We are now accepting submissions covering Africa’s contributions to the visual arts.

Here’s a quick guide to getting featured by our editors.

Our Brand

Notes on Hope is an independent online art publication focussed on:

• Documenting African art history, including the art of today
• Celebrating indigenous art forms
• Challenging misconceptions about African art
• Discussing the current climate for African art and the future of art from the continent
• Sharing art news and global developments in our niche

‘African art’ refers to all visual arts with links to the African continent. This definition does not serve to limit, whether by geographic location, theme, style of the artist, their art, or otherwise. Rather, it celebrates contributions with a shared history of potentially being isolated, marginalised, and wilfully misunderstood. Our goal is to challenge perceptions that homogenise the African art space, so we focus on all visual arts matters relating to Africa, including happenings in Afro communities in non-African countries.

We are particularly interested in informative, well-rounded writing and seek submissions that evaluate African art in the wider context of society. That includes the overlaps between art and technology, social justice, etc.

Accepted submissions reflect the truth, and all opinions should be backed by detailed research, critical analysis and expertise.

Our Submission Criteria

• Contributors must be at least 18 years old.
• We accept unpublished or self-published work. Please note that ‘self-published work’ must be limited to publications on personal blogs/websites.
• Our current topics of interest include architecture, ceramics, crafts, design, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, videography, etc.
• Submissions can take the style of academic style articles, news articles, interviews, opinion pieces, reviews, profiles, remembrances/obituaries, photo essays, etc. We accept all topics linked to the visual arts and its related industries, institutions, and events.
• Articles should be a maximum of 1,500 words.
• Photo essays should have a minimum of 5 images (300 DPI), each accompanied by a brief description.
• Each submission must be accompanied by relevant details, including:
  • A brief background on the subject matter (300 words maximum). This should include enough detail to inform our editors of the tone and aims of the submission.
  • A brief bio of each contributing author (100 words maximum) including basic contact information – full name, email address, and country.

Ethics and Journalistic Integrity

Kindly note that we do not accept

• Submissions with a conflict of interest. All conflicts of interest, real or perceived, should be avoided. Any unavoidable conflicts should be fully disclosed.
• Inaccessible writing styles. Whether academic, critical, descriptive, historical, or journalistic, all writing submissions should be clear and widely understandable, even when using technical terms.
• Discriminatory material or submissions that might encourage discrimination based on age, colour, disability, legal status, marital status, sexual orientation, race, or religion.
• Promotional pieces.
• Writing that fails to clearly differentiate fact from opinion.
• Plagiarised works. Kindly ensure that all sources are appropriately cited, with in-line links to all online sources.
• Ill-informed submissions that lack command of the subject matter outlined.
• Scathing or derogatory opinion pieces, reviews, etc.

Copyright

• Each image submitted (300 DPI) must include captions detailing the image source and ownership. For images courtesy of a third party, you must include evidence that you have permission to submit the image(s) to Notes on Hope for publication.

Send submissions to us at editor@notesonhope.com, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.