Calls for Papers
Darkness
Issue 119
Upcoming Theme
Deadline: 1 September 2026
Essays of 1,500 to 2,000 words about the critical, political, theoretical, and poetic potential of darkness in contemporary art. We welcome propositions that discuss darkness as an optical element and that explore its more figurative dimension. Before submitting a text, please read the Editorial Policy and Protocol carefully.
Read the Call for Papers…Home
Issue 120
Upcoming Theme
Deadline: 10 January 2027
Essays of 1,500 to 2,000 words. We invite authors to examine the complexities, shifts, and paradoxes of the idea of home, and to explore the concept of the house, with all its familiarity and instability. Before submitting a text, please read the Editorial Policy and Protocol carefully.
Read the Call for Papers…Off-Features
Essays of 1,250 to 1,500 words (including notes) dealing with an issue or theme in contemporary art, or with recent artistic practices not related to the theme of an issue. Note that exhibition reviews are not included in this section. Before submitting a text, please read the Editorial Policy and Protocol carefully.
Submit off-featureReviews
Reviews of recent exhibitions, events, or publications (500 or 950-1,100 words). Before submitting a text, please read the Editorial Policy and Protocol carefully.
Submit reviewYoung Critics Competition
Submissions are currently closed!
Stay tuned for the unveiling of the finalists and laureate in September.
This competition is open to students registered in a bachelor’s or master’s program at a Canadian university (texts between 750 and 1,250 words).
Next Publication – 118
Deadline: 10 May 2027
Editorial Policy
Esse arts + opinions, published by Les éditions Esse, is a bilingual magazine focusing on contemporary art and multidisciplinary practices. The magazine favors critical analyses and essays on current practices, with texts that address art in relation to its context. Each issue features a thematic section accompanied by a portfolio of works, as well as non-thematic critical articles, columns and reviews of exhibitions, events and publications. The esse.ca platform, in addition to reproducing all of this print content, also publishes original digital articles on current artistic events, research residencies, round table recordings, as well as an archive of past issues of Esse.
Texts submitted to Esse are evaluated by an editorial board, which reserves the right to accept or reject them. Selection criteria are based on the quality of the analysis and writing, the relevance of the text to the theme, and the relevance and current interest of the chosen selection of works and artists.
An acknowledgment of receipt will be sent within 7 days of the deadline. If you have not been notified, please contact us to ensure your text has been received. A 6-week deadline is then required for the selection of texts or notes. The decision to reject a text is final. In view of the number of submissions received, the board cannot commit to commenting on unsuccessful submissions.
Authors are invited to submit texts on January 10, April 1, and September 1. Texts must be sent in DOCX or RTF format to [email protected]. Please include a short biographical notice (35 words) as well as your e-mail and mailing address.
The texts can be submitted for one of the following 3 sections:
Editorial Protocol
- Unless otherwise agreed with Les éditions Esse, the author agrees to submit an original and unpublished text.
- The author agrees to use artificial intelligence tools in an ethical manner and with integrity. Texts written primarily by artificial intelligence or resulting from research conducted entirely using artificial intelligence are not eligible for publication in Esse. In case of doubt, the editorial board reserves the right to reject any text suspected of being generated by artificial intelligence.
- Unless otherwise agreed, the board will not accept submissions that are a potential source of conflict of interest between the author and the subject covered (for example, submissions by artists about their own practice, submissions by curators of exhibitions or events, or submissions by an artist’s gallery).
- With due respect for the author’s vision and style, the editorial board reserves the right to request corrections of semantic or other nature: quality of language, general structure of the text, clarity, shortcomings, relevance of headings and subheadings, standards of composition.
- Texts accepted with conditions will be discussed between the author and the editorial board. If modifications are requested, the author will be given fifteen (15) days to make them.
- Authors agree to adopt a gender-neutral writing style and to use syntactic feminization procedures (doublet, medial point).
- All expenses for typographical correction of the author’s text will be assumed by Les éditions Esse, with the exception of author’s corrections, if any, which will be assumed by the author.
To submit a text: [email protected].