For the fifth year running, we want to recruit up-coming news and features writers to our Arts Journalist Bursary scheme.
Our chance to reach new audiences: your chance to forge a career
It's our job to connect people with Shakespeare and make theatre which engages with the world. We want to share the human dilemmas of love, life and death that Shakespeare explores in his plays with an ever broader public. And we are always looking for ways to reach new audiences, especially young people, local audiences and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
We want to recruit a new band of up-coming news and features writers to our Arts Journalist Bursary scheme who can help us get into a more diverse range of media - whether print, broadcast or online. In return, we can offer a unique professional development opportunity by giving you special access to our work for a year. We'll pay your travel expenses, provide free tickets and also pair you up with a leading arts journalist as your personal mentor for the duration of the scheme.
Are you interested?
We're looking for between six and eight journalists hoping to forge a career in arts news or criticism to join this year's scheme.
You could be a broadcast, print or online journalist, but whatever your discipline, we'll want you to show enthusiasm for the arts, ideas for stories and features, and an ability to reach to new audiences, especially young, local, black or minority ethnic audiences.
You'll need to be available to take part in the scheme between August 2010 and August 2011 and to be able to attend shows in London and Stratford-upon-Avon during that time. Most of the work involved will take place during the evening or at the weekend, but some work will be during the working day in Stratford-upon-Avon so you'll need to make sure any current employer is happy for you to do this. We'll agree a precise timetable with you if you're successful.
What we offer:
We will give journalists on the scheme complimentary tickets to performances and talks throughout the year (subject to availability), access and opportunities to interview actors and RSC staff and a mentoring scheme with leading national and regional arts journalists.
Find out more
We will cover all expenses. The bursaries are not salaried posts, but we hope people view this scheme as part of their own professional development and as supplementary to their own job.
We will expect that successful applicants will secure at least two pieces in media outlets each quarter year during the scheme.
Success stories
Our previous graduates have had arts features published in the Daily Telegraph and Time Out, as well as being given regular arts spots on leading online media, including Precious online and Afridiziak.
How we select
We will assess all applications on an equal basis, through review of written application forms and then by short interviews for shortlisted candidates with members of the Press Office. We will make final decisions on the basis of which relationships we believe will yield the most beneficial and long-term results for both parties.
How to apply
If you're interested in applying, please fill in and return the application form or send a letter outlining relevant experience and contacts to the RSC Press Office by 2 July 2010.
Please include a paragraph which demonstrates your understanding of our target audiences under this scheme, and two ideas of how you would use your journalistic skills to bring the RSC to their attention.
If you'd like more information or to talk anything through, please ring or email us:
Telephone: 01789 412622 or 020 7845 0512
Email: nada.zakula@rsc.org.uk or philippa.harland@rsc.org.uk
Arts Journalist Bursary Scheme
RSC Press Office
The Courtyard Theatre
Southern Lane
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6BB
Interviews will be held at the RSC - date to be arranged individually.