Submitting your work to an art magazine is an opportunity to introduce an editor or curator to your practice. A strong submission helps them understand your work, see its depth and feel confident that you are ready to be featured.
As the editor of Art Seen Magazine, I review submissions from artists working in many different ways. The advice below will help you present your work clearly and make the most of the opportunity.
What to submit to an art magazine open call
It can be tempting to submit a mixture of your favourite pieces to show everything you can do. But an editor is already looking at a wide variety of work from different artists.
You can strengthen your submission by showing depth through one series or body of work. A group of related pieces gives the editor or selection panel a clearer understanding of your ideas, visual language and how you develop your work.
Choose images that sit well together and make a considered selection. You don’t need to demonstrate every direction your practice has taken in one application.
Why Your Artist Website Matters for Magazine Submissions
Your submission is often the beginning of our research. As editors, we usually visit your website to see more of your work and get a sense of your professional practice.
Make sure it includes current work and information about you. For a magazine feature, we are dealing with a person as well as their art: you may be interviewed or invited to talk about your process, so we want to learn more about the artist behind the work.
A clear, up-to-date website helps us understand your practice and feel confident about your commitment to it.
What Images Do You Need for an Art Magazine Submission?
Good photographs of your artwork are essential. They allow the editor to see the work clearly and consider how it might appear on the page.
It also helps to have photographs of yourself and your studio ready. Depending on the feature, a magazine may want to show the person and the environment behind the artwork. Take a look at the publication for a flavour of the images they use when presenting other artists in their back issues.
Having these materials in place signals that you take your practice seriously and will be easy to work with through the editorial process. Always check the publication’s image requirements before submitting.
If you would like more guidance on presenting your work, my Standout Art Submissions training goes into more detail.
How to Choose the Right Art Magazine to Submit To
Get to know the magazine before you submit. Read a copy of the publication and look at the artists it features. Notice its editorial style and the kinds of stories it tells. Being familiar with the magazine is good practice and helps you decide whether it is a suitable place for your work.
Follow its submission instructions carefully, including the requested images, file labels and written information. You can see 5 art magazines who publish emerging artists here
Are Art Magazine Submission Fees Worth It?
A submission fee is one of the costs you may choose to include in your art business budget and is a business expense. Consider the publication, its audience and what the opportunity could offer before deciding whether it is right for you.
For many artists, a magazine submission is a better use of their budget than running Facebook ads. A published feature can have a longer life: you can share it with your current and past audiences, add it to your website and use it to introduce your practice to new people.
It also gives you something to talk about and celebrate when you don’t have an exhibition booked.
A thoughtful submission takes preparation. If you want support with the details, explore Standout Art Submissions.
