Call for Papers

VAR special issue: Radical Publications in Art + Design Education

This special issue of Visual Arts Research invites manuscripts and creative work that explore radical conceptions of research and publication practices in art + design education. Investigations of the complex intersectional spaces of the arts, education, and research have produced areas of scholarly inquiry such as Arts-Based Research (ABR), Arts-based Educational Research (ABER), Community Based Arts Education (CBAE), and rich collaborative practices.

However, the publication, legibility, and access to that research within the traditional academic publication process poses different challenges for authors, artists, practitioners, and the communities they serve: first time and early career authors navigating the sometimes murky waters of academic language and publishing protocols; valuable artistic research that may not directly comply with traditional publication requirements; lack of mentorship and guidance in the review process; lack of access to published work behind institutional pay walls; an overly academized, colonizing practice that prevents polyvocality when talking about education and community engagement; and reviewer biases in the “blind” peer review process.

With this in mind, we are soliciting manuscripts that explore the nuances and possibility spaces of a radical imagination or “the ability to imagine the world, life, and social institutions not as they are but as they might otherwise be” (Khasnabish & Haiven, 2014)1 of scholarly publication. We encourage manuscripts exploring:

● Histories of radical forms of publication and counter-culture publication processes like zines and chapbooks

● Radical approaches to research and publication in the arts and education

● Teaching about/with radical or subversive publishing practices

● Collaborative and community engaged co-research and co-publication

● Profiles of artists/educators radically reimagining spaces of research and/or publication

● Radical imagination addressing issues of access in scholarly publication

● Visions for the future of research and publication in the arts and education

For this issue, we are prioritizing first time authors, early career academics, and emerging scholars to contribute manuscripts; in particular we welcome proposals and manuscripts by classroom teachers and other arts educators outside of higher education.

With this in mind, veteran authors are welcome to submit manuscripts for review OR participate as mentors to less-experienced authors in the review process. Mentors will receive co-editor acknowledgement for the special issue.

All prospective authors will participate in a peer-to-peer review for this special issue, pairing early career and/or first time authors with more experienced authors during the review and editing process.

Manuscripts can take one of three formats:

● Traditional scholarly manuscripts responding to the special issue theme (4500 words plus references)

● Teaching resources, curricula, or guides addressing the special issue theme (1200-1500 words)

● Creative works reflecting the special issue theme (images accompanied by an artist/s statement of 500-700 words)

Deadline for submissions: June 1, 2024. Publication Summer 2025

Manuscript submissions and requests to participate as a mentor:

var.radical.publications@gmail.com

Questions? Contact:

Courtnie N. Wolfgang, Rhode Island School of Design

cwolfgan@risd.edu

__________

1 Khasnabish, A. & Haiven, M. (2014, July 22). Why social movements need the radical imagination. Open Democracy.

Editors

Co-Editors
Sarah Travis and Laura Hetrick
Visual Arts Research
143 Art and Design
University of Illinois
Champaign, IL 61820
VAReditors@gmail.com

Editorial Board

• Sahar Aghasafari, University of South Carolina, Lancaster
  
• Ilayda Altuntas Nott, The University of Arizona
• Angela Baldus, The University of British Columbia
• Jasmine Begeske, Purdue University
• Joy G. Bertling, University of Tennessee
• Shivani Bhalla, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Paulina Camacho Valencia, University of Arkansas
• Yichien Cooper, Washington State University
• Kendall Crabbe, The University of Arizona
• Kimberley D'Adamo, University of Nebraska
• Stephanie Danker, Miami University
• Richard Fletcher, The Ohio State University
• Kelly Gross, Northern Illinois University
• Min Gu, California State University, Long Beach
• Christina Hanawalt, University of Georgia
• Emiel Heijnen, Amsterdam University of the Arts
• Catalina Hernández-Cabal, Virginia Tech University
• Ann Holt, The Pennsylvania State University
• Emily J. Hood, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
• Dana Carlisle Kletchka, The Ohio State University
• Ahran Koo, California State University, Fresno
  
• Hyunji Kwon, University of South Carolina
• Nicole S. Lee, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
• Lillian L. Lewis, Virginia Commonwealth University
• Christine Liao, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• Luke Meeken, Miami University
• David Modler, Shepherd University
• Kaleb Ostraff, Brigham Young University
• Hayon Park, George Mason University
• Samuel H. Peck, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
• Allison Rowe, University of Iowa
• Sara Scott Shields, Florida State University
• Borim Song, East Carolina University
• Lauren Stetz, University of the Arts
• Jody Stokes-Casey, University of Kentucky
• Juuso Tervo, Aalto University
• Merel Visse, Drew University & University of Humanistic Studies
• Amber Ward, Florida State University
• gloria j. wilson, The Ohio State University
• Kate Wurtzel, Appalachian State University
• Li Xu, University of North Texas
• Ahu Yolaç, Lawrence Technological University
• Gigi Schroeder Yu, University of New Mexico

PDF Policy

Submissions

Visual Arts Research

Manuscripts of approximately 4,500 words should be submitted electronically to the Visual Arts Research online manuscript submission system. This secure, personalized resource will allow you to track your manuscript through each step of the review and acceptance process. To begin, click on the link below to set up your personal account and upload your submission. Your transmitted material will be reviewed as soon as possible.

READ BEFORE SUBMITTING: Submissions should follow the recommendations of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, 2021. Accompanying tables, figures, images, or illustrations should appear at the end of each manuscript, and must be submitted in accordance with APA guidelines (click here to download).

This journal utilizes a double-blinded review process in which all manuscripts are blind reviewed by members of the Visual Arts Research Editorial Board. Figures, images, or illustrations accompanying final accepted manuscripts must be submitted as separate electronic files, properly labeled, formatted as TIFF documents, 300 dpi, and sized in height and width dimensions approximate to how the writer wishes these materials to appear in the journal. Only high quality images or figures will be accepted. Images appearing in accepted manuscripts must comply with U.S. copyright laws. Writers will be asked to obtain permission for VAR to publish copyrighted photographs, illustrations, or images. Visual Arts Research will provide blank permission forms to authors, which must be returned prior to final acceptance.

View our Publications Ethics and Malpractice Statement

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