How far would you go to be seen?
A one-off social experiment —— personal letters made public, in PRINT. Only 75 letters will be published.
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Voyeurism, en masse
The Letter Campaign is a social experiment inspired by a horror TV script that explores our desire for an audience, the efforts we are willing to put in to get one, and the things we reveal when we know someone’s watching.
An exploration on the nature of voyeurism in the form of a single-issue publication of personal letters — send a letter in for the possibility of exposure.
Through The Letter Campaign, participants are invited to mail in physical letters, offering as much or as little as they like of themselves to be either published raw or dissected and interpreted. You can present yourself to the world however you like — you just won’t know how you’ll be perceived. That’s the fun of it.
Only 75 letters of all letters received will be published.
A written letter, a confession, another day’s journal entry — it’s what a picture can’t say, it’s a rarity — it’s the Ultimate Compliment, to be seen. Voyeurism, en masse.
Participation is Free & Open to All.
Sign up for updates for when the Campaign goes live.
(P.S. To maintain your privacy, identifying information beyond a first name and chosen initial(s) will be redacted. (Contact Details will never be printed)).
Inspiration
The Letter Campaign found its inspiration from a horror TV script, Dust Valley, that poses an idea: it’s not how we act in the comfort of solitude that defines us, it’s how we act when that solitude includes another’s distant gaze.
Though this particular script is set in the 60s, hence our campaign’s nostalgic return to mailing letters, Dust Valley explores a fundamental aspect of our current society — its ever-present surveillance in the form of social media — and the differences in how people perform and react to the knowledge of an audience; whether a discomfort or thrill, a careful effort or coy challenge, our aim is to give you the playing ground to find that out for yourself.
And sure, sending a letter may require a quick look-up online as to how that’s even done anymore, and then a subsequent ‘delete-from-history’ tap, but that’s the point. Effort. The thrill of wondering when your letter will be received, when you’ll hear back, if others might see it. The forgotten intimacy of paper and pen. That is our inspiration.
Unlike a post or a text, you only get one shot — you fold it, seal it, and send it off into the world. That permanence makes letters the perfect medium for an experiment about voyeurism, risk, and the desire to be seen.
How to submit:
Send a physical letter to the address listed below:
[ When the campaign goes live (soon!),
we will update this spot with the PO
Box letters will be sent to. ]
Write / Type a Letter ——
Do Include:Your first name + initial(s) —— We recommend including a first name and one or more chosen initials when you sign your letter so that if your letter is chosen for publication you’ll have an easy time identifying it.
An email –— somewhere in your letter, on the backside or beneath where you sign, please include an email so that we may notify you once we’ve received your letter.
(We encourage you to avoid putting your contact details in the body you expect to be printed. If mistakes are made and contact details are shared in the body, we will redact them from publication).
Contents / Length of Your Letter:
Any length of letter is accepted, but what to write? Anything you like.
You could write a confession, a day’s diary entry, a grocery list, something you overheard in a coffee shop you thought was funny; write a secret, if you care; write as little as your social handle even, if your page is public and you like the possibility an analysis may be made on the kind of person you are (though, if going this route, your handle (in addition to any identifying details) will be redacted for your privacy).
2. Put your Letter in an Envelope & Address it to The Letter Campaign.
See the top of this page for where to address your envelope.
3. Mail your Letter:
Deposit the letter in a blue street collection box, your home mailbox, or at a Post Office.
P.S. Mailing Tips (to avoid delays)
Use correct postage. Be sure to affix enough stamps for the size/weight of your letter. For standard-sized, one-ounce letters, a single postage stamp is sufficient; when in doubt, ask your local Post Office.
Postmark early. Aim to mail as soon as the campaign goes live; at latest, 3–5 business days before the deadline.
Legible return info. A return address helps if there’s a delivery issue.
By submitting a letter, you acknowledge that it may be published raw or interpreted, and that personal details (email, phone, address, full name) will be redacted prior to publication.
We’ll confirm when your letter arrives via the email you provide on it.
The Letter Campaign culminates in a single-issue magazine: part experiment, part archive, part keepsake. Only 250 copies will circulate — each individually numbered. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
A Single-Issue
75 selected letters: some published exactly as written, others dissected, interpreted, or otherwise exposed. Each letter is paired with its first name and chosen initial(s), if provided.
What might a ‘dissection’/‘interpretation’ look like?
This could look like the writing in the margins of your favorite book, or your least, for example; it depends entirely on the letter and who gets to read it. Maybe it’s an analysis, maybe it’s a judgement call.
The selection will endeavor to be a carousel of humanity’s many notes when placed under a lens and allowed to steer the view.
Personal details (addresses, phone numbers, emails, and social handles) will always be redacted prior to publication.
What’s Inside
Pre-Orders will Open when the submission window begins.
FAQs
Key Dates
Submission window: To be announced
Pre-orders: Open with submission window
Selection cutoff: To be announced
Release: To be announced
Submissions & Mailing Address
The mailing address for The Letter Campaign will be shared when the submission window officially opens. Until then, you can sign up for updates to be notified the moment it’s announced.
Who can Submit?
Submissions are open to participants 18 and older.
Can I be anonymous?
Yes. You can sign with just a first name and initial(s), or we’ll label your letter anonymously.
How many letters will be chosen?
Seventy-five (75) letters total will appear in the final publication.
Will my personal details ever be published?
Contact details (phone, email, address, social handles, whatever you provide) are always removed before publication. First names and chosen initial(s) are only used for the sake of identifying your own letter when all is said and done.
What if I have questions or need help?
Email us at [hello@thelettercampaign.com].
Do I need a special envelope? And what kind of letter should I send?
Any envelope, or anything that can serve as an envelope, works just fine. And as far as the kind of letter you should send, what you do with pen, paper, and an audience is up to you.
Are digital letters allowed?
No. Only physical letters will be considered.
Will I know if my letter was chosen? If so, when?
All letters will be acknowledged upon arrival, but whether a letter is published — or how — will only be revealed when the magazine is released. In short, you’ll find out with everyone else.
What happens if my letter isn’t chosen?
It remains part of the project archive but won’t appear in the magazine or online archive.
Can I withdraw my letter?
Yes. You may request withdrawal until the postmark deadline (when the campaign goes live, this and all other dates will be updated). After that, letters cannot be removed from the printed magazine, though we may consider removing them from the online archive.
What about international submissions?
Unfortunately, due to the extra transit time, we do not accept international letters; we only accept letters sent within the United States of America.
How will the magazine work?
It’s a single-issue print capped at 250 copies, each individually numbered. An online archive will be published after all print copies ship.
are there refunds for magazine orders?
Yes; pre-orders are refundable until the magazine goes to print. After that, refunds are only issued for lost or damaged shipments.
Content Disclaimer
The Letter Campaign is an art project. Participation is voluntary. While care is taken to handle submissions respectfully, all letters are shared at the participant’s discretion. Published material reflects the words of contributors and editorial interpretation. It should not be read as fact, advice, or biography.
Limit of Liability
We are not responsible for loss, delay, or damage caused by postal services, third-party platforms, or technical issues outside of our control. The Letter Campaign and its organizers are not liable for any interpretation, publication, or omission related to submitted material.
LET’S CHAT
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To get in touch with us, feel free to email us via the email provided in the category that best suits your needs >>>
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Email us at
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Reach out via press@thelettercampaign.com
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The Letter Campaign
PO Box [###]
[City, ST ZIP]Please note: To avoid receiving general inquiries / snail mail other than letters for the campaign, we have decided our mailing address will drop when our campaign does. Thank you.
Please note: Submissions must be physically mailed to our PO Box. We do not accept digital letters.