Open Call
The Black Embodiments Studio (BES), in partnership with The Seattle Times, is launching a new Art Critic 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.
The selected apprentice will be embedded with The Seattle Times Arts & Culture desk, gaining real-world newsroom experience and publishing a monthly article that engages with the city’s art worlds—from exhibitions and performances to the social, political, and institutional dynamics that shape them. The program offers financial support, mentorship from a dedicated staff writer, and compensation for each published piece.
This initiative 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.
This apprenticeship reflects our shared commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and to fostering critical, inclusive, and community-rooted arts coverage. Together, The Black Embodiments Studio and The Seattle Times 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.
The Black Embodiments Studio x The Seattle Times Art Criticism Apprenticeship
Write and publish 1 article per month in The Seattle Times (with potential for more)
Attend and cover exhibitions, performances, and related public programs in Seattle and surrounding areas
Participate in weekly mentorship meetings with a dedicated staff writer from The Seattle Times
Receive informal mentorship from other members of the Arts & Culture desk
Maintain clear editorial timelines and deliver publishable work that meets The Seattle Times’ standards
Produce a short, reflective end-of-program report (approx. 2 pages) on the experience
What You’ll Do
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.
About Us
$10,000 honorarium from The Black Embodiments Studio
Compensation for each published piece, aligned with The Seattle Times freelance pay scale
Intensive editorial mentorship and newsroom experience
A platform to shape public understanding of the arts in a major metropolitan city
An opportunity to develop a strong, independent critical voice in a shifting media landscape
What You’ll Get
Application Details
One Apprentice will be selected by BES and Seattle Times staff based on their 200-word biography, portfolio of 3-5 publications, and responses to the following questions.
What is the function of the art critic — both historically and in today’s Seattle? (500 words max)
Expanded Prompt:
Reflect on the evolving role of the arts critic in shaping public discourse, cultural memory, and institutional accountability. What do you see as the role of the critic in the current cultural and media climate, especially within Seattle’s unique arts ecosystem? In what ways do you imagine a critic can contribute to a more vibrant and equitable arts landscape? What does today’s audience want from an arts critic? How can this person fulfill that need?
How would you characterize the relationship between the arts world and the publishing world? Why write about art now? (500 words max)
Expanded Prompt:
Consider how power, access, and visibility circulate between the spheres of art production and media. What role does writing play in shaping the perception of artists, movements, and institutions? Why is arts writing still vital in a time of media precarity and information overload? What motivates your own desire to write about art, and what do you hope your writing accomplishes?
How does this Apprenticeship fit within the arc and trajectory of your arts writing? (500 words max)
Expanded Prompt:
Situate this opportunity within your broader personal and professional goals. How does the apprenticeship build upon your past experiences and align with your future ambitions? What kind of arts writer do you hope to become —and what do you hope to learn, practice, or challenge during your time as an apprentice?
Describe your relationship to Seattle’s arts scenes. How have you engaged with them—as audience, participant, and/or critic? (500 words max)
Expanded Prompt:
Map your personal and/or professional connections to Seattle’s visual and performing arts communities. What institutions, artists, or scenes have been meaningful to you? How have you participated in, observed, or contributed to these spaces? What do you think Seattle’s art world needs more of—and how might your voice add to the conversation?
Selection Timeline:
Applications due — August 1, 2025
Apprentice chosen — August 15
Apprenticeship timespan — September 2025 - February 2026
Emerging arts writers with a portfolio of published work
Writers who understand or are eager to learn about the intersection of arts criticism, cultural institutions, and social justice
Applicants with familiarity or interest in BES’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices—particularly Black, brown, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and women artists and writers—and who are invested in the forms and possibilities of legacy media outlets like The Seattle Times
Writers prepared to treat this opportunity with professionalism, respect, and purpose
Who Should Apply
Please note: we cannot provide feedback on unsuccessful applications for the Apprenticeship.
Questions about the Apprenticeship can be directed to lauren@blackembodiments.org