A day in the loop [past event]

Submit Work Here

A Day in the LOOP underway! Participants, please submit your work (up to 2 pieces) by the end of Monday. Submit your work here.

As a reminder:

A panel of local creatives will select work that represents a slice of life in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys to be published and archived on LOOP Youngstown’s website. This year’s curators are Gail Trunick, a visual artist working in clay and mixed-media sculpture; Katie Passerotti, an educator, author, and founder of The Scribbler’s Den; and Vash Penn, a photographer and founder of NEUR NetWorks for Creative Entrepreneurs.

You can submit up to two pieces, either on your own or with a group (think class projects, clubs, or creative friends teaming up).

Rules

• Curators will select work that represents a slice of life in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys on one day only.

  
  

• Eligible participants must live in Mahoning, Columbiana, Trumbull, Mercer and Lawrence Counties.

  
  

• Eligible photographs, videos and stories will be taken/written in one of those counties on Friday, September 25, 2026 between 12:01am and 11:59pm.

  
  

• The deadline for submitting photographs, videos and stories is Monday, September 28 by 11:59pm.

  
  

• Each individual or group is limited to one or two submissions, total, in any genre; for example, one poem plus one video, or two photographs, or one mini essay. 

  
  

• All work must be original and created by the person/group submitting.

  
  

• Photo editing software may be used on original images.

  
  

• AI-generated content is not eligible.

  
  

• Selected work will be appropriate for viewers of all ages.

  
  

Submission Guidelines

• Photography: images taken on any device are eligible for submission. Images taken in private, indoor spaces must include permission of all visible individuals. Please include a few sentences about the image. For example: My brother and his friends play hoops in my neighborhood every Saturday. Or, My favorite pastry shop is run by the nicest people. Or, We have lost another house on my street. Or, Today my best friend is getting married.

  
  

• Video essay: limit 3 minutes. Videos taken in private, indoor spaces must include permission of all visible individuals.

  
  

• Writing: limit 250 words. Describes something that is happening in real time.

  
  

• Other art media: eligible work has been completed in a single day. Submit a photograph of the work, along with other information about the size and media.

More questions? See our FAQ below.

Need ideas? Check out A Day in the LOOP 2025.

A Day in the LOOP is made possible in part by funding provided by The Community Foundation of Mahoning Valley.

Submit Work Here

FAQ

Q: Am I supposed to document my entire day?

A: Not unless you want to! The idea behind this project is to tell a collective story of September 25th by weaving together moments from many different people. That could mean snapping just one meaningful photo, writing a short reflection, or creating something more extensive. If you do spend the whole day documenting, you’ll just choose your two favorite pieces to submit.

Q: What if I take 50 photos on Sept. 25th? 

A: There's a limit of 2 submissions per person. So feel free to take as many photos as you want within the 24-hour period. Then pick your favorite 2 to submit. 

Q: What exactly do you mean by 12:01 a.m. Friday?

A: That’s just after midnight—technically late Thursday night or very early Friday morning, depending on how you think about it.

Check out last year's A Day in the LOOP: