Interested in publishing with Onomatopee? From now on, we welcome new publication proposals through this open call. By centralizing submissions, we aim to ensure a transparent, structured, and fair selection process that allows us to carefully align new titles with our editorial mission and current thematic lines.
We kindly ask you to complete the questions in this form and upload the requested documents. This information will help us to better understand your project and its potential fit within our publishing program.
To ensure a transparent and consistent review process, we kindly ask you to submit your proposal through this form. Please take the time to answer the questions and upload the requested documents, as this will help us evaluate your project in relation to our editorial mission and thematic lines.
The open call is open worldwide and all year around, with a deadline every four months. Each deadline marks the start of a new round. If you can’t make the first deadline, you’re welcome to apply before the second or any of the following deadlines.
For 2025-2026, this means the following deadlines:
01 November 2025 (closed)
01 February 2026 (closed)
01 June 2026
01 October 2026
After the deadline, all submissions will be carefully reviewed by our editorial team. Our aim is to have made a decision within three months after the deadline on whether we would like to plan a meeting with you to explore the possibility of working together.
We look forward to receiving your proposal. Thank you for considering Onomatopee as a publishing partner.
Fill in the Open Call form here
FAQ
- Who can apply?
The open call is open to anyone, and submissions are welcome from worldwide. We encourage proposals from a wide range of voices, practices, and contexts, as long as the project clearly aligns with Onomatopee’s mission and thematic focus.
Please note that we do not accept fiction. Proposed publications should be grounded in research, critical inquiry, or reflective practice. Hybrid or experimental formats are welcome, including speculative or essayistic approaches, as long as the project is not presented as a fictional narrative.
- How finished should the project be?
Projects do not need to be fully developed or finished. Proposals can be at an early stage and do not need to include completed texts or images. We also welcome projects that are (nearly) completed. What matters most is that the proposal clearly communicates the project’s concept, urgency, coherence, and its relevance to Onomatopee’s mission and thematic focus. The open call is intended as a starting point for dialogue and collaboration.
- What is Onomatopee’s role?
Onomatopee works in an engaged and collaborative way. We aim to be involved throughout the entire publication process, ideally from the very beginning. This can include thinking along on content and form, providing editorial feedback, helping connect the right people for tasks such as editing, proofreading, or other forms of production support, as well as assisting with design or finding a designer. Additionally, we ensure the publication is distributed worldwide. The level of involvement varies per project and depends partly on the available budget.
- What do you mean by thematic lines?
Onomatopee’s publishing range is broad, and we welcome a wide variety of proposals. Our thematic lines refer to the long-term research directions and mission of Onomatopee. While we consider projects across many topics, proposals that connect to these thematic lines have an added advantage. We are especially interested in projects that articulate their relevance, urgency, and contribution to ongoing critical discourse.
To understand how these thematic lines are defined and how they guide our publishing practice, please refer to the Program lines page, where Onomatopee’s mission and research framework are outlined in more detail.
Essay collections or publications based on previously published material are also considered, provided the proposal clearly explains the necessity and coherence of the publication—for example, through new framing, editing, or contextualisation.
- If my project is not selected, can I apply again?
If a project is not selected in a given round, it may be submitted again in a future round. Whether this is advisable depends on the stage and development of the project. While resubmission is not actively encouraged in all cases, you are welcome to apply again if the project has significantly evolved.
- Should funding already be in place?
Funding does not need to be fully secured at the time of submission. While production costs—such as graphic design, editing, and printing—are typically covered by the project initiator, we encourage applicants to explore all possible funding avenues. For strong projects, securing co-financing or additional support is often achievable, especially with proactive efforts from the initiator. Financial planning is an important part of the process, and if your project is selected, we’re happy to work together to explore the full financial picture and identify potential solutions.
