Write for Momus

Momus is an independent platform for art writing and criticism. Our editors seek out writing that looks critically at contemporary art and its larger contexts. We prioritize accessible writing and take an in-depth, supportive approach to editing.

Momus publishes reviews and features, and welcomes pitches in both categories.

Reviews can run between 800 and 1,500 words. Typically, they take a single exhibition as their subject, though we invite more inventive approaches. We pay between $550 and $800 CAD for reviews, depending on length.

Features can run between 1,000 and 2,500 words. The term feature is a catch-all for criticism that goes beyond the review format. It may take the form of a critical essay that addresses a current issue affecting art, artists, or the conversation around them. We seek writing that incorporates original research with a clear position. Under this category, we have published essays, interviews, profiles, memoriams, letters, how-to guides, rebuttals, reflections, and opinion pieces. As with reviews, we invite more inventive approaches. We pay between $750 and $1,000 CAD for features, depending on length.

Ideally, your pitch should give us a sense of your voice and your approach to writing about art, in addition to a clear and concise sense of your subject. Why is this subject worth exploring now? As we are primarily a publication of art criticism, we consider a writer’s critical position and how the writer will support this position. If your subject has been written about recently and/or widely, we recommend articulating how your perspective and approach will differ from that of previous writing, or how it will respond. 

Please note that we do not publish in the academic register, so academic conventions do not apply.

Please include your pitch in the body of your email, and let us know if you are submitting it elsewhere simultaneously. We review all pitches and usually respond within two weeks.

Send a brief 1–2 paragraph pitch to pitches@momus.ca. If you’re new to Momus, we encourage you to include 1–2 examples of your previous writing.