For the upcoming fifth and sixth editions of our magazine zandbank issue, we are looking for proposals for textual contributions. We are open to any kind of writers based in peripheral/marginal places. This is an unpaid program. You can sign up until 27/11/26, 23:59.
who
You can apply if you are:
- Writing on art (criticism, review, art history, interview, curating, essay, etc) or from art (writing as artistic practice, text as part of artistic process, text art and poetry, etc). You do not have to a degree in art or academia to apply. We welcome self-taught applicants.
- Based in a peripheral/marginal place. We want to challenge the pattern in publishing, where colonial metropoles (NYC/LA/London/Paris/Amsterdam/etc) write and publish and the rest of the world buys and reads. This is why we focus our publishing on authors who live in peripheral/marginal places. Do people say "WHERE?!" when you tell about the place you live in? Then it is probably peripheral/marginal. Since our focus for the last issues has been on Groningen city, applicants from other places will receive priority.
- Open to editorial feedback and exchange throughout the development process. It is important that you are open to adapting and refining your text in conversation with others, because of the shape and intentions of our program (more on this below).
You can also apply as a duo.
what
You can submit a text-in-process, anywhere from a first sketch to a first version. Your proposed contribution can be long or short, it doesn't need to be a certain length to be considered. We are especially interested in bold, daring, critical and experimental writing. Do you have a text lying around which was rejected for another open call? If you are open to reworking and adapting it, feel free to submit it to us! Besides the text, we also would like to receive a bit of context about who you are and why this text is important for you. When your proposal is accepted, you are expected to develop it into a first full draft, with which we will start the process. We offer a brainstorming session if you need some help with this part.
context
The contributions will be included in our upcoming magazine publication zandbank issue 05+06, which will also include artist contributions and archival republications of texts from (recent) Northern Dutch art history. The magazine will be produced in print and distributed across different countries, as well as being published online on www.zandbank.org. Zandbank is a platform for writing from and on art. We facilitate the production and dissemination of research and writing, both contemporary and archival. We believe in slow reflection, in sustainable criticism, and the power of extensive contemplations and considerations - and wish to move away from "actuality" and rushed writings. We are rooted in Grunnen [Groningen], Netherlands and founded by Dinnis van Dijken & Michiel Teeuw in 2024.
compensation
NB: As we are a small non-profit initiative, run by volunteers with no institutional funding, we are not able to pay authors at this point. We offer editorial guidance, design, printing and distribution across a few bookstores.
theme
Because most open calls are super restrained in terms of theme, our open call is open to any interests and has no theme, besides being art-related. We do this to give the space to writers to develop their own work without a restrictive context, and because previously themes emerged naturally from the writing process. We encourage writing processes that experiment boldly, embrace conflict, reflect critically and play enthousiastically. We especially welcome texts around class conflict, graffiti, the language of art, Congo, universalism, Caribbean, non-alignment, aesthetic theory, Sudan.
types of writing
We welcome writers from any kind of practice (be it academic, artistic, etc), not just those who solely focus on writing alone. In the proposal, we would like to see why the text is currently important for you to write, both personally and societally. Please also share something about your position in society and in the world, and how these two influence your proposal. We don’t believe in one way of writing, and are very open proposals which are experimental, scorching, mourning, rural, idiosyncratic, controversial, loving, mad, comedic, furious, whatever the fuck floats your boat, we are here for it.
program
We have designed a writing program to develop the magazine. The program starts with a session introducing the process and giving space to brainstorm if you need help developing the first full draft of your text. After this, we will have three monthly meetings with peer-to-peer feedback. These meetings happen online, and mostly take place in 19:00-21:00 CET (13:00 in Arauca, 22:00 in Yeghegnadzor, 02:00 in Davao), so see if this doable from your timezone. The sessions are mandatory to attend. We conclude the program with a magazine launch. We have designed the process in a way that besides us editors, you feedback each other intensely. Instead of having separate writing processes, zandbank issue's texts grow together, as the participants learn from and influence each other.
accessibility
Within the constraints of the editing and printing process there is some space for adjusted timelines, extra feedback sessions or any other necessary adjustments that need to be made to fit your accessibility needs. We are a small neurodivergent team!
jury
The submissions will be judged by a jury consisting of Zandbank members and previous contributors to zandbank issue. We focus on compiling a complementary group of various perspectives which can enter into fruitful dialogue with each other.
timeline
| 27 Nov '26 23:59 CET |
submission deadline |
| Dec '26 |
reviewing submissions + sharing results |
| ----------------- |
| Jan-Apr '27 | making zandbank issue 05, one meeting per month |
| May '27 | launch zandbank issue 05 |
| ------------------ |
| Sep-Nov '27 | making zandbank issue 06, one meeting per 4 weeks |
| Dec '27 | launch zandbank issue 06 |
|
Use
this form to sign up before 27/11/26, 23:59 CET.