Looking forward
July 20, 2026 No Comments
Artemis Journal is an annual, juried publication that masterfully interlaces poetry and visual art, creating a radiant tapestry that celebrates our region’s spirit. Our mission is to uplift and showcase the creative voices echoing from the Appalachian hills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, nurture artistic expression, and weave a strong, interconnected community.
Founded in 1976 as a writing workshop for survivors of domestic violence in the misty embrace of Southwest Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Artemis Journal began as a luminous sanctuary for voices long silenced. By transforming anguish into art, these workshops offered women not just a tool but a lifeline: the power to write, heal, and reclaim their stories. Over the years, Artemis Journal has blossomed into one of the region’s most enduring and distinctive literary and arts publications, a testament to the resilience and creativity born from adversity.
Over five decades, the Roanoke-based journal has published more than 3,000 poems and works of art, showcasing both emerging and renowned talents in American literature and visual arts. Pulitzer Prize winners, Poet Laureates, and new Appalachian voices appear side by side, making Artemis one of the few U.S. publications that fully integrates visual art and poetry throughout its pages.
Nurturing the next generation lies at the very heart of our mission. Artemis offers hands-on mentorship to young writers, guiding them through the vibrant process of creating a literary and art journal and compelling social media content.
Through our internship program, students from area schools gain invaluable experience, and we are proud to have two talented Hollins interns currently shaping our work. This year, we are thrilled to join forces with Roanoke City and the Roanoke City Public Library to launch a permanent regional Youth Poet Laureate program. These rising literary voices will help carry forward our legacy. They will also help shape the celebration of our 50th Anniversary—an event made even more special by the presence of our distinguished guest, U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze, who will spend an afternoon session with the prospective Youth Poet Laureates.
Artemis further amplifies creative voices through its bi-monthly podcast, Artemis Speaks. Hosted by Founder and Editor Jeri Rogers, the podcast features insightful conversations with artists and writers whose work graces the journal’s pages. Now in its vibrant fifth season and reaching 5,000 listeners, Artemis Speaks invites listeners behind the scenes of artistic creation, offering intimate glimpses into inspiration, process, and passion—while championing the rich diversity that defines our creative community.
As a nonprofit, Artemis (Artemis Artists and Writers Inc.(ca 501 (c) (3); ) (3), EIN 52-1354121) donates 10% of annual sales to a local women’s shelter, remaining steadfast in its mission to amplify diverse creative voices from the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond.
This year, Artemis celebrated its 50th anniversary with a public launch event at the Roanoke Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, on September 4, 2026, featuring guest speakers, U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and internationally acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner as our cover artist. Roanoke City awarded a Proclamation to Artemis Journal recognizing the accomplishments of the organization and its valuable contributions to the region’s art culture.
Artemis Journal Golden celebration
50th Anniversary Celebration
This year’s celebration features our guest speaker, U.S. Poet Laureate, Arthur Sze.
Arthur Sze is a poet, a translator, and an editor. He is the author of 12 books of poetry,Sze, pronounced “zee,” was raised in New York City by Chinese immigrant parents. After a couple of years at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, he reversed course, transferring to the University of California at Berkeley to pursue studies in Chinese, poetry and philosophy — and starting his career in Santa Fe upon graduating.
“I literally came with my curiosity and a knapsack,” he told New Mexico Magazine last year. “I didn’t know anyone.”
He worked construction jobs and taught in school art programs statewide before being joining IAIA in 1983, where Joy Harjo, Sze’s predecessor — who served as the first Native U.S. poet laureate — attended and later taught.
In1984 he was hired to teach poetry to Native American students at the Institute of American Indian Arts.
Sze was the first poet laureate of Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 2012 to 2017, he was a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and, in 2017, he was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a professor emeritus at the Institute of American Indian Arts.
Sze introduces the ancient Sanskrit idea of Indra’s net: “Everything that happens in the cosmos is like a crystal. If you imagine the cosmos as an immense chandelier and shine light into it, each hanging jewel reflects and absorbs the light of every other. That’s one of the things poetry does,” Sze says.
He became the United States poet laureate in 2025. He is the first Asian American United States poet laureate. On 14 April 2026 Sze was named to a second term as poet laureate for 2026–2027.
Here is the wonderful poem by Arthur Sze, At the Equinox referring to our hometown, Roanoke.
At the Equinox
The tide ebbs and reveals orange and purple sea stars.
I have no theory of radiance,
but after rain evaporates
off pine needles, the needles glisten.
In the courtyard, we spot the rising shell of a moon,
and, at the equinox, bathe in its gleam.
Using all the tides of starlight,
we find
vicissitude is our charm.
On the mud flats off Homer,
I catch the tremor when waves start to slide back in;
and, from Roanoke, you carry
the leafing jade smoke of willows.
Looping out into the world, we thread
and return. The lapping waves
cover an expanse of mussels clustered on rocks;
and, giving shape to what is unspoken,
forsythia buds and blooms in our arms.
Copyright Credit: Arthur Sze, “At the Equinox” from Compass Rose. Copyright © 2014 by Arthur Sze. Reprinted by permission of Copper Canyon Press, www.coppercanyonpress.org.
