives and powerful storytelling from women of all ages and backgrounds. Each selected piece will appear in a professionally produced book and be promoted to readers through 1455’s literary community, events, and partners.

The theme is silence

Silence: It can protect or suppress, comfort or isolate. For women, silence has often been both a condition and a choice — a reflection of the worlds we inherit and the ones we create.

The 1455 books Women Writers Anthology invites submissions that explore silence in all its forms: the stories left untold, the moments between words, the quiet that carries truth. Whether interpreted as peace, defiance, or transformation, your voice helps illuminate what silence conceals and what it reveals.

Because women’s stories are world-changing

At 1455, we believe that representation in literature shapes how we see ourselves—and what the future of art can be. The Women Writers Anthology exists to amplify voices that too often go unheard, providing women creators with meaningful visibility, fair recognition, and lasting impact.

By publishing and promoting women writers, 1455 books aims to:

• Celebrate women’s contributions to literature, from emerging writers to established authors.

• Expand access to publication for underrepresented voices in the literary community.

• Foster dialogue and understanding through stories that challenge, illuminate, and inspire.

• Build a lasting platform for creative women whose work deserves to be seen and shared widely.

Being published in the Women Writers Anthology is more than seeing your work in print—it’s joining a community of women who use storytelling to connect, question, and redefine what literature can be. This anthology is a testament to resilience, artistry, and the collective force of women shaping modern writing.

Key Details

• Submission fee: Free

• Eligibility: Open to women-identifying writers, ages 21 and older

• Genres accepted: Poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction

• Selections: Approximately 50 writers will be chosen to appear in the anthology

• Publication: Fall 2026, in print and digital editions through 1455 books

• Promotion: Featured across 1455’s platforms and events, including readings and StoryFest programming

• Deadline: March 1, 2026

Why send your work to 1455 books?

Today’s publishing world hasn’t always made space for every voice. That’s why 1455 books was created: to make the path to publication transparent, and empowering. We believe in amplifying authentic voices and giving women writers the recognition, respect, and visibility their work deserves.

When your piece is selected for the Women Writers Anthology, you retain full ownership of your work. 1455 books only requests permission to include your writing in the anthology and share it for related promotions or events—your words will always remain yours to publish, adapt, or expand elsewhere.

At 1455 books, you’ll find a community that values collaboration over competition, integrity over gatekeeping, and purpose over profit. Here’s what you can count on when you submit your work:

• Mission-driven publishing — 1455 books is removes barriers with low submission fees offset by nonprofit donors.

• Professional experience — selected writers receive professional design and publishing support.

• Meaningful visibility — be featured across 1455’s website and social media community online.

• Purpose beyond publication — every book sold supports future opportunities for emerging voices.

Learn more and submit

For years, 1455 has been about one thing: storytelling as a force for connection, empathy, and change. Through festivals, author series, Movable Type, and this very newsletter, we’ve celebrated writers who remind us that words still matter.

Now, that mission takes its next step forward.

We’re proud to announce 1455 books — a new publishing imprint dedicated to authors whose work embodies creativity with purpose. This isn’t just about printing pages; it’s about building a home for stories that deserve to live beyond the noise.

In an era of infinite content, we believe stories should still mean something. 1455 books will publish original works and anthologies that amplify diverse voices, emerging talent, and bold ideas that expand our shared human narrative.

As Executive Director Sean Murphy says:

“We’ve created 1455 books because we believe in the transformative power of stories — and that compelling voices demand more than a platform, they deserve support.”

The first projects under this new imprint include anthologies celebrating young poets and women writers, with more opportunities ahead for storytellers to publish, connect, and be seen.

The 1455 Young Poets Anthology

Theme: HOPE

Free to Submit

The inaugural 1455 Young Poets Anthology invites poets under 21 from around the world to share original work on the theme of HOPE—in all its complexity and possibility. The anthology seeks poems that imagine renewal, resilience, and connection in challenging times.

• Professionally designed and published by 1455 books

• Featured on the 1455 website and across the 1455 community

• All publication costs covered by 1455 and its sponsors

• Submission deadline: January 30, 2026

“In times of uncertainty, it’s the youngest voices that often see most clearly what can still be saved,” said Murphy. “We want to give them the platform they deserve.”

Learn more and submit

The 1455 Women Writers Anthology

Theme: SILENCE

Free to Submit

The 1455 Women Writers Anthology will gather poetry, fiction, and nonfiction that explores the theme of SILENCE—as absence and presence, as burden and refuge, as the space where truth waits to be heard. Writers are invited to reclaim and reimagine silence as a form of power, protest, and transformation.

• Approximately 50 contributors selected

• Published and widely promoted by 1455 books

• Featured in 1455 events and readings throughout the year

• Submission deadline: March 1, 2026

“Silence has always held a complicated place in women’s lives,” Murphy noted. “This anthology gives that silence a voice—and honors those breaking it, as acts of resistance and empowerment.”

Learn more and submit

The 1455 books Contest

(No Theme)

$25 Submission Fee

A career-launching opportunity for writers aged 21 and older, the 1455 books Award will select one full-length manuscript—poetry, fiction, or nonfiction—for professional publication and global distribution.

• Comprehensive marketing and promotional support

• Author events and PR sponsored by 1455

• The winning title will join the inaugural 1455 books catalog

• Submission deadline: April 30, 2026

Learn more and submit

“This opportunity epitomizes what 1455 has always believed: that stories and voices matter,” said Murphy. “We’re building a home for writers who have something vital to say—and helping them share it with the world. We can’t wait to see the submissions, and hope the wider community of readers and writers helps promote and celebrate this vital endeavor.”

1455 Literary Arts is now sending out newsletters through Substack. Here you’ll find all the usual 1455 programming including Movable Type issue releases as well as new blog posts written by executive director Sean Murphy. Being a part of the 1455 community already, you are automatically subscribed for free, but if you want to support our nonprofit mission, we would greatly appreciate your support by upgrading to a paid subscription.

Subscribe now