Critical Writing Open Call 2026

Applications open Monday, March 30 at 10am EST. Please review the Open Call guidelines below before submitting your application for consideration.

Recess invites applications for the 2026–2027 Critical Writing cohort.

Critical Writing at Recess initiates meaningful exchange between artists and writers and supports the mutual production of new work. Through a practice-led approach, the program brings together a cohort of writers to engage artists in the Recess community, develop new texts, and collectively produce a digital reader of contemporary art writing.

Throughout the program, each writer commits to publishing two texts while collaborating with the cohort to develop and edit a digital reader that places the Recess archive in conversation with texts from across the field.

The program runs August 2026 through June 2027, with monthly gatherings that alternate between virtual and in-person sessions.

Each participant receives a $4,000 stipend—distributed in three equal payments across the program year—that includes compensation for the writing, collaborative work, and participation in cohort sessions.

RSVP for the info session.

Requirements

The Critical Writing program is open to writers at any stage of their practice. We are selecting three writers for this year’s Critical Writing cohort and reserving one spot for an alum of the Assembly program

We welcome applicants working across genres and forms, including:
• essays
• criticism
• poetry
• fiction
• experimental writing
• hybrid or interdisciplinary practices

Applicants may be emerging writers, mid-career writers, or those with extensive publication histories.

What matters most is a deep engagement with writing as a form of artistic and cultural inquiry.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted through Submittable by:

Thursday, April 30 at 11:59pm EST

Applicants will be asked to provide personal information, short written responses, writing samples, and literary references.