Pitch Us

We are a community-led, submissions-fueled publication. If you think there’s a story hiding somewhere, we want to hear it! We are always open to working with contributors on making your idea a reality; however, the following feature and review formats are encouraged. All digital submissions should be sent to submit@bostonartreview.com.

Quick Bits (100–300 words):
Easy to read, easy to digest, and easy to share. Quick Bits should be submitted within 4 days following an event (gallery opening, show, artist talk, etc.) Be brief, to the point, and have fun! There is no limit to the number of Quick Bit Reviews you can submit.

Reviews (600–1200 words): 

Images should be included. Reviews should cover exhibitions, gallery events, artists, or happenings within and around Boston. This writing should be spirited, engaging, and critical without heavily relying on jargon. Don’t be afraid to express a critical opinion or be referential. There is an expectation that these reviews will include enough context/research to make them both timely and timeless in the print publication.

Artist Interviews: Interviews with artists who are, or once were, living, working, or studying in the Greater Boston area will be accepted. These pieces should provide a dynamic, fun, engaging and insightful lens into the artist’s world. Interviews should include a brief bio about the artist and context about the interview in the form of an introduction (~150 words). A variety of mediums, formats, and creative arrangements are welcomed. Film / video assistance available upon request.

Boston Artists Outside of Boston
Do you know of a local legend who is showing work/performing in another city? These reviews should be current and up-to-date and can fulfill any other review format listed.

Critical Perspectives (1200+ words)
Here’s your time to shine! Throw us for a curveball with your expertise and research. Critical essays will be evaluated for our future print editions and featured prominently on our site. To submit a critical essay, please reach out to jameson@bostonartreview.com to share your idea and begin the editing process. Critical essays can discuss ideas non-specific to the region, but should connect to Boston in some manner. You rock!

Speaking of documentation…
If you are covering a small, non-institutional exhibition or a non-documented happening, your photos and personal documentation are welcomed. Please submit photos of artwork that are well lit, not blurry, and feature only one piece at a time. Photos from artist interviews, panel discussions, or other happenings should be clear and avoid chaos (i.e. lots of other people) in the photo. Please reach out with any questions about photography/documentation if necessary.

All pitches must be submitted through the submissions form. We are happy to answer questions over email, but formal pitches must be submitted through the form.

Boston Art Review welcomes submissions of critical perspectives, profiles, reviews, interviews, and artist projects for our forthcoming print publications.

Art can be an avenue for embracing a more expansive view of what’s possible for our future. In turn, artists and creative thinkers are crucial partners in navigating what feels like an increasingly precarious route for humanity to traverse. Our themes for these next two print issues are dedicated to pieces that honor vision, dreams, and determination.

MAKE BELIEVE (Fall/Winter 2024) is a platform for play, collective imagination, and world-building. This issue might investigate boundary-pushing creative practices, revel in messiness, unearth hidden narratives, or chart new paths.

HALF FULL (Spring/Summer 2025) will delight in duality. How do we hold two truths at once? What can we learn when we make space for opposing perspectives? Where do we find a silver lining? Is there power in magical thinking?

As always, these themes are starting points; we welcome unexpected interpretations.

In addition to thematic contributions, we will consider pitches for exhibition reviews and other timely local arts stories that are not related to the theme. We recommend familiarizing yourself with past issues to get a sense of the content we publish.

Submission Instructions

Pitches for Issue 14: Half Full are due by Sunday, December 15, 2024.
The following items should be included in a pitch and submitted using the submissions form.

• Type of content (i.e. review, interview, etc.)
• Intent of the piece (abstract/overview: 2–3 sentences)
• Make a case for the connection to the theme (less necessary for pitches of exhibition reviews)
• Short writer or artist bio
• If you have links to bylines, please share (not necessary for returning writers)

Boston Art Review is neither an academic journal nor a news magazine; it combines scholarship, criticism, and a creative voice that spans across genres and reaches diverse readership. We welcome pieces that are poignant, engaging, pertinent, and relevant to our time and place. We make considerations based on quality and originality and most importantly on how this piece will connect to broader dialogues within the field of contemporary art and cultural criticism.

Article submissions may fit into the following categories, but our editorial team is happy to work with you on developing stories that push the boundaries of how art and criticism can be presented in print.

Critical Perspectives: Approximately 1,500–2,000 words. These essays will present a critical discussion and evaluation of issues or ideas relevant to art and culture. These pieces may or may not directly reflect Boston but should reference the region within the piece. We encourage you to research or seek quotes and perspectives as needed. Critical perspectives should reference your own scholarship or position within the argument clearly. Creativity in this medium is expected.

Reviews: Approximately 800–1,200 words. Reviews should cover exhibitions, gallery events, public art installations, or happenings within Greater Boston or across New England. This writing should be spirited, engaging, and critical without heavily relying on jargon. Don’t be afraid to express a critical opinion or be referential. There is an expectation that these reviews will include enough context/research to make them both timely and timeless in the print publication. Reviews do not have to be tied to the issue theme.

Artist Interviews: No more than 2,200 words. Interviews with artists who are, or once were, living, working, or studying in the Greater Boston Area or artists currently exhibiting in Boston will be accepted. These pieces should provide a dynamic, fun, engaging, and insightful lens into the artist’s world. Interviews should include a brief bio about the artist and context about the interview in the form of an introduction (around 200 words). A variety of mediums, formats, and creative arrangements are welcomed. Photo/video assistance available upon request. Please pitch to BAR before reaching out to the artist.

Artist Profiles: Similar to artist interviews, we are welcoming work on artists with a connection to Boston. Their work should connect to the theme and/or have a timely hook, such as an upcoming exhibition or project of note. Artists may not submit profiles of themselves.

Artist Project: We are accepting work from artists of all mediums. While all artwork submissions must be in the form of images with text, we can create dynamic content for the online site in order to include video, portfolios, links, etc. Only one artist project is selected per issue.

Other: Experimentation in print is welcome. If you have an idea for an ekphrastic poem, a manifesto, a personal essay, a timeline, or a special column or feature, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

* All of the above are also accepted on a rolling basis for the online platform. Our editorial team are happy to work with you on story ideas, event coverage, film, and photo documentation.