Arts Writing Fellowship

The DC Arts Writing Fellowship is designed to support the transition of early-career arts writers to the profession. Through the paid fellowship, early-career arts writers develop a portfolio of published work and receive structured and unstructured mentoring from established writers. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and a link to the online application form is at the bottom of this page.

Fellowship Details

Fellows are hired to start Spring, Summer, and Fall and for four to twelve month periods. Selected individuals are paired with partnering publications and expected to produce as assigned, on average one story every three to five weeks.

Partnering Publications 2022

Fellow payment is provided per story and based on the experience level of the writer, the complexity of the story, and the existing freelancer pay scale of the publication. Fellows are paid a “freelance plus” rate, greater than the rate an outside freelancer would be paid for the same story at the same publication. Fellows are paid between $75 and $200 per story, and guaranteed a minimum of four assignments. The majority of articles are expected to be arts criticism (review or preview.)

Fellows are hired in three cadres: college age and recent graduates, early-career of any age, and high school fellows.

In 2022 selected fellows are placed with The DC Line, Tagg Magazine, DC Metro Theatre Arts, DC Trending and Washington Independent Review of Books. Fellows may also have opportunity to write by special assignment for additional publications.

Selected applicants will:

  • Demonstrate expert writing about one of the following areas: music, dance, film, visual arts, theater, performance art, or literature
  • A professional social media presence
  • Experience taking responsibility for direct work products
  • A passion for the arts and arts journalism

Applicants must provide a cover letter, resume, and a relevant sample article written by the applicant.

The Fellowship was founded in 2016 through support from the National Endowment for the Arts and is produced by the non-profit Day Eight, founded by Robert Bettmann. The mission of Day Eight is to empower individuals and communities to participate in the arts through the production, publication, and promotion of creative projects.