JEFFERSON CITY – The New Territory Magazine recently added three new directors to its nonprofit board: Leslie VonHolten of Lawrence, KS; Sara Maillacheruvu of Chicago, IL; and Cheyenne White of Topeka, KS. 

“Our directors share true passion for telling new stories about the Lower Midwest,” says board president Emily Render. “The new directors bring skills that will not only help foster writers, editors, and artists in our region, but also help send a high-quality magazine to our readers’ mailboxes.”

The 13-person board supports the organization’s mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative writing focused on personal, natural and societal stories. 

This year marks the 10th consecutive year of publishing the biannual, full-color print magazine. 

“I am thrilled to welcome Sara, Leslie, and Cheyenne to our leadership in time to celebrate a big milestone,” says Tina Casagrand Foss, The New Territory Magazine founder and executive director. “Sara was a top-level editor with us for many years, so she knows the magazine intimately. Leslie and Cheyenne have both been champions of regional storytelling and are experts in art and material culture. They’re also expanding our reach across Illinois and Kansas, bringing us closer to fully representing a regional scope to which we aspire.”  

For more information, visit The New Territory Magazine nonprofit board page.

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About The New Territory Magazine
The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories.

The post The New Territory Magazine Welcomes Three New Board Directors appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

JEFFERSON CITY – The New Territory Magazine was awarded a $24,831 reimbursement grant from the Missouri Arts Council, which will cover costs for producing its flagship publication, The New Territory. The grant renews in 2026.

The New Territory is an independent, longform literary magazine created by and for people living in the Lower Midwest, a region that includes Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Northwest Arkansas, and Southern Illinois.

The Missouri Arts Council provides funding for artistic projects that demonstrate alignment with the council’s strategic goals of engaging people in meaningful arts experiences, growing Missouri’s economy using the arts, and strengthening Missouri education through the arts.

“The New Territory blends literary journalism with visual art that creates a showcase for the lower Midwest,” said Missouri Arts Council Executive Director Michael Donovan. “You feel its beating heart and it makes you glad to wake up in this vibrant region, sown with imagination and ideas.”

The magazine’s eligibility for this funding comes at the heels of a recent restructure. The New Territory incorporated as a 501(c)3 in 2023, which has allowed it to diversify its revenue streams to include philanthropic support rather than relying solely on advertising and subscriptions. The organization takes its nonprofit status seriously. The New Territory’s mission statement calls upon its contributors, editors, and board of directors “to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural, and societal stories.”

“Although The New Territory is celebrating its 10th anniversary next year, we are relatively new as a nonprofit organization,” says The New Territory founder and publisher Tina Casagrand Foss. “To receive this Missouri Arts Council grant is an honor and vote of confidence from the literary arts community of our creative state.”

The New Territory strives to expand the portfolio of American creative writing by publishing essential new voices from Missouri and the Lower Midwest. The magazine’s editorial team has a tradition of connecting new feature writers with contributing editors who have previously published with The New Territory or whose body of work lends expertise in the topic at hand. 

The New Territory publishes two full-color, 128-page issues per year, each featuring works from 25 to 35 contributors including writers of creative nonfiction, literary journalism, poetry, and short story as well as visual creatives such as documentary photographers, painters, illustrators, and multimedia artists. Since its founding in 2016, The New Territory has worked with more than 450 regional writers and artists.

“We believe strongly that supporting Missouri with the arts creates vital communities, effective education, and a better state to live, work, and visit,” Donovan said.

Direct all media inquiries to Tina Casagrand Foss. 

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About The New Territory Magazine

The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories. Visit newterritorymag.com.

About the Missouri Arts Council

The Missouri Arts Council, a division of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, is the state agency dedicated to broadening the growth, availability and appreciation of the arts in Missouri and fostering the diversity, vitality and excellence of Misosuri’s communities, economy and cultural heritage. The council is funded by the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Cultural Trust, and the National Endowment for the Arts. 

The post The New Territory Magazine Receives Missouri Arts Council Grant to Support Regional Literary Journalism appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

Can understanding about our place lead to love and action?

We say yes.

Welcome, 2025 Fellows:

We’re excited to introduce the people who will serve in the magazine’s third editorial fellowship, designed to invigorate the publication’s editing process and broaden our reach to new communities.