Highlights of the 2026 Celebration Include:
- Publication of the special Artemis Journal 2026 “Origins” issue
- A public launch event on Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, featuring U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and internationally acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner
- Expanded mentorship for the Roanoke Youth Poet Laureate program (ages 13–19), with Arthur Sze offering a special session for young poets
On September 4, 2026, we will mark this golden anniversary with a special public launch of our “Origins” issue, Artemis Journal 26, at the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, featuring U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze and internationally acclaimed artist Michele Oka Doner. This culminates with our partnerships with the Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke Arts Commission, The Roanoke Library, and Roanoke Public Schools establishing a permanent Youth Poet Laureate Program, with Poet Laureate Arthur Sze mentoring the next generation of young poets.
Roanoke Taubman Museum of Art, stay tuned for more information.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
While NASA explores outer space, Artemis illuminates the human heart-50 years of healing, resilience, and rising voices in the Appalachian Region of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains.
FLOYD, VA — As NASA’s Artemis II rocket lifted off on April 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts on humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon in over 50 years, a different Artemis quietly celebrated its own golden milestone here on Earth.
Artemis Journal, the award-winning literary and visual arts publication founded in 1977 in the basement of the Roanoke YWCA, is marking its 50th anniversary throughout 2026. Named after the Greek goddess of the moon, wilderness, light, and protection, the journal has spent five decades “illuminating darkness” through poetry, prose, and art — empowering survivors of domestic violence, amplifying Appalachian voices, and nurturing the next generation of young poets.
“Just as NASA’s Artemis program reaches for new horizons in outer space, our Artemis has been guiding voices of healing, resilience, and creativity right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains for half a century,” said Jeri Rogers, Founder and Editor-in-Chief. “The cosmic timing feels like a beautiful affirmation of the enduring power of light and exploration — whether among the stars or within the human spirit.”
*Image “Moonwalk” by Steven Kenny https://www.stevenkenny.com
Born from therapeutic writing workshops for survivors of domestic violence, Artemis Journal continues its founding mission by donating 10% of all journal sales to a local women’s shelter. The journal blends emerging regional artists and writers from the Appalachian region with nationally recognized contributors, including Nikki Giovanni (who wrote the poem “Fall in Love (For Artemis)” for the journal), Natasha Trethewey, and Virginia Poet Laureates.
The 50th anniversary theme, “Origins,” explores roots, emergence, mentorship, and the stories that help us rise — echoing both the journal’s humble beginnings and the spirit of NASA’s return to the Moon.
Artemis Journal 2025
*cover image Morningside Home for Women by Gregory Crewdson
Artemis mission has not changed from its conception. Borne out of the writing workshops held for the victims of domestic violence in Southwest Virginia, Artemis Journal has been an advocate for social justice since 1977. We continue to pay tribute to those foundations today by advocating equal and fair treatment of all. Artemis strongly denounces all forms of discrimination. Whether it is a fight against sexism or racism, Artemis works to elevate the voices of all genders and backgrounds—and to provide a pathway for their art.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
This year, with our theme, “Homeward Bound,” we proudly dedicate our journal to the remarkable poet Nikki Giovanni, (1943-2024) whose words have illuminated countless lives. Since the 1980s and her recent years on the Artemis Board of Directors, she has crafted a legacy that inspires and uplifts us all. An internationally celebrated poet, Nikki’s work resonates deeply within the fabric of society, capturing the essence of free expression with every verse.
Home is where the heart is, and Nikki’s heart was firmly anchored in Southwest Virginia. As a dedicated educator at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, she has become a powerful advocate for numerous causes and significant Artemis Fund initiatives. In 2022, her impactful poem “Fall in Love (with Artemis)” was featured prominently in our journal, a clear demonstration of her steadfast commitment to our mission. Nikki served on our Board of Directors as our “Distinguished Poet.”
Here is the first page of our 2025 Artemis featuring her poem “Photography,” a bow to our cover artist, acclaimed photographer, Gregory Crewdson.
Nikki Giovanni
ARTEMIS SPEAKS PODCAST
Expanding our reach, we now podcast with Artemis Speaks. Celebrating 5 seasons of podcasting, Interviewing artists and writers published in our library of journals, host Jeri Rogers explores the creative energy of her guests with probing questions. Artemis Speaks is co-produced with Skip Brown of Final Track Studios.
Artemis Journal 2024
As we celebrate the 48th anniversary of Artemis Journal in 2024, we take pride in the collective achievements of this small, independent journal. Nestled in the rural, conservative southwest corner of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, our survival is a testament to the power of creativity and collaboration. Artemis Journal has survived and thrived, extending its influence beyond the borders Southwest Virginia.
Together, we have cultivated a network of artists and writers, each a solitary bee working in a vast field of ideas, each seeking the transformative spark that turns nectar into life-sustaining honey.
The theme “Illuminating the Darkness,” addresses the challenges facing our artist and writers today. Natasha Trethewey’s poem “Enlightenment” shows the way and is our featured poem in the journal as well as our guest speaker for the launch at the Roanoke Taubman Museum of Art on September 6, 2024.
