Volunteer Writers — Rock & Art | Remote, Worldwide

We are looking for Volunteer Writers who want to contribute to Rock & Art through thoughtful, research-driven cultural journalism.

This is not a role for producing quick news stories, SEO filler or content designed primarily to generate clicks.

We are interested in writers who want to take their time with a subject, investigate it, place it in context and give readers something more valuable than a summary: a way of understanding it.

Your work may become part of a larger body of knowledge within Rock & Art, connecting with other articles, research, cultural histories and ongoing editorial clusters.

You may write about subjects including, but not limited to:

• music and sonic cultures;
• literature and literary cultures;
• visual and radical arts;
• film and popular culture;
• fashion and subcultural style;
• gender, sexuality and identity;
• bodies and kinky culture;
• political and cultural movements;
• memory, history and cultural heritage;
• subcultures and countercultures;
• representation, power and cultural politics;
• emerging cultural practices and critical futures.

We are particularly interested in writers who can identify meaningful connections between culture, history, politics, society and lived experience.

What you will do

As a Volunteer Writer, you may:

• Develop and pitch original article ideas.
• Research subjects using reliable primary and secondary sources.
• Produce long-form essays, cultural criticism, analysis and research-based features.
• Provide historical, political and cultural context rather than treating subjects in isolation.
• Conduct interviews or incorporate documented voices where appropriate.
• Attribute and document sources accurately.
• Work with editors through the Rock & Art editorial process.
• Revise drafts based on substantive editorial feedback.
• Contribute to larger editorial clusters and knowledge projects.
• Identify connections between your work and existing Rock & Art content.
• Follow the principles and standards of the Rock & Art Editorial System (RAES).

You will not be expected to know RAES before applying. Relevant processes and editorial standards will be introduced as part of the collaboration.

What we are looking for

You do not need to be a professional journalist to apply.

We are interested in people who can demonstrate strong writing, research ability and genuine engagement with their subject.

You may be:

• an experienced cultural journalist or writer;
• an emerging writer building a portfolio;
• an independent researcher or scholar;
• a student or graduate in the humanities, social sciences, arts or related fields;
• a cultural worker, artist or practitioner with a particular area of knowledge;
• someone with substantial independent knowledge of a cultural field or community.

We value intellectual curiosity over credentials.

Strong candidates will generally demonstrate:

• excellent written English;
• strong research and analytical skills;
• the ability to develop an argument rather than simply describe a subject;
• an understanding of the importance of context;
• careful use of sources and evidence;
• intellectual honesty;
• openness to editorial feedback;
• sensitivity when working with complex or contested subjects;
• reliability and respect for agreed deadlines.

Knowledge of other languages is welcome, particularly where it allows you to bring perspectives, sources or cultural contexts that are underrepresented in English-language cultural journalism.

Our editorial approach

Rock & Art is committed to journalism that asks questions rather than assuming answers.

We believe:

Context must precede judgement.

Evidence matters more than assumption.

Complex subjects deserve complexity.

Representation carries responsibility.

Editorial independence matters.

Knowledge is collective.

We do not expect every contributor to share the same opinions or interpretations. We do expect contributors to engage seriously with evidence, acknowledge uncertainty, represent other people’s work and perspectives responsibly, and be willing to reconsider an argument when the evidence requires it.