Info for Artists
Hello! We’re so excited to work with you on the 2021 Calendar. As you develop your project, here are some technical and logistic details to keep in mind:
Artwork Timeline
| September 13 | Artists notified via email |
|---|---|
| October 10 | First drafts due |
| November 3 | Second drafts due |
| November 15 | Final drafts due |
Tech Specs
Writing
- File formats accepted: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, plain text
- Maximum of 800 words
Visual art
- File formats accepted: PNG (recommended), TIFF, JPEG (not recommended)
- Color mode: sRGB
- Resolution: At least 1500px wide
- If you’re working from Illustrator or another vector app, export your files into one of the above formats
To ensure your art is accessible to everyone, please include descriptive text to accompany each image. If the text is included in an image (like for a comic), we’ll transcribe it for you—but we can’t provide descriptions for textless images.
Audio/music
- File formats accepted: WAV, AIFF
- Bit depth & sample rate: 24-bit, 44.1 kHz or higher
- When exporting, leave all compression, limiting, normalization, and other post-processing off your output track
Video
- File format: H.264 (.mp4)
- Audio format: AAC, 48 kHz
- Resolution: At least 1280×720
- If you’re exporting from Adobe Premiere, use the Match Source – High Bitrate preset
- If your video uses sound, please transcribe it or send us your script so we can include captions
Interactive
If you build your interactive using a 3rd-party service—like a slideshow or quiz builder—make sure the service allows embedding, and include the embed code when you send your draft(s).
Developing your own interactive from scratch?
Your project should be self-contained in one folder, ideally hosted in a Git repository. It should run serverless—that is, the project works without any server-side components or configuration, and doesn’t connect to an external database. If the project relies on npm or another package manager, all packages should be publicly available.
Most people who view The Advent Project do so on a mobile device, so make sure your project works well on phones and tablets. If you need help testing on different devices, let your editor know.
Be mindful of accessibility when building. Use semantic HTML and test your work so it can be enjoyed by people who use assistive devices. (For more details, check out this checklist from The A11Y Project.)
Your project will be embedded in an iframe on a page we host, so make sure it works well in this environment. Projects not optimized for viewing in an iframe will not be accepted.
Third-Party Materials
If you plan to use any third-party materials—like stock music, sound effects, or video—make sure you secure the rights to use them. You may have to pay for a license or credit the author.
Not sure about something? It’s better to check before making the material a big part of your project. Ask your editor if you have any questions.
⚠️ Many free sources still require attribution to use. For example, sounds from Freesound usually require crediting the original artist with a link. Trust us: Don’t get stuck tracking down the source for FryingPanClang_04.wav the night before submission.