Cover by Cynthia Wick, Jojos View
Artemis Journal 2023
Artemis Journal 2023 will launch on September 1, 2023, at The Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia. This year’s celebration is a Benefit for the Taubman Museum of Art and Artemis Journal. The theme is “transformative nature.” The event will have Artists and Writers speaking, including Artist Bob Rotche, Acclaimed Poet Nikki Giovanni, and Music by Songwriter Lara Taubman and her Band.
Cover by Jeri Rogers, Axis Mundi
Artemis Journal 2022
The theme of this year’s journal, “For the Love of a Book,” was inspired by Distinguished Poet Nikki Giovanni’s poem, “Fall in Love (For Artemis) .” This theme expresses a core belief that implicitly drove the inception of our journal, and it can account for our compendium’s continuance into the present. Our journal has a wide swath of artists and writers, some first-time published, others well-known in their fields. We are honored to include the work of former US Poet laureate Natasha Trethewey, Virginia Poet Laureates Ron Smith, Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, and current Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia Luisa Igloria, and many other remarkable poets and artists from around the world. There is lots to explore, with 153 artists and writers published in this journal. For information to purchase, go to our Store on this website.
This year’s cover, “The Flock,” is by esteemed artist Steven Kenny
Artemis Journal 2021
One of the few journals in America that blends art, poetry, and prose throughout its pages. Likewise, it remains one of the few journals that publish fledgling writers and artists alongside prominent writers such as Nikki Giovanni, Virginia Poet Laureates, Luisa Igloria, Ron Smith, Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, U.S. Poet Laureates, Rita Dove, Natasha Trethewey, as well as prominent artists such as Donna Polseno, Betty Branch, and Bill White. Artemis Cover by Donna Polseno.
Artemis Journal 2020
Our journal includes poetry from two Virginia Poet Laureates, Ron Smith and Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda, and a U.S. Poet Laureate, Natasha Trethewey. Maurice Ferguson, Literary Editor of Artemis, received over 400 submissions this year came from across the United States as well as foreign countries and including 170 of the submissions.
“Season of Women” was the theme for the journal and was a centennial celebration of the 19th amendment to the US Constitution, giving women the right to vote, passed one hundred years ago. As we celebrate this momentous event, we honored an artist who was also born 100 years ago and impacted the art scene here in our hometown, nationally and internally. Dorothy Gillespie, 1920-2012, supported our fledgling idea of starting a feminist literary and art journal by donating a beautiful pastel for our very first cover. The energy she brought to our journal and our hometown was contagious, and along with the journal, the idea was born to create the very first mural in our downtown.
Cover artist Dorothy Gillespie
Artemis 2019
Artemis 2019 was launched with a fundraiser on June 7, 2019, at the Roanoke Taubman Museum of Art. The program’s highlight was an exceptional ballet dance performance, Poetry in Motion, interpreting selected poems from our journal by students from the nonprofit Southwest Virginia Ballet.
In the aftermath of the Women’s Marches of 2017, Artemis adopted this ancient proverb for the journal’s theme: “Women Hold Up Half the Sky.” Emblematic of this theme, we featured two women who have held up their part of the sky, Photographer Sally Mann and Poet Natasha Trethewey. Our cover image for Artemis 2019 is a stunning photograph from Sally Mann’s recent show, “Sally Mann—A Thousand Crossings,” which opened last year at the National Gallery of Art and has since traveled internationally. Our featured poet is U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Natasha Trethewey, who opens our journal with her profound poem, “Reach.”
Artemis 2019 was dedicated to the acclaimed poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Oliver, who passed away in January. Her deep regard for nature and reverence for all living things have been guideposts for all of us. We also have poems by some of Virginia’s finest poets, including Virginia’s Poet Laureate, Ron Smith, acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni, Linda Parsons, Susan Hankla, and Katherine Soniat.
Artemis 2019 expanded our literary range into science fiction short stories by collaborating with two California-based non-profits, The Light Bringer Project & Hollywood National Organization for Women, to create a special award, “Women Hold Up Half the Sky,” for a story with a feminist theme.
Artemis, now 50 years old, celebrates the voices and visions of artists and writers from the Appalachian region of the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond. Like its namesake, the Greek lunar goddess, Artemis, had the divine duty of illuminating the darkness and was the goddess of the hunt and protector of the natural world. She is often depicted carrying a candle or torch, lighting the way for others and leading them through uncharted territories.
Artemis is a charitable, non-profit organization made possible by generous contributions from our supporters, The Roanoke Library Foundation, the Roanoke Arts Commission, and The Taubman Museum of Art, The Roanoke Public Library, Joanne Leonhardt Cassullo-Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation.
10% of our profits are donated to shelters for abused women & their children in Southwest Virginia.
To ensure Artemis not only celebrates 50 years but thrives for the next 50, we are actively building an Endowment Fund with the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia. This fund will provide long-term stability for the journal, our youth mentorship programs, and community events — securing our legacy of healing, creativity, and regional voices for generations to come. The annual Artemis Journal Launch supports the Taubman Museum of Art through a sharing of Launch event ticket sales.