(pictured top to bottom, left to right)

Nancy Bell

• Role: Shop Talk Editor
• Volunteering from: St. Louis, MO

Claire Burke

• Role: Features Editor
• Volunteering from: Shawnee, KS

Callie Arnold

• Role: Literature Section Reader
• Volunteering from: Hillsboro, KS

Jeanetta Calhoun Mish

• Role: Here Section Editor
• Volunteering from: Tulsa, OK

Caroline Dohack

• Role: Dabbler Newsletter Editor
• Volunteering from: Columbia, MO

Clayton Steward

• Role: Photography Editor
• Volunteering from: Kansas City, MO

Community Relations

Additionally, The NT welcomes fall intern Kelsey Snowden, who follows summer intern Makenzie Zimmerman, both of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. Kelsey will use her extraordinary writing and editing skills to develop behind-the-scenes content for The NT’s Patreon page, a platform for our biggest fans to make small monthly donations to support our full-color printing.

Sarah Ray will join our masthead of on-call copy editors and proofreaders.

Jessica Vaughn Martin has been helping all year with planning New Territory events, in addition to writing a feature in our forthcoming Issue 18.

The New Territory publishes twice a year. Subscribe here to get it in your (snail) mailbox.

Founded in 2016, The New Territory Magazine has been a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization since 2023. 

The post The New Territory Welcomes New Volunteer Editorial Fellows appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

Are you Midwest-obsessed? Interested in volunteering to edit for a high-quality print magazine full of deeply researched and carefully crafted stories and thoughtfully-designed art? Longing to be part of a small and dedicated team? We’re here, we’re ready. Read on!

The New Territory (NT) is the flagship publication of The New Territory Magazine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating and fostering love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing personal, natural and societal narrative journalism, art, and stories. Geographically, we focus on Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Northwest Arkansas, Southern Illinois, and Iowa.

We are pleased to announce our third round of New Territory Fellowships. NT Editorial Fellows will have the opportunity to shape the magazine in ways big and small. Fellowships run from September 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026 with about 1-2 hours/week commitments, depending on the position. 

Editorial Fellowships

FEATURES EDITOR,

who works closely with NT contributors and contributing editors to edit longform journalism, nonfiction, and/or photo essays from pitch to final drafts.

Features — of which five are published each issue — are The NT’s bread and butter. 

The duties of a features editor will include: 

• evaluating journalism pitches and creative nonfiction (CNF) submissions in a bimonthly team meeting
• participating in the planning of issues
• helping prepare NT features for publication via:
  • helping contributors and contributing editors shape, clarify, and/or develop narratives
  • editing to adjust the tone of pieces to meet the needs of our readers
  • copy-editing and proofreading
  • maintaining writers’ unique styles, voices, and perspectives
  • aiding the creative director in finding accompanying artwork for each essay.

You won’t work alone! We have a tradition of pairing feature contributors with previously published volunteer editors, so the first few rounds of most pieces are covered. (We will work with you to determine which pieces you get to edit directly, as will fit with a reasonable volunteer workload.)

Therefore, we need an astute, meticulous, professional editor who is also able to recognize The NT’s larger editorial picture and collaborate with our editor-in-chief and creative director/program manager to make the book cohesive.

HERE SECTION EDITOR,

who curates and edits a selection of short, place-based essays for each issue. 

Here essays are bite-sized celebrations of place. Averaging 1,000 words, each Here essay is a cozy, bite-sized read that takes readers to new and familiar places. 

The duties of the Here section editor will include:

• curating and editing three essays per issue
• aiding the creative director in finding artwork for each essay
• evaluating journalism pitches and CNF submissions in a bimonthly team meeting
• if desired, assisting with other editing projects related to The NT, TBD on a case-to-case basis

Past editors of our Here section have benefited greatly from having and curating a personal network of Midwestern writers, photographers, and/or artists. Inviting people you know and admire to work with you on an essay for this section is a perk of the job! Our current team will of course also help with making introductions and connections.

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR,

who curates the Light Room section and assists The NT creative director in building our network of photographers.

The Light Room section opens each magazine with a splash. It features three full-spread photos that showcase the Lower Midwest through unique faces, landscapes, patterns, and events.

