ART CRITIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

CUE’s Art Critic Mentorship Program (ACMP) pairs emerging writers with art critic mentors to produce original long-form critical essays about the work of artists exhibiting at CUE's gallery space. The program is open to writers of any age in the early stages of their careers who meet the eligibility guidelines outlined below. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; selected writers will be notified of their acceptance during the planning process for each exhibition.

Essays commissioned through the program are published by CUE in print exhibition catalogues distributed at the gallery for each exhibition, and are also made available and promoted online on CUE’s website and social media. Writers receive an honorarium of $600 for their participation, along with editorial support from their mentor and CUE’s staff.

To read past essays, see below or browse the archive on our website.


ELIGIBILITY:

The Art Critic Mentorship Program is open to emerging writers of any age and any educational background who:

  • Have a demonstrated art and/or critical writing practice and an interest in contemporary art

  • Are interested in and open to receiving mentorship and feedback from an established art critic appointed by CUE, as well as editorial support from CUE’s staff

  • Do not regularly write reviews or essays for a mainstream arts publication (i.e. Artforum, Art in America, Frieze, etc.)

  • Have not published a book or are not currently under contract for a book with a large commercial publisher (self-published books, short chapbooks, and publications by small or independent printers are acceptable)

  • Have less than three years of experience as an editorial or staff writer at an arts publication (if applicable; this type of experience is not necessary)

If you are unsure about your eligibility or have any other questions about the program, email us at opencall@cueartfoundation.org. No phone calls, please.

APPLICATION MATERIALS:

As part of the rolling application, writers are asked to submit the following materials:

  • Two writing samples (maximum of 10 pages total)

    • The strongest samples are reviews, blog entries, short essays, and short-form writing. These may be published or unpublished texts.

    • Writing samples must be contemporary and related to visual art (no dance, literature, podcast/radio journalism, or commercial/feature film analysis).

    • Please do not submit school papers, research papers, dissertations, exhibition proposals/summaries, and artwork wall labels as writing samples.

  • A current CV containing relevant experience (maximum of 4 pages)

Please refer to the full application on Submittable for additional information. Applicants will be notified if their application is selected as part of the planning process for each exhibition.


RECENT ESSAYS:

See below for recent catalogue essays commissioned by CUE as part of the Art Critic Mentorship Program, or browse the archive.

A Series of Openings—or, Ways of Worrying a Score"
Writer: Jordan Jones
Mentor: Renee Gladman

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition worried notes by Keli Safia Maksud, with mentorship from Abigail DeVille and on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 25 – March 16, 2024.

“A ‘Bug’ in the System”
Writer: Constanza Salazar
Mentor: Carson Chan

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Insight Outsight by Ling-lin Ku, with mentorship from Agnieszka Kurant and on view at CUE Art Foundation from November 9 – December 22, 2023.

Artist Interview with Cornelius Tulloch
Interviewer: Kalila Ain
Mentor: Dr. Joan Morgan

This interview was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Vendah by Cornelius Tulloch, with mentorship from Danny Baez and on view at CUE Art Foundation from September 7 – October 21, 2023.

 

"The Time is Now: Speculative Memory, Reclaimed Futures"
Writer: Sarah Aziza
Essay Mentor: Dina Ramadan

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition A thought is a memory, curated by Noel Maghathe, with mentorship from Sara Raza and on view at CUE Art Foundation from March 23 – May 13, 2023.

"Heridas Terrestres (Terrestrial Wounds): The Works of Carolina Aranibar-Fernández"
Writer: Angelica Arbelaez
Essay Mentor: Max Pearl

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Agua entre la metalurgia (Water in between metallurgy) by Carolina Aranibar-Fernández, with mentorship from Alana Hernandez and on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 19 – March 11, 2023.

"Black Queer Vernacular Art and the Beauty of rod jones ii"
Writer: Logan Cryer
Essay Mentor: Serubiri Moses

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition this must be the place to be by rod jones ii, with mentorship from Didier William and on view at CUE Art Foundation from November 3, 2022 – January 7, 2023.

 

"Play With Form and Time in Alisha Wormsley's Remnants of an Advanced Technology"
Writer:
Amanda Dibando Awanjo
Essay Mentor: Kemi Adeyemi

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Remnants of an Advanced Technology by Alisha B Wormsley, with curatorial mentorship from Joeonna Bellorado-Samuels and on view at CUE Art Foundation from September 15 – October 22, 2022.

“MONEY METAPHYSIC$”
Writer: Meghana Karnik
Essay Mentor: Sara Reisman

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Money Has No Smell, curated by ACOMPI with mentorship from Rosario Güiraldes and on view at CUE Art Foundation from July 21 – September 9, 2022.

"The Contours of Self-Making in Fereidoun Ghaffari’s Practice"
Writer: Sinclair Spratley
Essay Mentor: Sara Reisman

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Fereidoun Ghaffari: In the Shadows, mentored by Phong Bui and on view at CUE Art Foundation from June 9 – July 9, 2022. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online.

