Welcome to Our Arts Magazine

Our Arts Magazine is a home for artists, writers, photographers, and creatives of all kinds. We celebrate the creative spirit, share inspiring stories, and provide practical resources to help you grow and thrive in your artistic journey. Whether you are an emerging artist, a seasoned professional, or someone who simply enjoys the arts, this magazine is designed for you.

Most of the articles here are written and edited by our editor, Abbie Shores, who brings her own perspective as both a working artist and writer. Abbie’s voice runs throughout the magazine, shaping its tone, values, and direction. However, we also believe in community contribution, and you will find a number of features, stories, and opinion pieces written by our members themselves. This blend of editorial guidance and member input creates a vibrant mix of content — thoughtful, personal, and varied — that reflects the wide scope of creative life.

Our aim is to give every reader and contributor a sense of belonging. By featuring both curated editorials and member-led pieces, the magazine remains fresh, diverse, and authentic. Whether you are here to learn something new, to be inspired, or to share your own experience, there is space for you within Our Arts Magazine. To give you a sense of what we offer, here’s an overview of our main sections and how you can get the most from them.

Table of Contents

• About the Magazine
• For Artists & Photographers
• For Writers & Storytellers
• Lifestyle & Culture
• Learning & Growth
• Artist & Writer Features
• Community & Forum
• Our Features & Columns
• Meet the Editor
• Get Involved
• Final Thoughts

About the Magazine

Our Arts Magazine was founded with one clear vision: to create a space where creativity could be nurtured, shared, and celebrated. From the beginning, our goal has been to provide not only a platform for showcasing talent but also a supportive community where creatives can find encouragement and inspiration. We bring together people from across the world who have one thing in common—an enduring love of the arts. Whether it is through painting, writing, photography, or another medium, the individuals who gather here share the same desire: to express themselves and connect with others through creativity.

Within these pages, you will find stories of artists overcoming challenges, writers exploring new worlds, and photographers capturing moments that might otherwise go unseen. Each article is designed to reflect the resilience and imagination of the creative spirit, reminding us that art in all its forms has the power to inspire, heal, and unite. We aim to showcase not just the final pieces of art, but also the journeys behind them — the learning curves, the experiments, and even the setbacks that make success more meaningful.

What makes our magazine unique is its balance of inspiration and practicality. Alongside thoughtful commentary on culture and creativity, we also provide actionable advice to help you sell, market, and develop your work. This balance ensures that readers come away not only inspired but also equipped with tools to move forward in their own creative endeavours.

Our readers come from all walks of life, united by a passion for creating, learning, and connecting. Some are professional artists seeking to expand their reach, others are hobbyists pursuing their passions alongside full-time careers, and many are simply art lovers eager to support the creative world. No matter where you are on your journey, you will find something here to resonate with you.

In essence, Our Arts Magazine is more than just a publication—it is a hub where creativity meets community, and where every voice, from the editor to our contributors and members, adds to a larger conversation.

For Artists & Photographers

We are proud to highlight visual artists and photographers from all backgrounds. Our regular features include interviews, artist spotlights, and behind-the-scenes looks at creative practice. We also provide support for those selling their art online, with articles focusing on Fine Art America and other platforms. Our goal is to help artists not only create but also succeed in sharing their work with the wider world.

If you are looking for guidance on how to present your portfolio, tips on pricing your work, or inspiration from others in the creative field, this is the place for you. Just as importantly, our features often bring exposure and connections that help artists take their careers further. Explore all our articles for artists and photographers.

For Writers & Storytellers

Just as we celebrate the visual arts, we also give equal space to the written word. Writing is at the heart of creativity, and we feature authors, poets, and storytellers who share their journeys. Our content ranges from interviews with published writers to in-depth guides on world-building, character creation, and narrative style. We also showcase writers of all genres, from fantasy and poetry to non-fiction and memoir.

We believe in giving writers the tools they need to succeed—whether through craft advice, discussions on publishing, or sharing their work with new audiences. Discover all our writing features.