Duties of the photography editor will include:

• curating three Light Room photos per issue via online research and personal outreach
• managing the image files for Light Room, ensuring they are the right size for print and include a meaningful caption
• evaluating journalism pitches, particularly photo essays, and CNF submissions in a bimonthly team meeting
• advising on photo editing for the rest of the magazine
• if desired, making photos for the magazine’s print pages and/or marketing efforts

Ideally, our photography editor fellow will be someone with connections to the art and photojournalism world. Through online research and social media, they will discover and connect with photographers who can take us to new and interesting places across our region.

DABBLER EDITOR,

who curates our semi-regular Dabbler email newsletter.

Our irregular newsletter, The Dabbler, is itself a treasured aspect of The NT’s community, keeping readers connected in between biannual print issues. 

Duties of the Dabbler editor will include:

• discovering articles, videos, book recommendations and other nuggets that fit the ethos of The NT and the Dabbler
• managing links and images
• collaborating with the editor-in-chief prior to publication
• designing campaigns in MailChimp
• creating 2-4 Dabbler emails each month
• if desired, joining bimonthly editorial meetings

Don’t worry, we’ll train you up in said “ethos,” and share our secrets of a successful Dabbler. Being a current Dabbler fan is a definite plus.

MIDWEST MADE EDITOR,

who finds, curates, and photographs a selection of locally-made goods for the Midwest Made section.

Midwest Made features a selection of regional products, including crafts, food, decorative arts, small press books or journals, outdoor goods, and more. Think: a remarkable regional gift shop.

Duties of the Midwest Made editor will include: 

• discovering original work made in the Lower Midwest via online research and personal outreach
• photographing the goods individually and together
• writing captions for each maker/item 
• if desired, joining bimonthly editorial meetings

We invite the editor of this section to put their own creative/artistic spin on the section and photography. This fellowship may be perfect for individuals looking for published experience in food and/or commercial photography. A perk of this job is making connections with creative people in the region and trying new products.

How to Apply

Submit a one-page cover letter describing: 

• why you’re a great fit for the fellowship/section you’re applying to
• why The New Territory speaks to you
• what you hope to get out of your time volunteering with the magazine 
• what you hope to contribute to The NT and respective sections 

In addition, please attach a one-page resume. Although relevant experience is a plus, we will consider all candidates who are excited to contribute to our team. 

Submit materials to newterritorymag@gmail.com by Friday, August 15 (deadline extended) at 11:59 p.m.

The post Announcing: NT Editorial Fellowships 2025 appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

“Hearing Place will bring our Midwest humanities themes to life through vibrant programming that might remind you of your favorite field trips or TEDx events,” says Tina Casagrand Foss, executive director of The New Territory Magazine. A variety of activities will take place around Weston from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., with the main hub at Eventful at Locust Grove (25180 NW County Rd. JJ). University of Missouri scholars and New Territory leaders will engage participants in workshops and tours in the late morning and convene for an interactive moderated panel presentation in the early afternoon, with social time to follow for one-on-one conversation.

“The many different disciplines that are incorporating elements of sound across Missouri and the Midwest will deepen participants’ understanding of our place,” says Dr. Soren Larsen, professor of geography at the University of Missouri and organizer of the scholar panel. 

Presentation topics include ecomusicology, Indigenous soundscapes, folk music, creative writing centered on place, tobacco farming, and the Missouri River podcast River Town. “We believe words heal divides,” says Casagrand Foss. “And we look forward to working with Missouri Humanities to fulfill its vision of a more thoughtful, informed, and civil society.”

Following the Hearing Place event, The New Territory will host a fundraiser dinner to benefit the independent 501(c)3 nonprofit magazine’s narrative journalism, art and personal, natural and societal stories about the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest.

For more information on attending or sponsoring the event, please visit the Pageturner 2024 page at newterritorymag.com.

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About Missouri Humanities
Missouri Humanities’ programs remember the past by exploring Missouri’s Heritage, sharing Veterans stories, and preserving Native American and Civil War history. Visit mohumanities.org.

About The New Territory Magazine
The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories. Visit newterritorymag.com.

Download PDF of this press release →

The post The New Territory Magazine Receives Missouri Humanities Grant to Support The Pageturner: Hearing Place Conference in Weston September 22 appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

JEFFERSON CITY – The New Territory Magazine recently added three new directors to its nonprofit board: Jeff Schaeperkoetter, Steve Gerkin, and Pete Dulin. The board, which now consists of 10 people, supports the organization’s mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories.

