UK-based artist James Bridle gives his Superscript keynote. Photo: Paul Schmelzer

Superscript Reader, an online supplement to the in-person conference

The conference kicked off with the Everyone's a Critic opening event, featuring a live criticism game by Revolver. Photo: Walker Art Center

New Inquiry editor Ayesha Siddiqi with Triple Canopy's Alexander Provan in the "Connectivity and Community" panel. Photo: Walker Art Center

Throughout the conference, a graphic designer culled quotes from speakers to create motivational poster–style slides to share instantly on Twitter.

Film scholar Isla Leaver-Yap and artist James Richard discuss his short film, Radio at Night, which premiered at Superscript. Photo: Walker Art Center

These shareable "Successories" were part of a Superscript social media plan that saw #superscript15 trend nationally on Twitter.

LA Times critic Christopher Knight, Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, and Buzzfeed Books editor Isaac Fitzgerald discuss "Credibilty, Criticism, and Collusion." Not pictured: Rhizome's Orit Gat. Photo: Walker Art Center

Claire Evans of YACHT and Vice's Terraform discusses science fiction as "cultural first response." Photo: Walker Art Center

Critic and author Ben Davis gives his keynote on "Post-Descriptive Criticism." Photo: Paul Schmelzer

Paul Schmelzer and Superscript co-organizer Susannah Schouweiler. Photo: Walker Art Center

At the end of the conference, a slideshow of these Twitter cards captured the best of Superscript's thinking.

The Superscript conference website, designed by Anthony Tran

Superscript: Arts Journalism and Criticism in a Digital Age

How is the Internet changing cultural criticism—or the ways we perceive and make art? How can arts journalism survive and thrive in a networked age? In an era of DIY media, when everyone's a critic, curator, and creator, what does it mean to be a professional art critic? As lead organizer and co-emcee of this three-day international conference, I worked to address these and other questions about digital cultural publishing's current challenges and its possible futures.

Held May 28–30, 2015 at the Walker Art Center, Superscript showcased 17 writers, editors, and artists (from poet Claudia La Rocco and Los Angeles Times critic Christopher Knight to Pitchfork CEO Ryan Schreiber and The New Inquiry’s Ayesha Siddiqi), two keynotes (James Bridle, Ben Davis), two film premieres, a mentorship program (with Hyperallergic) for emerging bloggers, and a closing party DJ’d by YACHT’s Claire Evans, among other events. In addition to managing speaker selection and relations, event logistics and marketing, contracts and invoicing, accessibility initiatives, and promoting Superscript on media outlets (from KFAI Community Radio to the Columbia Journalism Review), I created a parallel online program of commissioned writings from artists, editors, and technologists on themes not addressed within the conference.

After trending nationally on Twitter during the event—thanks, in part, to our quirky motivational poster–style quotation cards—the #superscript15 hashtag remained active for years thanks in part to this ongoing series of writings.

Press for Superscript

"Has the Internet Changed Art Criticism? On Service Criticism and A Possible Future," Rhizome, Orit Gat, June 15, 2015.

"Same As It Ever Was: A Conference on Art Criticism in the Digital Age," Art In America, William S. Smith, June 5, 2015.

"What is the role of the digital-age arts critic? Superscript conference hopes for answers," Columbia Journalism Review, Chris Ip, May 19, 2015.

"Everyone's a Critic: Walker's Superscript Conference Ponders the Future of Arts Journalism," City Pages, May 27, 2015.

"Superscript: Two Days in an Auditorium with Art Critics," Art F City, Paddy Johnson, June 4, 2015.

"6 Thoughts on Art and Criticism in a Digital Age," MN Original (Twin Cities Public Television, June 11, 2015.

"Arts Journalism in a Digital Age," New Art Examiner, Tom Mullaney, August/September 2015.

Visit Superscript Reader to view videos (and read transcripts) of all conference events, read a series of commissioned essays, and see the work of the Superscript Blog Mentorship program.