Lifestyle & Culture

Art does not exist in a vacuum. Our lifestyle and culture section looks at the wider world around creativity—traditions, history, food, and travel. From exploring Cornish cream tea etiquette to celebrating international art festivals, this section brings in the colour and richness of cultural life.

Opinion pieces such as Art Is Not Therapy—And It Shouldn’t Have to Be explore wider debates in the art world, encouraging discussion and reflection. We believe creativity should be celebrated in every form, whether in a gallery, a studio, or around a kitchen table. Read more lifestyle and culture features.

Of course, culture and lifestyle are only part of the picture. Creativity also requires ongoing learning and growth…

Learning & Growth

We believe that creativity is an ongoing journey, and growth is part of the process. It is not enough to simply create—we must also learn, adapt, and keep developing our skills over time. That is why this section of the magazine is so important: it provides the tools and encouragement needed to keep moving forward, even when progress feels slow or uncertain.

Here, we share articles on professional development, critique, branding, and marketing. These are not just add-ons to the artistic process—they are essential parts of building confidence, finding your audience, and giving your work the recognition it deserves. Learning to accept critique gracefully—and to give it respectfully—is central to growth as an artist, because honest, constructive feedback is often what pushes us to reach the next stage in our journey.

We also cover practical topics such as preparing your portfolio for seasonal sales trends, presenting your work online, and understanding the business side of art. These skills matter just as much as the creative act itself, because they ensure that your voice and vision can be shared with the world.

Our goal is to remind you that being an artist is not about perfection—it is about growth, exploration, and resilience. By engaging with the resources in this section, you will find not only advice but also reassurance: that every step forward, no matter how small, is a vital part of your creative story. Start learning now.

Alongside these resources, we also love to shine a light on individual creatives themselves…

Artist & Writer Features

One of the most loved parts of Our Arts Magazine is our Artist & Writer Features. These are dedicated articles where we shine a spotlight on individual creatives, sharing their stories, inspirations, and journeys in their own words.

The process is simple: artists and writers are invited to complete a short questionnaire designed by our editor, Abbie Shores. The questions are thoughtful but easy to answer, giving space for people to talk about what inspires them, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the kind of work they most enjoy creating. From these responses, Abbie creates a polished feature article that introduces the artist or writer to our wider community.

These features are more than just biographies. They are celebrations of individuality and creativity, allowing readers to discover new voices, styles, and perspectives. For the artists and writers who take part, they provide a chance to showcase their work in a professional format, with links to websites, galleries, or social media.

We publish features from painters, photographers, illustrators, digital artists, poets, and novelists—anyone who has a creative story to tell. This variety ensures that readers are always discovering something new, and contributors know their work will be seen and valued by a supportive audience.

👉 Submit for an Artist Feature

Community & Forum

At the heart of Our Arts Magazine is our community. Our forum provides a safe, respectful place for artists and writers to connect. Members can take part in mood board threads, creative prompts, collaborative projects, and thoughtful discussions that encourage both creativity and friendship. We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to negativity so that the space remains welcoming and constructive for everyone.

All comments on the main magazine articles take place in the forum, rather than directly beneath the posts themselves. This gives every reader the chance to respond in a shared space, where conversations can grow beyond a single author’s perspective. It also encourages members to interact with one another, creating dialogue that is lively, balanced, and inclusive.

To join these discussions, you do need to be a member of the site. Membership not only helps us all stay more secure, but it also ensures that our conversations remain respectful and free from unnecessary negativity. By keeping the forum a members-only space, we protect the supportive, creative environment that makes Our Arts Magazine unique.

Whether you are offering feedback, joining a themed discussion, or simply enjoying the company of like-minded creatives, the forum is the place where the magazine truly comes alive. Visit the community forum.

Our Features & Columns

Our forum is where conversations thrive, but the magazine itself also keeps evolving through recurring features and themed columns. At the heart of our work is marketing — helping creatives of all kinds understand how to share their work with the world, attract buyers, and build a sustainable presence. From simple social media strategies to more advanced portfolio planning, our marketing insights are designed to be practical, encouraging, and accessible to everyone, no matter their level of experience.