 

“Beloved Gestures”
Writer: Zoë Hopkins
Essay Mentor: Terence Trouillot

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Zachary Fabri: Memory Foam, mentored by American Artist and on view at CUE Art Foundation from April 9 – May 14, 2022. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online.

"Tenet: New York City’s Sculptural Aberrations"
Writer: Sara Garzón
Essay Mentor: Mónica de la Torre

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Tenet: Wall Begins to Know Itself, curated and mentored by Maren Hassinger and on view at CUE Art Foundation from March 5 – April 2, 2022. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

"Translatory Gestures"
Writer: Emily Chun
Essay Mentor: Manijeh Moradian

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Golnar Adili: Found in Translation: A Story of Language, Play, and a Personal Archive, curated and mentored by Kevin Beasley and on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 27—February 26, 2022. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 

"Emerge as it must."
Writer: Bryn Evans
Essay Mentor: Jessica Lynne

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Danielle Deadwyler: Object-Subject: Flaw is the Only Recourse, curated and mentored by Tiona Nekkia McClodden and on view at CUE Art Foundation from November 4 – December 15, 2021. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

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"Retooling the Systemic"
Writer: Kinaya Hassane
Essay Mentor: Lee Ann Norman

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition James Maurelle: On-Site, curated and mentored by Odili Donald Odita and on view at CUE Art Foundation from September 17 – October 23, 2021. The mentor for this essay was Lee Ann Norman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE.

A photo shows a close crop of an open door leading into a bodega with red-tiled floors. The glass door is completely covered with posters, flyers, and stickers. In the center of the door, the newest flyer has red and blue text on a white background …

"Archival Irreverence"
Writer: Alex Santana
Essay Mentor: Leticia Alvarado

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Lizania Cruz: Gathering Evidence: Santo Domingo & New York City, curated and mentored by Guadalupe Maravilla and on view at CUE Art Foundation from July 16 – August 26, 2021. The mentor for this essay was Leticia Alvarado. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE.

 
A bird’s eye photograph of a light-skinned blond figure, naked and crouched down in the center of the image. The figure is surrounded by wilderness with branches above and brown leaves littering the ground. Scattered on the forest floor are small pa…

“Pitch Imperfect”
Writer: Tiana Reid
Essay Mentor: Jessica Lynne

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition In Longing, curated by Anna Cahn and mentored by Legacy Russell, on view at CUE Art Foundation from June 3 – July 14, 2021. The mentor for this essay was Jessica Lynne. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A pair of brown-skinned arms and hands embrace the Earth, nestling between stalks of bright green spring grass. Italicized spaced-out white letters laid over the scene spell out the phrase “to scattter.”

“To Allow for Tenderness”
Writer: Adeola Olakiitan
Essay Mentor: Jeannine Tang


This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Miatta Kawinzi: Soft is Strong, curated and mentored by Ronny Quevedo, on view at CUE Art Foundation from April 8 – May 12, 2021. The mentor for this essay was Jeannine Tang. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A black-and-white photograph of a man holding an American flag with a woman standing on either side of him. The man wears a feathered headdress and a vest with fringe. The women both wear long skirts with ornate belts and necklaces. The faces of the…

"No Place Like Home"
Writer: Asia Tail in conversation with John Feodorov
Essay Mentor: Aruna D'Souza


This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition John Feodorov: Assimilations, curated by Ruba Katrib, on view at CUE Art Foundation from February 25 – March 31, 2021. The mentor for this essay was Aruna D’Souza. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 
A film still in which seven queer and trans people with brightly colored clothes, hair, and skin revel in each other’s presence while lounging, listening to music, bathing in a waterfall, eating, and drinking. They are each live-action figures colla…

“to build another world”
Writer: danilo machado
Essay Mentor: Jillian Steinhauer


This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Even there, there are stars, curated by Allie/A.L. Rickard, on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 14 – February 17, 2021. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Jillian Steinhauer. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

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"The Context of Now: Yara El-Sherbini’s Forms of Regulation and Control"
Writer: Rosa Boshier
Essay Mentor: Eric Bryant

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Yara El-Sherbini: Forms of Regulation and Control, curated by Naeem Mohaiemen, on view at CUE Art Foundation from November 7 – December 15, 2020. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Dawn Chan. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

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"Power/Play"
Writer: Re'al Christian
Essay Mentor: Michael Duncan

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Myeongsoo Kim: Mother-Land, curated by Michelle Yun, on view at CUE Art Foundation from October 7 – November 3, 2020. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sara Reisman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 
A vertical weaving composed of wavy horizontal abstract shapes in shades of green, red, and pink, with an ovular piece of green stained glass in the center. Delicate tan-colored fringe dangles from the bottom edge.

