Call for Writing: Speaking Through the Void

Autograph is inviting pitches for short creative writing or poetry in response to their exhibition *Of Walking on Fire* by Nhu Xuan Hua — a Vietnamese-European artist whose dreamlike photographic work explores family history, migration and the limits of language.

This open call is for unagented or emerging writers, including first-time writers. You don't need to have been published before. Writers from anywhere in the world are welcome to apply.

Successful applicants will receive

• A £400 fee to produce the full text
• Editorial support from Autograph's experienced team
• Publication on Autograph's website
• An invitation to read their work at the upcoming event: *Memory and The Musicality of Language*

We're looking for writing that creatively engages with themes of memory, language and migration — how stories are passed down, transformed or lost across generations. This might take the form of a remembrance, a poem, short fiction, or another creative format. Texts should be approximately 300–1,000 words, though shorter formats like poetry are welcome.

How to apply: Submit a pitch (a short summary of the text you'd like to write) via the Autograph website by 10am BST on Monday 13 July 2026. Please do not write the full piece before it has been commissioned.

Successful applicants will be notified by 20 July 2026, with a publication deadline in mid-August 2026.

This call is free to enter. As part of Autograph's charitable work, a suggested donation of £2 or more is welcome but not required.