Cream City Review

Cream City Review is a volunteer-based, non-profit literary magazine. Continually seeking to explore the relationship between form and content, the magazine features fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, comics, reviews of contemporary literature and criticism, as well as author interviews and artwork.

Published biannually, Cream City Review attracts readers and submissions from around the globe. Approximately 4,000 submissions are received each year from both unpublished and established writers. The journal reflects this mix as it often publishes poets laureate beside artists who are up and coming.

History
The magazine was founded in 1975 by Mary Zane Allen and Wladyslaw Ciesynski. After working at The Wisconsin Review, Allen desired a similar literary journal for the creative writing department at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Allen worked with the student union to establish both the magazine and a reading series. Later, the magazine began operating with the support of UWM's English Department.

Over the years, Cream City Review has evolved from an 8″ X 11″, 50 page, Xeroxed zine to the 175-225 page perfect-bound book format that it is today. The shift to glossy, multicolored covers began in the fall of 1989 after Laurie Buman became art editor. These covers have become one of the magazine's trademarks.

Along with Cream City Review’s physical publications, the magazine also has a significant digital presence. Starting in March 2019, Cream City Review began a blog, which features a variety of content, such as numerous authorial readings, reviews, interviews, and event results. Cream City Review is also present on social media. Specifically, it is on Instagram and Facebook, where the magazine posts poems, art, information about events and submissions, as well as other interactive content. Current and past issues can be found at

Cream City Review's name pays tribute to the publication's home in Milwaukee. Known as "The Cream City," Milwaukee is the birthplace of the yellow-colored brick, made exclusively from clay native to the area. The first "cream" brick was made in 1835. The bricks proved more durable and aesthetically pleasing than the traditional red bricks produced by East Coast kilns and quickly became Milwaukee's most characteristic building material. Cream City bricks remained popular throughout the 19th century and were used widely for ornamental architecture throughout the United States and Europe.

Cream City Review's continued success is due, in large part, to grants from the Bradley Foundation, the Wisconsin Arts Board, as well as support from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (specifically, the English Department), and the Letters and Science Constituent Alumni Association.

masthead
2024
 * Editor-in-chief: Camilla JN Lee
 * Managing editor:Seth Copeland
 * Associate editor: Jehane Sharah
 * Fiction editor: Sasheene Denny
 * Poetry editors: Cassandra Bruner, Syd Vinyard
 * Creative nonfiction editor: Sophie Nunberg, Emma Knickelbine
 * Web editors:
 * Interns:
 * Advisory board: Liam Callanan (chair)

Past masthead (2021–2022)

 * Editor-in-chief: Canese Jarboe
 * Managing editor: Camilla Jiyun Nam Lee
 * Associate editor: Kathryne David Gargano
 * Fiction editor: John Thurgood
 * Poetry editors: Sasheene Denny, Kathryne David Gargano
 * Creative nonfiction editor: Danielle Harms
 * Production manager: Kristopher Purzycki
 * Web editors: Jeremy Carnes, Geoff Gimse
 * Interns: Sakina Schaub, Grayson Trzcinko
 * Development manager: Caitlin Scarrano
 * Copy editor: kizzy fay
 * Advisory board: Liam Callanan (chair), Kimberly Blaeser, Brenda Cárdenas, Dave Clark, George Makana Clark, Rebecca Dunham, Lane Hall

Distinguished past contributors

 * Amiri Baraka
 * Aimee Bender
 * Kate Braverman
 * Charles Bukowski
 * Robert Olen Butler
 * Maxine Chernoff
 * Amy Clampitt
 * Billy Collins
 * Oliver de la Paz
 * Tess Gallagher
 * Diane Glancy
 * Joy Harjo
 * Terrance Hayes
 * Bob Hicok
 * Allison Joseph
 * Caroline Knox
 * Ted Kooser
 * Phillip Levine
 * Audre Lorde
 * Adrian C. Louis
 * J.D. McClatchy
 * William Matthews
 * Simon Ortiz
 * Linda Pastan
 * Ricardo Pau-Llosa
 * Adrienne Rich
 * Alberto Ríos
 * Catie Rosemurgy
 * Craig Santos Perez
 * Denise Sweet
 * James Tate
 * Mark Turcotte
 * Ocean Vuong
 * Gordon Weaver
 * Benjamin Percy