New Initiative
The Black Embodiments Studio x The Seattle Times Art Criticism Apprenticeship
The Black Embodiments Studio (BES), in partnership with The Seattle Times, launched an Art Criticism Apprenticeship: a six-month pilot program designed to support an emerging arts writer in developing a distinct, informed voice on Seattle’s visual and performing arts scenes.
This Apprenticeship revives and reimagines the tradition of the strong-voiced critic—one who brings rigor, consistency, and critical imagination to their writing. Historically, arts critics working in legacy media helped shape public understanding of contemporary art by building a voice; cultivating consistency; thinking deeply and critically about the art they’re experiencing, how it fits into the context of the artist’s work and the overall field, and how it relates to current society and issues; and responding to local scenes with depth and rigor. In a moment when the media landscape is rapidly shifting, BES and The Seattle Times are committed to fostering arts writing that supports a dynamic, inclusive, and intellectually vibrant cultural ecosystem.
Jas Keimig was selected from a group of stellar applicants and will be embedded with The Seattle Times Arts & Culture desk, gaining real-world newsroom experience and publishing monthly articles that engage with the city’s art worlds—from exhibitions and performances to the social, political, and institutional dynamics that shape them.
“I’m honored to be the first apprentice chosen for this joint program and am excited to dive headfirst into Seattle’s varied and diverse art scene. There are so many incredible artists, shows, and performances — I’m thrilled to have the chance to connect those stories with the Seattle Times’ audience. ”
Keimig is an arts writer and journalist based in Seattle. From 2019-2023, they were on staff at The Stranger, where they primarily covered visual arts, film, and music. During their tenure, they also served on the HUMP! film festival jury and hosted Seattle Sticker Patrol, a video series on Instagram. Since going freelance in 2023, they are a regular contributor to the South Seattle Emerald, writing about arts and culture in South Seattle.
Their work has also appeared in The Seattle Times, Cascade PBS, i-D, Variable West, and Arte Noir. They have also written scripts for Vanity Fair’s Lie Detector Test video series and co-directed Black Film School, a YouTube video series produced by Netflix. They are a co-creator of Unstreamable, a column and screening series at SIFF featuring films you can’t find on streaming services. They won a game show once.
We’re ecstatic to be working with Keimig over the next 6 months—and hope that you pick up copies of their writing wherever you access the Seattle Times!
The Black Embodiments Studio and The Seattle Times have a shared commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and to fostering critical, inclusive, and community-rooted arts coverage.
Together, we are investing in the development of a promising arts writer who brings fresh perspective, asks hard questions, takes interpretive risks, and contributes meaningfully to Seattle’s evolving cultural dialogues.
Our goal is to ensure that the region’s arts and culture coverage reflects the richness and diversity of the communities it serves, while also advancing thoughtful, rigorous criticism.
On Collaborating