Ice Box & Permafrost Journals
The UAF English Department hosts two journals of creative writing: Ice Box and Permafrost. Both journals are staffed entirely by student volunteers, who gain experience in editing, production, and publishing. Whereas Ice Box features works from the UAF community, Permafrost is a national journal. In recent years, Ice Box and Permafrost have been produced with financial support from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity, the UAF Alumni Association Benefactor Fund, and the Provost Office's People Endowment Fund.
Ice Box
Ice Box is the undergraduate literary journal of the ²ÊÉñix¹ÙÍø. Published annually in the spring, it features fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, hybrid work, and artwork from current UAF undergraduate students. The journal is staffed by students enrolled in ENGL 475: Practicum in Literary Publishing (spring semesters). Ice Box is also an official student group on campus.
Volume 21 of Ice Box was published in Summer 2025. It features creative writing and artwork from 33 UAF undergraduate students. Our cover artist this year was S. Naomi King. This issue includes a brief interview with Rob Shapiro, Assistant Editor for the Knopf-Doubleday Group, and a portfolio of reading recommendations from our editors and contributors. The journal was distributed to faculty, students, university stakeholders, local high schools, statewide arts organizations, and beyond. To purchase a copy of Ice Box, please contact the UAF English Department. Our next issue, Volume 22, will be published in Summer 2026, and we'll re-open for submissions in the fall. For questions about the project of Ice Box, please contact faculty advisor Joseph Holt.
History of Ice Box
Ice Box began as an annual zine published by graduate students. In 2001, Professor Cindy Hardy agreed to serve as faculty advisor, and Ice Box morphed into a more traditional literary journal. Hardy served in that position until 2014, when the journal transitioned to an online format. The 2019 issue, volume 15, marked the return of Ice Box as a print journal. Back issues are available for viewing and purchase from the main English office in Gruening 850.
Permafrost
Permafrost is the national literary journal edited by MFA students at the University of Alaska ²ÊÉñix¹ÙÍø. It publishes twice per year: a winter print issue and a summer online issue. In addition to the journal, Permafrost also hosts an annual book prize in collaboration with the . Student editors will sometimes receive internship opportunities with the press as well.
To learn more about submissions, contests, subscriptions and the editorial staff, please visit the full Permafrost website.
History of Permafrost
Permafrost was founded in 1977 and has published continuously ever since. It prides itself as being the northernmost literary journal for writing and the arts, located at 64° 50′ N (198 miles from the Arctic Circle). Although Permafrost's perspective is shaped by the unique environment of Alaska, the journal publishes original voices from all over the world.