MERIP: Call for Pitches – MENA Art & Cultural Production (Summer 2026)

The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) has issued a call for pitches for its Summer 2026 issue, focusing on visual art and cultural production in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The initiative seeks to explore the complex interplay between artistic practices and the political, social, and material realities shaping the region.

According to MERIP, the upcoming issue will center on artistic practices and cultural histories, with a particular emphasis on the conditions under which art is created and experienced. Submissions are invited in a variety of forms, including analytical articles, dispatches, review essays, interviews, and visual essays. The project aims to move beyond superficial observations, delving into the underlying conditions that shape cultural production and the political possibilities it expresses.

The call for pitches explicitly welcomes investigations into a broad range of artistic forms, encompassing visual art, photography, film, music, museums, monuments, architecture, folk art, protest art, and crafts. Editors are particularly interested in pieces that examine the material politics and economic pathways of art production, both within and outside established channels.

Several specific themes are highlighted as areas of potential inquiry. These include historical, decolonial, feminist, and socially grounded approaches to artistic practice and circulation. The editors also express interest in exploring the artistic response to times of crisis, specifically referencing the situation in Gaza and the aesthetic impulses it warrants. Further areas of focus include the impact of technological shifts – including artificial intelligence and open-access content – on established cultural productions, and the networks connecting local and regional artistic dynamics with global consumption and transnational solidarity.

The call also encourages submissions that examine grassroots initiatives, independent collectives, avant-garde movements, and state-led projects and investments in the arts. A key objective is to understand how art reflects, responds to, and potentially shapes the political, social, and economic conditions of the MENA region.

MERIP states its mandate is to provide critical, alternative, and accessible reporting and analysis. The organization welcomes submissions from writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, offering editorial guidance and support throughout the process. This commitment to accessibility suggests an intention to reach an audience beyond academic circles, potentially including activists, policymakers, and a broader informed public.

The deadline for submitting pitches is February 23, 2026. Interested contributors are asked to submit a brief, one-paragraph description of their proposed idea, along with a short biography, to cfp@merip.org.

If a pitch is accepted, the full submission deadline is May 1, 2026. Accepted pieces are typically expected to be between 1,000 and 3,000 words in length and will undergo a review and editing process. Further details regarding MERIP’s style guidelines are available on their website.

This call for pitches reflects a broader interest in understanding the role of art and culture as both a reflection of and a force within the complex political landscape of the Middle East and North Africa. By focusing on the material conditions of artistic production and circulation, MERIP aims to provide a nuanced and critical analysis of the region’s cultural landscape.