Running Dog is an online arts publication that produces reviews and long-form articles on contemporary art. Since its inception in 2017, the editorial ethos of the publication has been two-fold: firstly, to expand the culture of criticism around contemporary art, and secondly, to provide a necessary platform for experimental modes of arts writing.
Running Dog is also a political project. It wishes to (re)consider the precarious nature of online publishing; to remain unbeholden to those in power; to know when to delay or avoid action, and to build collectivity and community. The practice and production of art (and the writing that responds to it) does not exist outside of the world in which we live. If anything, what our contemporary moment has shown us is how much the art world is situated within, and answerable to, the material context of our time.
Above all else, we endeavour to create a multi-vocal space for emerging and established writers who wish to challenge the current modes of contemporary arts writing and rethink the potential of the digital space. Our contributors include poets, critics, film scholars, musicians and fiction writers.
Running Dog’s work has been cited in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Overland, and New Matilda, and we were nominated for Best Arts and Culture Program at the 2019 FBi SMAC Awards.
History
Naomi Riddle founded Running Dog in October 2017. From 2017-2020, Running Dog published weekly reviews and features about exhibitions and events taking place in Sydney and regional New South Wales. During that time, Running Dog’s articles included critical commentary, sonic responses, collaborative pieces, reviews of digital exhibitions, video game analysis, fan fiction and poetry. We reflected on the work of both emerging and established artists, and considered exhibitions presented at institutions, commercial galleries, university galleries, festivals and artist-run-spaces.
In 2018, Naomi attended Triple Canopy’s Publishing Intensive in Los Angeles and began an ongoing series of ‘Letters from the Editor’. Over the course of 2019, the editorial team expanded to include Hannah Jenkins as Assistant Editor, and Running Dog partnered with Verge Gallery to produce a four-part public program. Laura La Rosa was announced as our 2019 First Nations Emerging Critic and we established our ongoing poetry micro-residency program—an initiative that allows poets to produce new work over the course of two months, which is then distributed via our monthly newsletter.
In 2020, Running Dog announced Diego Ramirez as Editor-at-Large, and we produced three special issues: Automate Me, Crowd the Revolution and Live Stream Now. We also published work in partnership with Campbelltown Arts Centre, the Keir Choreographic Award, and Sweatshop Literacy Movement, and awarded six digital poetry micro-residencies. At the start of 2021, Running Dog was invited to participate as part of No Show at Carriageworks, a showcase of eleven artist-led initiatives from across New South Wales.
From 2017-2020, Running Dog was the only publication producing weekly articles on contemporary art in New South Wales, and it remains an independent and non-commercial endeavour. In 2021, we ceased publishing weekly reviews to focus on long-form projects, and we anticipate a return to reviewing coverage in 2022.
Throughout its history, Running Dog has remained committed to its core founding principle: to provide emerging and established arts writers the time, space and editorial support to produce innovative and thoughtful arts writing and criticism.
Running Dog has always paid writers for their work.
Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief
Naomi Riddle
Poetry Editor and Assistant Editor
Hannah Jenkins
Editor-at-Large
Diego Ramirez
*Running Dog is currently on hiatus and is unable to accept new pitches or submissions at this time. We hope to reopen for submissions at a later date—to keep updated on this, please subscribe to our newsletter.*
Past Contributors:
Abdul Karim Hekmat
Alexandra McCallum
Alif Ibrahim
Alison Nguyen
Amelia Wallin
Amelia Zhou
Andrew Brooks
Andrew Sutherland
Anne-Marie Te Whiu
Anwen Crawford
Audrey Pfister
Bahar Sayed
Barnaby Smith
Benjamin Clay
Bridget Gilmartin
Brooke Scobie
Bruce Koussaba
Carly Stone
Carolyn Burns
Carrie Miller
Cecile Richard
Chelsea Lehmann
Cherine Fahd
Chloe Watfern
Chris Oakey
Claire Cao
Cleo Mees
Daniel Mudie Cunningham
Daniel Press
David Ryan
Diego del Valle Ríos
Eleanor Zurowski
Eloise Grills
Em Size
Emily Stewart
Emma Rayward
Emma-Kate Wilson
Erin McFadyen
Eugene Yiu Nam Cheung
Everest Pipkin
Fiona McGregor
Genevieve Trail
Grace Connors
Hana Pera Aoake
Hassan Kalam Abul
Holly Isemonger
Innas Tsuroiya
Jack De Lacy
Jacqui Shelton
James Gatt
Jane O’Sullivan
Jazz Money
Jennifer Hamilton
Jessica Olivieri
John Citizen
June Miskell
June Tang
Kathleen Linn
Katie Paine
Lara Chapman
Laura La Rosa
Laurel Rogers
Lauren Carroll Harris
Lily Golightly
Lucie Reeves-Smith
Luke Létourneau
Luke Patterson
Madeleine Martin
Marcus Whale
Mariam Arcilla
Matthew Crookes
Melinda Reid
Michael Sun
Mitchel Cumming
Mohamed Chamas
Morgan Godfery
Nadia Odlum
Nadine Lebde
Nanette Orly
Neha Kale
Nemeses
Nicholas Modrzewski
Nicole Wallace
Nikki Lam
Olivia Bennett
Patricia Arcilla
Paul Boyé
Paul Kelaita
Prue Gibson
Rebecca Gallo
Rebecca Hall
Rima Martens
Rob Horning
Rory Green
Sam Dickson
Sanja Grozdanić
Sarinah Masukor
Sharlene Gandhi
Sheila Ngoc Pham
Snack Syndicate
Soo-Min Shim
Stella Maynard
Susie Anderson
Suzanne Claridge
Talia Smith
Tiiu Meiner
Tim Marvin
Tony Mighell
Tyler Patterson
Vanessa Berry
Zach Karpinellison
Zarah Butcher-McGunnigle
Zhi Yi Cham