Organized in collaboration with CUE Art Foundation, the Art Critic Mentoring program provides seven writers annually with the opportunity to work with an established art critic appointed by AICA to compose a long-form critical essay on one of CUE’s exhibiting artists. Over the course of two months, each writer conducts studio visits with an exhibiting artist and composes a long-form critical essay, which will be published by CUE in a printed exhibition catalogue and online. The program is open to writers of any age in the early stages of their careers. Writers are awarded a $600 honorarium. To read past essays, browse the archive.
We are currently looking for writers in the New York, NY area to write an essay on Zachary Fabri’s upcoming solo exhibition at CUE, curated and mentored by American Artist and on view April 7 – May 11, 2022.
Applications due: October 25, 2021 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time)
How to apply
To apply for the program, writers should please submit the following online here:
Two writing samples, max. 10 pages total:
- The strongest samples are reviews, blog entries, short essays, and short-form writing. These may be published or unpublished texts.
- Must be contemporary visual arts-related (no dance, literature, podcast/radio journalism, or commercial/feature film analysis).
- School papers, research papers, dissertations, exhibition proposals/summaries, and artwork wall labels are not accepted.
A current CV containing relevant experience, max. 4 pages
The writing samples and CV must be submitted as separate PDF documents (max. 14 pages total), with the filenames labeled as follows: "ACMP application_Your Name_Location_File Name” (for example: "ACMP application_Jane Doe_NYC_Writing Sample").
AICA-USA board member Lilly Wei is the program coordinator for the Art Critic Mentoring Program. She is a New York-based independent curator and critic who contributes to many publications in the United States and abroad. She has written regularly for Art in America since 1982 and is a contributing editor at ARTnews and Art Asia Pacific. Wei has also written for Asian Art News, Art Papers, Sculpture Magazine, Tema Celeste, Flash Art, Art Press and Art and Auction, among other publications, and has frequently reported on international biennials such as those of Sydney, Cairo, Athens and Reykjavik.
AICA supports art writers around the world through public programs and membership that includes free access to museums across the globe. Since its formation in 1950, AICA has been committed to elevating the values of art criticism as a discipline, and acting on behalf of the physical and moral defense of works of art.
Join now
AICA supports arts writers around the world through public programs and membership that offers free access to museums across the globe. AICA-USA represents the largest national section of AICA International with over 450 distinguished critics, curators, scholars, and art historians working throughout the United States. As part of the international organization, we benefit from a global reach in presence. AICA-USA is intent on international communication, elevating the values of art criticism as a discipline, and acting on behalf of the physical and moral defense of works of art.
AICA's membership card is recognized for entrance to museums around the world. Members are invited to attend the annual AICA International Congress, hosted each year by a different member nation, and the AICA-USA annual meeting, which is held every year in May.
Organized in collaboration with CUE Art Foundation, this program matches emerging critics with experienced AICA-USA members who guide them through the process of writing a catalogue essay.
A partnership between The Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant and AICA-USA that gives art writers the opportunity to strengthen their work through one-on-one consultations with leading art critics.
Every fall, in cooperation with the New School's Vera List Center for Art and Politics, AICA-USA presents a Distinguished Critic Lecture.