An Arts Journalism Fellowship

At NAJP we still get a steady trickle of inquiries about when we might resume the fellowships that were at the heart of the program for 12 years. Short answer is "no time soon" since there doesn't seem to be anyone interested in funding them right now. But the best arts journalism fellowships out there right now are the USC Annenberg/Getty fellowships.

Each year the program takes six mid-career arts journalists and brings them to LA for three weeks for a non-stop cultural diet. (disclosure - I teach some of the sessions, and fellow ARTicles blogger Sasha Anawalt is director of the program). Here's the official description for this year's fellowships, scheduled for November 1-22:

The 2008 USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism Program is a three week, mid-career  education fellowship for arts, culture and entertainment editors, producers and writers. This is an international program for six to seven professional arts editors, critics and reporters from print, radio, television and online who cover the performing and visual arts, architecture, literature, entertainment and pop culture - and who own these beats either as generalists or specialists who focus on one beat.  Staff, freelancers and self-employed Web journalists are welcome.

This year in my part of the fellowship, we'll be talking about the idea of arts journalist as digital entrepreneur. We'll put together stories using video, podcasts, and text, incorporating all aspects of digital media. What's the best way to tell a story and get it out to the world? The idea isn't so much to turn fellows into multimedia whizes as it is to explore what's possible and try to think creatively about how to cover culture. So even if you've never held a camera or made a podcast, here's an opportunity to explore. Applications are due June 16