About the Position

Berkeley is nothing if not a vast battleground of artistic events all vying for the attention of reviews sections.

The San Francisco Bay Area is a hotbed of concerts, films, poetry readings, festivals, community theater, art gallery openings and fashion events. The list is virtually inexhaustible. It is the arts reporter’s job to put it all under close and frequent scrutiny so that the Berkeley public will know what is worth checking out.

An arts and entertainment reporter will publish an average of four articles per month on subjects that relate to film, television, music, theater, fashion, visual art, literature, etc. Articles may be reviews of events/recently-released content, recaps, “thinkpieces” and more. Reporters will work closely with the editors of the department to transform a draft into a final product.

Prior experience is not required to be an arts and entertainment reporter. Stand-out applicants are very communicative and proactive, and they possess strong persuasive and descriptive writing skills, a passion for arts and pop culture and a willingness to accept constructive criticism. Reporters must be available to attend events taking place in the Bay Area and should always make assigned deadlines.

COVID-19 Update

For the duration of the pandemic, the position of arts reporter will be entirely remote, meaning that there is no expectation for a writer to attend live events or even to reside in the Bay Area. Weekly meetings will still be held via Zoom, while editing sessions will be handled remotely on Google Docs. Art lives on, however, and there are still a multitude of opportunities for a budding arts writer, from livestreamed concerts to virtual theater productions!

Application Materials

Resume with relevant experience (PDF, about one page in length)
Cover letter (PDF, about one page in length)
- Please include examples of your artistic likes and dislikes.
2-3 writing clips (PDFs)
- Preferred clips are arts-related reviews (published or unpublished). They can each range from 600-1000 words.
- If you don’t have clips, you can write a review of anything arts-related.
A one-paragraph pitch for an opinion-based thinkpiece regarding something art-related that you feel strongly about (PDF)
- See examples of published pieces here.
Interview (invitation only)

Work Requirements

Five pieces per semester
Weekly arts staff meeting

Leadership Opportunities

After serving as arts and entertainment reporters, staffers have the opportunity to specialize as a beat reporter in a specific entertainment area. A staffer may go on to become the deputy arts and entertainment editor or the arts and entertainment editor.

Past Projects and Samples

Apply