The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO), the largest university-based research institute, library, and archive dedicated to the Puerto Rican experience in the United States, invites art critics, curators, art historians, and art or art history students to submit their original writing focusing on contemporary diasporic Puerto Rican visual artists to be included in our Diasporican Art in Motion initiative and RicanWritings online magazine. 

As a research center focused on the Diasporic Puerto Rican experience, we are committed to promote the creation of knowledge of our cultural heritage and expressions. Diasporic Puerto Rican artists have been at the forefront of identity issues, and their work often examines and expands the national representation boundaries. The production of knowledge based on Diasporic Puerto Rican Artists will not only help the understanding and promotion of their work, but will enlighten the understanding of ourselves and of our diasporic journeys. 

In alignment with Centro’s Rooted + Relational research initiatives themes for 2026 (Boricuas in Relation and Black Cuerpas: Race, Body Politics & Culture), we are particularly interested in artists with more than one heritage and artists who self identify as afrodescendants.

Up to 10 selected writings will be published on CENTRO’s digital magazine RicanWritings, social media, and appear in the Diasporican Art in Motion database.

Submission Guidelines

• Essays should be no more than 1,500 words and focus on one of the artists in the Diasporican Art in Motion database. 
• Essays can take the form of an artist profile, exhibition review or response, short interview with commentary, or a response to a specific artwork. 
• Submissions should follow the same standard requirements of our Centro Journal Style Guide with the exception that submissions won’t be sent by email but through a digital form instead. 
• Any writer can submit more than one writing for different artists. Manuscripts can be submitted either in English or Spanish. 
• Writings should be original and not previously published.
• We encourage writings on artists whose work has not been widely studied.

Submission Process

• Submissions will open March 11, 2026
• Complete the form in Submittable, ensure all mandatory fields are completed, and review and confirm your submission.
• You will receive email confirmation of your form.
• Your manuscript undergoes a rigorous internal review process where your submission is evaluated on its quality, originality, and relevance. 
• We will email you with our decision and, if applicable, further steps.

Compensation for selected essays: 
$300

Deadline: 
May 10, 2026 at 11:59PM ET

Contact Information:

If you encounter any issues or have questions about the submission process, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at DiasporicanArts@hunter.cuny.edu.

About Diasporican Art in Motion (DAM)

DAM is a digital repository and research catalyst seeking to document the impact of migration on Puerto Rican visual culture and community-building through in-depth profiles of contemporary diasporic Puerto Rican visual artists. This community of artists is understudied and as a result, they are underrepresented in the Arts field. Their underrepresentation stems from the fact that diasporic Puerto Rican visual artists often fall outside the boundaries of American, Latin American, and Caribbean art. Moreover, their uniqueness and singular contributions to the arts are overshadowed and diluted by their lack of exposure in sanctioning academic fields and institutions.