Arts & Literary Collective

Since 2021, Block Party has worked to grow a local arts community and celebrate creativity…

We’ve been partying ever since.

Full crowd at Blocktoberfest.
Chapbooks on a table with some buttons.
Joseph Donato, Laura Mota-Juang, Isla McLaughlin, posing for a photo, holding Laura's book.

Joseph Donato and Isla McLaughlin, writers and artists based in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), decided there simply had to be an arts and literary organization that did three simple things:

  1. Celebrate the joy of writing & art-making

  2. Spotlight Ontario’s diverse creative industry

  3. Have a whole lot of fun

So, we created Block Party, originally a digital magazine that published biannual, thematic, issues featuring work from incredibly talented contributors.

For the next three years, Block Party published five magazine issues and opened a press that published five outstanding physical chapbooks.

In October 2023, we hosted Blocktoberfest, a community event that celebrated the launch of our chapbook season and Issue 05 of our magazine, HOME. 80+ people came to party with us.

What’s next for Block Party?

Oh boy, I’m so glad you asked!

In 2024, Isla McLaughlin stepped down as Managing Chapbook Editor and Joseph has taken over Block Party on his (my) own (I’m the one writing all this!).

Moving forward, Block Party is going to try physically publishing each magazine issue, but do not hold me to that—I’m trying my best. Issues will now be annual and there will be an incredibly conscious effort to highlight Ontario-based creatives.

Chapbook publications will now be completely digital, and submissions will be solicited. Don’t worry though, the magazine will still be taking submissions, just stayed tuned for more information about our next issue!

I have some other little ideas, but they’re top secret right now, HAHA!

I’m so excited to see how Block Party evolves over the next few years. Thank you immensely for all your support and interest in this project, it is so thrilling and I appreciate it more than you could ever know. Now, stop reading this and go make art, dummy!

Waving skeleton.
Joseph smiling.

Joseph Donato

Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Joseph is super cool and popular. He’s currently completing his Creative Writing MFA at the University of Guelph and is just loving it. He’s published work in various journals and magazines, but maintains that Block Party is Number One (but don’t tell Horror Pop Mag, of which he is creator and reigning Overlord). Joseph is a fan of The Kardasim Podcast, Conor Oberst, and serving.