Alongside this central theme, we also adore publishing tips and tutorials. These can range from technical how-to guides on photography and digital editing, to thoughtful writing prompts, to step-by-step advice on managing your online art shop. We believe tutorials empower creatives to take immediate action, and they sit beautifully alongside our broader marketing advice.

Our magazine also thrives on variety, and that is why we welcome guest authors. If you have an idea to share, all you need to do is complete a simple form — once approved, your post will be published and shared with our readers. Guest contributions bring fresh perspectives, new skills, and stories that our editor alone could never tell, ensuring the magazine always feels diverse and dynamic.

In addition to these contributions, we share imaginative and entertaining series, such as steampunk-inspired art vignettes and interviews with niche creators working in unusual or unexpected mediums. We love spotlighting the corners of the creative world that are often overlooked, giving voice to those whose work deserves wider recognition.

This mix of editor-written features, member contributions, and guest articles makes Our Arts Magazine a constantly evolving resource — informative, engaging, and always open to new ideas.

Meet the Editor

Behind all of these moving parts is an editor who cares deeply about creativity and community. Our Arts Magazine is managed by Abbie Shores, an artist, writer, and community manager with a lifelong love of creativity. Based in Manchester, UK, Abbie has spent many years working online to support artists and writers while also pursuing her own creative projects. Her background is a blend of both artistic practice and community leadership, which makes her especially passionate about building spaces where creativity can thrive.

Abbie’s own interests span a wide range. She has a deep affection for animals, especially dogs and horses, and often finds inspiration in the quiet beauty of the countryside. Walking, sketching, or simply enjoying a picnic outdoors provides the balance and reflection that feeds her artistic life. These personal passions influence much of her writing, which is grounded, thoughtful, and shaped by her own lived experiences as a creative.

As both an artist and a novelist, Abbie understands the challenges of building a career in the arts. She is the author of the ongoing fantasy series Whispers of the Wolf, where she explores themes of identity, belonging, and transformation through richly detailed characters and worlds. Her dual perspective as creator and editor allows her to write with empathy while also curating content that is useful, practical, and encouraging for others.

Most of the articles you will find in Our Arts Magazine are written by Abbie herself. Her editorial voice runs throughout the site, shaping its tone, values, and direction. At the same time, she welcomes contributions from community members, ensuring that the magazine reflects not just one viewpoint but many. This mix of editor-led content and member voices gives the publication both cohesion and diversity.

Abbie believes strongly that creativity is for everyone, not only professionals. Her goal in running the magazine is to ensure that every reader—whether a painter, poet, photographer, or supporter—feels included and valued. She sees the magazine as more than just a publication: it is a place to share stories, to celebrate individuality, and to grow together as a community.

Meet Abbie and learn more about her own art and writing journey.

Get Involved

Our Arts Magazine thrives because of its contributors and readers. There are many ways you can get involved:

• Submit Your Work: Pitch an article, interview, or feature.
• Join the Forum: Share your work, connect with others, and take part in discussions.
• Follow Us: Keep up with updates and creative highlights on social media.

If you would like to collaborate, share your story, or contribute to the magazine, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch.

Final Thoughts

Before you go, I want to thank you personally for being here. This magazine is more than just articles and features—it is a gathering place for people who love to create, to share, and to inspire one another. Every word I write and every piece we publish is shaped with the hope that it will encourage you in your own journey, wherever you may be on that path.

I know from experience that being a creative can sometimes feel lonely or overwhelming. Whether you are picking up a paintbrush for the first time, drafting your hundredth story, or carefully building a photography portfolio, it helps to know there are others walking alongside you. My goal is to make sure that you never feel isolated, but instead feel part of a wider, welcoming community of like-minded souls.

Most of what you see here comes directly from me—I love sharing insights, stories, and resources with you. But the real strength of this magazine lies in all of us together: the readers who return, the members who contribute, and the guest authors who bring fresh ideas. Every voice adds something unique, and every creative journey has value.

So wherever you are right now—starting out, growing steadily, or simply enjoying the arts for the love of it—please know that you are welcome here. I hope you will explore, learn, contribute, and most of all, find encouragement and inspiration within these pages.

With warm wishes,
Abbie Shores
Editor, Our Arts Magazine