Submit Writing

Writing submissions are currently closed. Pitches will reopen once the platform welcomes its next editor.

Sign up for our Newsletter to get the announcement when submissions reopen.

Mn Artists welcomes pitches from writers and artists on a rolling basis. Writers must be based in Minnesota, or the subject matter must have a connection to the local/regional arts scene: such as featuring artwork at venues in Minnesota, the work of an artist based in Minnesota, a topic relevant to the Minnesota arts community, etc. Mn Artists works with emerging and experienced arts writers. We are open to pitches from new arts writers, particularly practicing artists and writers who work in other genres. 

To pitch an article, please send: 

• Information about yourself: a bio, website or social media links
• Links to previously published writing: recent pieces, your best work, and/or pieces similar to what you’d like to write for Mn Artists. 
• A short description (about a paragraph) about what you’d like to write, which format you think it fits (see article types below), and relevant information about the timeframe of the piece. Please do not send works that are already completed.

Additional guidelines:

• We encourage pitches for evergreen pieces (where the publication date is not time-sensitive, and the writing will stay relevant over an extended period of time). For reviews and essays that engage exhibitions, screenings, and performances, we aim to publish the piece while the work is still on view or the show is still running. Note that Mn Artists typically takes at least a week between draft and publication, except in special cases.
• We prioritize perspectives that have historically been underrepresented in the art field, and encourage writers to consider their particular lens on the work they want to cover. 
• Writers should be prepared to work with the editor to gather and select images and other media to accompany each piece, as well as provide captions and image descriptions.
• Writer fees are determined based on the scope of the piece, and are paid to the writer after publication.

Article types:

• Essays (1200-2500 words)
  • Idea-driven, topical essays, ranging from personal to critical
  • First person narrative, centers the writer’s opinions and/or creative process
• Project space (500-2500 words)
  • Artist writing in experimental forms, poetry, photo essays, slide shows, video, etc.
  • Artist projects designed for online article format
• Conversations (1000-2500 words)
  • Interviews and roundtable discussions between artists/writers
  • Studio visits highlighting work in process
• Reviews (500-1500 words)
  • Responding to artwork in real time, expanding traditional forms of criticism
  • Short formats responding to a single work/exhibition, or longer pieces to put several works in conversation
  • Focus on underrepresented artists and work in alternative venues
  • May draw from scholarship, practice, or both
• Reportage (800-1500 words)
  • Journalistic pieces responding to broad developments in the local arts scene, especially with a view towards equity, institutional accountability, and the infrastructure of support for artists
  • Includes perspectives from all individuals or organizations referenced in the piece

Guest editor proposals:

From 2017-2020, Mn Artists operated on a rotating guest editor model. Since the relaunch of the publication, Mn Artists continues to publish guest editor series: collections of 3-6 pieces around a particular theme, published alongside other content. Guest editors frame the topic of the series, select writers, and work with them to develop the pieces for publication. Pitches for series can be sent to the Mn Artists Editor.