Call for Submissions: The Walldog

About The Walldog

The Walldog is a project of Textile, a community-engaged arts collective focusing on mentorship and publishing. The Walldog is a critical arts writing and research platform grounded in Waterloo Region, Ontario, reporting on the Waterloo-Wellington corridor. A “wall dog” was the name given to the industrial sign painters who, often precariously and anonymously, scaled building walls to hand-paint massive advertisements across North America; traces of their work remain in ghost signs of the textile manufacturing architecture across Kitchener and Cambridge. The Walldog reframes this figure to honour overlooked histories of aesthetic labour, craft, and cultural memory.

We approach arts criticism as a practice of both cultural documentation and speculative possibility. Drawing on theoretical frameworks including Potential Histories (Ariella Aïsha Azoulay), Black radical traditions of care and refusal, and Indigenous perspectives on time and place, we read public art, ghost signs, murals, textiles, protest aesthetics, and vernacular design as entry points into both forgotten and yet-to-be-imagined stories. Our work is shaped by thinkers such as Christina Sharpe, Saidiya Hartman, Fred Moten, Camille Turner, Syrus Marcus Ware, and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.

Through essays, visual interventions, interviews, and collaborative projects, The Walldog creates space for stories and aesthetic traditions that remain obscured by dominant narratives of innovation and progress in our region. We centre the creative and political contributions of artists, cultural workers, and communities whose practices have been undervalued by institutional art worlds—those who make and remake life in the hyper-local context of Waterloo Region, transforming walls, streets, and margins into sites of resistance and possibility.

While rooted in Kitchener-Waterloo’s arts ecosystem, we welcome contributors from anywhere across the Waterloo-Wellington corridor whose work engages with themes and questions that resonate with our community. We believe that thoughtful exploration of specific contexts often reveals universal insights and connections.

Like Textile's commitment to place-based storytelling and community dialogue, The Walldog looks not only backward, but sideways and forward, holding space for what has been, what was lost, and what still might be.

What is Arts Criticism?

Arts criticism isn't just about saying whether something is “good” or “bad.” It's thoughtful engagement with creative work that:

• Places art in its social, historical, or cultural context

• Explores how and why a work affects its audience

• Examines the choices made by artists and creators

• Offers constructive analysis that enriches both creators and audiences

You don't need specialized academic training to write criticism—just curiosity, attention to detail, and a willingness to engage deeply with art and culture.

Why Contribute?

Beyond fair compensation, contributing to The Walldog offers:

• Editorial mentorship and professional development

• Connection to a community of writers and artists

• A platform for dialogue that spans from local to global

• Opportunity to help build cultural infrastructure

• Experience in a field with pathways to sustainable creative careers

Compensation

• $400 for commissioned essays and long-form pieces (1,000-2,500 words)

• $200 for shorter reviews and reflections (500-1,000 words)

What We're Looking For

Critical Reviews

Reviews of exhibitions, performances, books, films, or other cultural events. While we prioritize coverage of Kitchener-Waterloo arts, we welcome reviews across the Waterloo-Wellington corridor that connect local work to broader contexts or explore relevant work from other regions.

• 500-1,000 words

• $200 paid after publication

• You'll have up to 3 weeks to complete your piece upon your pitch being accepted

Artist Conversations

In-depth discussions with artists, curators, writers, or other cultural workers, particularly those from communities historically excluded from arts discourse. Conversations should go beyond basic biography to explore process, influences, and context.

• 1,000-2,500 words

• Must include an introduction (minimum 350 words) contextualizing the artist's work

• $400 paid after publication

• You'll have up to 6 weeks to complete your piece upon your pitch being accepted

Cultural Essays & Reflections

Thoughtful explorations of trends, movements, or issues in arts and cultural landscapes. We're especially interested in perspectives that challenge conventional narratives, explore the relationship between place and creative practice, or illuminate connections between specific contexts and universal themes.

• 1,000-2,000 words

• $400 paid after publication

• You'll have up to 4 weeks to complete your piece upon your pitch being accepted

Artist Writing

We invite practicing artists to use The Walldog as a space to reflect on their creative process, respond to other artists' work, or explore connections between their practice and wider cultural contexts.

• 500-1,500 words

• $300 paid after publication

• You'll have up to 4 weeks to complete your piece upon your pitch being accepted

Our Commitment to Constructive Criticism

We believe that thoughtful critique strengthens artistic communities. We encourage contributors to approach criticism as a constructive practice that:

• Provides context and insight for readers

• Offers meaningful feedback for artists

• Builds rather than diminishes creative dialogue

• Connects specific works to broader cultural conversations

We are actively committed to publishing voices historically excluded from arts criticism. We particularly encourage pitches from writers who identify as "underdogs" in the publishing world, including those who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, disabled, newcomers to Canada, and/or from working-class backgrounds. Our editorial process is designed to provide additional support to first-time writers and those facing systemic barriers in publishing.

Submission Guidelines

We do not accept previously published or completed pieces. Please pitch your ideas first.

How to Pitch

Send your pitch to textilekw@gmail.com with "PITCHING THE WALLDOG: [Type of submission]" in the subject line. Your pitch should include:

• A brief summary (250 words max) of what you want to write about and your approach

• Why this topic matters and how it connects to broader cultural conversations

• Your estimated word count

• A short bio (100 words max)

• 1-2 writing samples or links to previous work (if available)

Please note that submitting a pitch doesn't guarantee acceptance. We will contact you within 3 weeks if your pitch is selected.

Sample Pitch

Our Editorial Approach

The Walldog offers collaborative editorial support to help writers develop their ideas. We work especially closely with emerging writers and those from underrepresented communities. Our editorial process includes:

• Initial feedback on your pitch

• Guidance on structure and development

• Thoughtful editing suggestions

• Clear timelines and expectations

We aim to create a supportive space where writers can develop their critical voice while contributing to meaningful cultural conversations.

Upcoming Deadlines

Pitches for our Fall 2025 launch: May 23 2025

Pitches for our Winter 2026 launch: October 23 2025

Note that you can submit pitches for upcoming events. We will accept pitches following this date on a rolling basis.

Questions? Contact us at textilekw@gmail.com.