Theme
This year’s issue of The Vancouver Special explores the theme of JUST FUTURES. At a time of global political upheaval, economic insecurity, and ecological crisis, the future can seem impossibly constrained by the conditions of the past and present. This issue seeks contributions that contend with this sense of resignation.
Cities are sites of reinvention and collective action, and planning can serve as a mechanism to challenge global structures that shape our local conditions. We welcome work that examines community actions, grassroots movements, and future imaginaries that contest entrenched systems of power and aim to rethink the social and spatial conditions of our cities.
The Vancouver Special is a space to exhibit your creative interpretation of Just Futures.
We welcome and encourage creative and academic submissions from all disciplines, including but not limited to:
- Research
- Essays
- Photography
- Poetry
- Reflections
- Illustrations
- Architectural designs
- Other creative work
Whether through research, personal reflection, or artistic expression, we encourage you to share your perspectives on the cities we live in and the futures we hope to create.
Submission Criteria & Editorial Ethos
Submissions are evaluated on a rolling basis and must meet the following criteria:
- Relevance to the issue theme.
- Clarity of argument or artistic vision.
- Originality of perspective or creative approach.
- Produced during or after the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Group submissions are permitted, provided that all contributors consent to publication.
- Written submissions must adhere to APA citation standards and include references.
- Written submissions should ideally be two to four pages in length and may not exceed five pages of single-spaced text.
- Written submissions may include artwork or photography. Media should be embedded into the Google Doc and submitted separately (PNG/JPEG format).
Please note that submissions containing text or images produced by Large Language Models (LLMs) or Generative Image Models will not be accepted. We want to hear your voice and interpretation of the theme, not generated content.
The journal is committed to accessibility and inclusivity. All submissions that meet the criteria will be carefully reviewed by our editors. Selected pieces will be given a conditional offer and will be refined in close collaboration with contributors for the final product.
How To Submit
Please submit your work through the form linked below or in UBC CAPACity’s Instagram bio. Along with uploading your submission, you will be asked to provide a brief description of your work and explain how it relates to this year’s theme, Just Futures.
The form allows up to five files, with a maximum file size of 10 GB each. Please review the submission guidelines above before submitting your work.
If you have any questions about the journal or submission process, or require any accommodations, feel free to contact our editorial team at thevancouverspecial.ubc@gmail.com or reach out to @ubccapacity on Instagram.