"Sickly Sweet and Dirty Dazzle: Terri Friedman's Textiles"
Writer: Alexis Wilkinson
Essay Mentor: Charles Desmarais

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Terri Friedman: Rewire, curated by Kathy Butterly, on view at CUE Art Foundation from April 2 – May 7, 2020. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Charles Desmarais. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A black suit jacket stuffed with foam and placed with the sleeves facing down stands parallel to the gallery wall holding up a cylindrical metal object that leans against the stuffed clothing. The cylinder is painted black to match the color of the …

"Uniform, Free-form"
Writer: Gaby Collins-Fernandez
Essay Mentor: William Fenstermaker

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Yang Mai: Good Morning, China! (早上好,中国!), curated by David Humphrey, on view at CUE Art Foundation from February 20 – March 25, 2020. The ACMP mentor for this essay was William Fenstermaker. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

Two large tuba bells hang from a metal frame in the center of a white room. In the background is a cement column and a cluster of brass instruments in varying sizes extending outward from the top of a metal pole. On the left, the pipes of a trumpet …

"Steve Parker: Call and Respond"
Writer: Lilia Rocio Taboada
Essay Mentor: Thomas Michelli

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Steve Parker: Futurist Listening, curated by Marcela Guerrero, on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 9 – February 12, 2020. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Thomas Micchelli. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 
A pixel-like grid of black circles interrupted occasionally by blank spots is printed on an off-white background. In the foreground, an off-white head-like shape is decorated with intricate pale grey patterns, sewn black circular outlines, and dotte…

"Tracing Intuitions"
Writer: Sumru Tekin
Essay Mentor: Charles Desmarais

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Sarah Amos: Chalk Lines, curated by Barbara Takenaga, on view at CUE Art Foundation from October 16 – December 11, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Charles Desmarais. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

Installation view of twelve colorful patterned paintings, 11 x 14 inches each, hung in a three by four grid on a white wall.

"Becoming Hyphenated"
Writer: Roksana Filipowska
Essay Mentor: Eleanor Heartney

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Natessa Amin: Hyphen, curated by Ali Banisadr, on view at CUE Art Foundation from September 12 – October 16, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Nancy Princenthal. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A blue lollipop attached to a white background marked with blue grid lines. Ants are arranged all along the stick and candy of the lollipop.

"endless rain, flora, honey, neo-nationalism"
Writer: Danni Shen
Essay Mentor: Sara Reisman

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Mo Kong: Making A Stationary Rain On The North Pacific Ocean, curated by Steffani Jemison, on view at CUE Art Foundation from May 30 – July 10, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sara Reisman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 
Three detail shots cropped create:A weathered paper with wires wrapping around it, an “I” in a bubble letter balloon, a steel protruding ladder covered in concrete-soaked fabrics.

"Hear Away Closer: Notes on Sonic Sensibility"
Writer: Tausif Noor
Essay Mentor: Nadine Khalil

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Formula 1: A Loud, Low Hum, curated by Mira Dayal and Simon Wu, on view at CUE Art Foundation from April 4 – May 8, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Nadine Khalil. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A small CRT TV set is attached to a green wall. On the TV, Godoy as a teenager with buzzed hair wears a dark suit and tie is reading the news. A news logo hangs on the upper right hand corner. Capitalized letters at the bottom of the screen reads Ca…

"Dancer, Anchor, Stage"
Writer: Mira Dayal
Essay Mentor: Benjamin Genocchio

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Camilo Godoy: En Vivo y En Directo, curated by Tania Bruguera, on view at CUE Art Foundation from February 28 – March 27, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sara Reisman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

A three-quarter view of a slice of a house-like shape covered entirely in black dollhouse shingles. The sculpture is placed flush against a white wall and sitting on a plaster motif.

"First There's Play, Then There's Trouble"
Writer: April Freely
Essay Mentor: Toby Kamps

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Cal Siegel: I am the box no roof can cover, curated by Sable Elyse Smith, on view at CUE Art Foundation from January 10 – February 13, 2019. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sarah S. King. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

 
A navy blue fabric in the shape of a flag hung on a line by five clothespins in the corner of the gallery. The fabric depicts a white outline of the United States flag. Underneath the flag is a layer of soil from the Bronx marked with footprints.

"Cogitations on Surviving Language"
Writer: Ladi'Sasha Jones
Essay Mentor: Thomas Micchelli

This essay was produced in conjunction with the exhibition Original Language, curated by Natasha Marie Llorens, on view at CUE Art Foundation from September 7 – October 11, 2018. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sara Reisman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.

On the left side of a dark-colored print, white lines represent an abstracted view of stairs leading up to a door with an exit sign and the number eight written on the door. The right side of the print is a similar imagery flipped upside-down with t…

"Bearing Witness"
Writer: Jessica Lynne
Essay Mentor: Sara Reisman

This essay was written in conjunction with Kambui Olujimi: Solastalgia, curated by Hank Willis Thomas, on view at CUE Art Foundation from April 7 – May 12, 2016. The ACMP mentor for this essay was Sara Reisman. This text is included in the free exhibition catalogue available at CUE and online here.