Surface Design Journal Themes for 2026

SPRING: Traditions & Techniques in Lace

Scholars generally agree that lace, as we know it today, first took shape in the early sixteenth century. From the beginning, it carried the aura of luxury—fragile, precious and born of painstaking hours. Once the purview of the needle and bobbin, now whether knitted or crocheted, its material language has expanded to include rope, wire and even reclaimed plastics. No longer confined to ornament, lace has become a site of exploration: artists stretch its once-delicate architecture into sweeping, monumental forms or tease out new meanings through the interplay of positive and negative space. This issue celebrates both the history of lace and the ever-growing possibilities for contemporary application.

• Proposals Due: January 12, 2026
• In Print: early May

---

SUMMER: Textiles for the End of the World
In collaboration with Elena Wise

We are living in a period rife with conflict, inequality, and various forms of insecurity, both locally and globally. This Journal examines how contemporary makers are using their craft to adapt the role of textiles as tools for resilience, knowledge-sharing, community-building, and survival in order to find new ways to thrive and improve quality of life as we look ahead toward an uncertain future.

• Proposals Due: March 9, 2026
• In Print: mid July

---

FALL: 11th Annual International Exhibition in Print: Theme TBD
With Guest Juror Meli Bandera & Co-juried by Managing Editor Lauren Sinner

• Cafe Call: Opens in February 2026
• In Print: mid October

---

WINTER: Nordic Noir
In collaboration with Norwegian Crafts and Nordic Textile Art

Scandi and Sámi cultures are steeped in warmth and wellbeing, with material-based artistic traditions woven into daily life. As the days grow shorter and a winter chill settles in, we invite you on a journey across the Nordic regions—Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Sápmi—to celebrate contemporary fiber arts and textiles in Scandinavia.

• Proposals Due: September 8, 2026
• In Print: late December

*Please note dates are subject to change*

---

Proposal Requirements

• • • Abstract: 500 words max,  Word document
      • Label your file: “FirstNameLastName_Title.doc”
    • Images: 4-6 representative images, jpg, tiff, or png format
      • Label your images: “FirstNameLastName_Number.jpg”
    • SUBMISSION FORM

---

Full Articles: (what to expect if your proposal gets accepted!)

• • • Full article: Word count varies depending on department (see below examples for word count)
    • Images: All images must be High Resolution, 300 dpi, jpg, tiff, or png, minimum 6 inches on the shortest side, shared via Google Form (we will send the form to you once your article is accepted)
    • Caption sheet: Name, Title, Year, materials, techniques, dimensions, photo credit (all are required for every image).
    • Example: Nádia Taquary, O Mundo/Ifá,  2019. Old iron ball, shell, cowrie shells, coastal marsh grass, wooden beads, 29 x 31.5 x 31.5 inches. Photo: Andrew Kemp.

• • • Bio: 50 words max
    • Any relevant links (artist website, Instagram handles, Vimeo/YouTube videos)

---

Guidelines

• • • Submissions received after deadline will not be accepted.
    • All articles will be reviewed for consideration but not guaranteed for publication.
    • Please allow up to 2 weeks for a response. Our staff is working very hard on multiple deadlines and projects, and will require sufficient time for review.
    • All submissions must be original, and exclusive to Surface Design Journal. We will not consider articles that have already been published, in any form, in print or online.

---

Journal Departments & Examples

Unsure of what department your article idea fits into? Here’s a breakdown of the Surface Design Journal departments, including final word counts and some examples from past Journals.

FEATURES

• • • In-depth article on an artist or project, and scholarly or technical concepts within the field of fiber
    • 1,200–1,500 words, 6-8 images

IN REVIEW

• • • Exhibition or conference review focusing on execution of themes, techniques, and/or installation
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images

IN CONVERSATION

• • • Interview or conversation from one artist/critic to another about a specific project
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images

SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION

• • • An article highlighting an innovative or interesting project done by a college institution, studio school, or other educational facility
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images

IN THE STUDIO

• • • A first person account of an artist’s studio practice, highlighting techniques, materials, and concepts utilized by the artist
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images (finished work, in-progress work, studio, action shots)

FIRST PERSON / EMERGING VOICES

• • • A first person account of an established or emerging artist’s concepts, inspirations, and background
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images (finished work, action shots, studio)

MADE AWARE

• • • Article that focuses on various forms of textile and fiber art including (performances, workshops, collaborations, etc.) as demonstrations of social practice and sociopolitical activism
    • 1,200 words max with 4-6 images

INFORMED SOURCE

• • • A first person account of any fiber/textile-based artist, curator, or collector who has a certain expertise or focus in their creative practice and makes compelling work.
    • 600 words max, 4-6 images (finished work, in-progress, studio, facilities)

IN PRINT

• • • Review of a textile-themed book
    • 500 words max, 4-6 images (cover of book, images from book)

Other departments include: Visual Essay, Artist-In-Residence, On Display, Legacy, Fiber in Film, By Design, Collaboration, Restoration, and more. While we don’t always feature every department in a Journal issue, we welcome proposals from any category

---

Contact

– Elizabeth Kozlowski, Journal Editor and Lauren Sinner, Managing Editor