Building on The New Territory magazine’s years as a collaborative art project and LLC since 2016, the organization formalized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2023. The board of directors focuses on strategic planning, programs outside of the scope of the print and digital magazine, and fundraising.

“We have already seen early success as a nonprofit in our first year, both in printing two quality issues of Lower Midwest writing and art, hosting our Pageturner fundraiser, establishing Founders Circle and Charter Member philanthropic programs, and receiving our first grant,” says Margo Farnsworth, board president. “After establishing many basic policies and procedures, we are excited to welcome new volunteers to help carry our vision and strategy forward.”

All board members have experience with The New Territory as contributors, subscribers and promoters. In 2024 they look forward to leveraging their community connections and professional skills toward increasing magazine subscribers, building organizational partnerships, advising on programs and overall growth strategy, and helping connect more talented Lower Midwestern journalists and artists with The New Territory Magazine.

“I could not be more excited to welcome Jeff, Steve, and Pete to our second year of nonprofit service,” Tina Casagrand Foss, The New Territory Magazine founder and executive director, said. “They bring collective decades of experience serving their home communities of Mid-Missouri, Tulsa, and Kansas City with skills in organizations, law, marketing, creative writing, and more. The Lower Midwest is fortunate to have them focused on the region.”

For more information, visit The New Territory Magazine nonprofit board page.

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About The New Territory Magazine
The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories.

The post The New Territory Magazine Welcomes Three New Board Directors appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.

TOPEKA – Humanities Kansas recently awarded $9,436.00 to High Plains Public Radio in Garden City to support “Literary Landscapes in Kansas: From the Ground to the Airwaves,” a writing and radio project that will elevate the history of Kansas stories and writers. Tina Casagrand Foss, executive director of The New Territory Magazine (The NT), serves as the project director.

Building on The NT’s Literary Landscapes series, which hosts 60 personal essays on places of Midwestern literature, this grant project invites Kansans to explore the present and ponder future possibilities for the region. It asks, “How is the literature of a place relevant to the people who live there?”

“Literature is a great way to energize Kansans interested in discussing thoughtful and engaging topics,” shared Julie Mulvihill, Humanities Kansas Executive Director. “This writing and radio series will encourage connections among participants and spark fresh ideas.”

In addition to publishing the print articles on the website and print magazine of The New Territory, a selection of essays will be produced in audio formats and broadcast on High Plains Public Radio (HPPR) and hosted on HPPR’s website. A self-directed, incentivized passport program and in-person launch party to celebrate the new essays will round out the grant project later in 2024.

“HPPR’s ethos of developing the self-identity of the High Plains fits perfectly with The NT’s alignment of writing ‘the autobiography of the Lower Midwest,’” says Casagrand Foss. “We’re honored and excited to work with them to create and publish more stories focused on Kansas.”

To build interest in this project and to encourage writers to submit new essays, The New Territory is hosting an online event January 18, 2024, from 6 to 8 p.m. Central Time. It will include talks by Literary Landscapes founder Andy Oler and poet, author, and University Kansas scholar Megan Kaminski. An optional workshop for participants to develop their own essays will follow.

For more information, and to register for the January 18 workshop, please visit the Literary Landscapes in Kansas page.

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About Humanities Kansas
Humanities Kansas is an independent nonprofit leading a movement of ideas. Since 1972, HK’s programming, grants, and partnerships have documented and shared stories to spark conversations and invite new insights. Together with statewide partners and supporters, HK encourages Kansans to draw on diverse histories, literatures, and cultures to strengthen our democracy, communities, and connections to one another. Visit humanitieskansas.org.

About The New Territory Magazine
The New Territory Magazine is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization on a mission to advocate and foster love and protection of the Great Plains, Ozarks, and Lower Midwest through publishing art and narrative journalism focused on personal, natural and societal stories.

About High Plains Public Radio
High Plains Public Radio was founded in 1977 for the express purpose of enriching the educational, cultural, and community life of the High Plains region.  It is also dedicated to developing the self-identity of the High Plains so the region might better appreciate its common heritage and build a sustainable future.  It pursues this mission through public radio broadcasting, a medium freely accessible to nearly everyone, as well as digital web and mobile services.

Download PDF of this press release →

The post High Plains Public Radio, in Partnership with The New Territory Magazine, Receives Humanities Kansas Grant to Support Literary Landscapes appeared first on The New Territory Magazine.