Summer Bartley Fellowship - Arts Criticism Internship

Job Description:

Job Description:

The Wall Street Journal's Arts in Review section is seeking aspiring journalists—juniors, seniors or recent graduates (within one year of graduation) with a strong editing background at their school newspapers or elsewhere—for a 10-week paid summer internship. The in-person internship is an opportunity to get hands‑on experience working alongside some of the best opinion writers and editors in the world.

The internship—formally the Bartley Fellowship—honors the Journal's former Opinion editor, Robert L. Bartley. Opportunities will be awarded to individuals interested in the arts who intend to pursue a career in journalism or cultural criticism.

The Arts intern is one of several fellows selected each year through an application process that is overseen by senior editors. Bartley Fellows are assigned to a department within the Opinion section—Arts in Review;
Books; or Features (Op‑Eds and Columns). The fellow will assist in producing Arts in Review's content for the print and digital editions of the Journal—editing, fact‑checking, liaising with writers, writing display copy, proofing, contributing to social media and digital production. Though this is not a writing fellowship, the Bartley fellow will be encouraged to produce a Masterpiece column, of which more below.

They may also pitch articles or projects to editors elsewhere in the Opinion section.

Internships are paid, and generally take place during June, July and August, though start dates can be flexible.

Arts criticism is recognized at the Journal as an Editorial Page function, and as such operates under the umbrella of the Opinion section. Like the rest of the Opinion section, in our Arts reviews we believe in rendering clear, independent judgments that are as well argued as they are deeply informed.

In its Arts reviews, the Journal covers the full spectrum, from high art to TV, movies, theater and the many forms of popular music. Our approach is strictly art‑for‑arts‑sake:
We review things because they are intrinsically interesting, not to fulfill a quota or make a political statement. We believe in the past and its traditions, but are keenly interested in the new- not in novelty for its own sake but in the ways those traditions are being extended and new ones invented. And we prize above all a lively, lucid prose style free from jargon of all kinds.

Though a reporting and/or writing background is a plus, the fellowship is primarily an editing internship. Therefore applicants should have experience editing arts or arts-related copy for their college newspaper, literary magazine, or a comparable publication. Students from any discipline may apply, but preference will be granted to those concentrating in literature, history, a foreign language, classics, pre‑law, music, theater, art history, studio art, architecture, philosophy, political science or archaeology—via coursework (though not necessarily a major) or sustained leisure‑time activity.

An appreciation for both the Western and non‑Western canons is desirable, as is an understanding of current issues in the arts. A demonstrated ability to multitask and meet daily deadlines is critical for success, as is attention to detail and a focus on accuracy. Applicants should be familiar with technology as it relates to journalism. Social media experience with a publication or brand would be a plus.

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate familiarity with our section’s content (student applicants without campus‑wide access to the WSJ can purchase discounted subscriptions at ).

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