The Athenaeum Press at Coastal Carolina University is seeking project proposals for development and publication. Unlike other presses, The Athenaeum Press does not simply print already completed projects, but instead takes proposals for projects for development. Selected projects undergo an extensive development process, during which professors and students from across the humanities and fine arts will collaborate with the project initiator to design, build and produce high-quality content in a variety of unique media formats.

The Athenaeum Press is looking for two types of projects. The first is its flagship publication series. These projects undergo a one- to two-year development process and involve multiple classes of students. Project proposals should identify disciplinary areas (e.g., archaeology, music, photography, digital media) that the project involves and concrete skills that students can learn while working on the project. For example, the Press' first flagship publication, "Chasing the Paper Canoe," involved photography students retracing the steps of Nathaniel Bishop's canoe, while English students created a digitally annotated edition of his narrative. The Press is currently seeking flagship proposals for development in Fall 2014.

The second type of project is the Press' chapbook series. This development is often concentrated on a few students, the project initiator and one or two faculty members. The resulting publication is small, borrowing its name from the poetry publication of less than 100 pages. Chapbook projects are typically developed over a semester (three to four months), but retain their commitment to student learning and involvement. The first of the Press' chapbook series, "My Life with Mickey" by Jane Spillane, involved one graduate student who transcribed and edited Spillane's stories, and two visual art students who designed and photographed the entire book. The Press is seeking projects for development during the 2014 summer and fall semesters.

Regardless of the series, The Press welcomes proposals from scholars, students and community members, and is especially interested in projects dealing with distinctive, experimental and boundary-challenging subjects. The Athenaeum Press also selects projects based on their potential for development, amenability for multimedia application, commitment to collaborating and building student skills and education, and level of local, regional and national interest. Proposals should also include an addendum outlining a preliminary budget (including estimated costs for equipment, travel, research, etc.) and commercial value (the scope and range of the interested audience).

Please submit your 400 to 500-word proposal at theathenaeumpress.com/submit. To be considered, proposals must be submitted before April 4. Submitters will be notified of a decision by May 2. Submission or resubmission to The Athenaeum Press will be taken as a good faith promise that we will have exclusive consideration of the work during this time; therefore, we request that proposals not be submitted simultaneously to The Athenaeum Press and another journal or publisher.

About The Athenaeum Press

The Athenaeum Press is a student-centered laboratory for document design, editing, publishing, and new media development and dissemination. Located in the Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., the educational mission of The Athenaeum Press requires that every step of each publication project -- from research to writing, conception to design, production to promotion -- be taken with an eye toward enhancing undergraduate and graduate student skills.

For information or media inquiries, please contact Trisha O'Connor, director of The Athenaeum Press, Coastal Carolina University, 843-349-6652 or poconno@coastal.edu.