The DC Student Arts Journalism Challenge
The Bourgeon Student Arts Journalism Challenge is a competition for undergraduates in District area colleges and universities designed to identify and support emerging talent in the field of arts journalism.
Entries will be accepted until Wednesday May 2, 2012.
The Bourgeon editorial Board will select five finalists, and the five finalists will have their work published in the magazine. A jury of professional writers will select the winner, and the winner will be announced by July 10, 2012. Finalists will be notified by June 1, 2012.
Competition Details
Is there an entry fee?
There is no fee to enter the competition.
May I enter more than once?
No. Only one submission per entrant will be considered.
What is the submission deadline?
Submissions for the 2012 competition will be accepted from December 1, 2011 – May 2, 2012.
How do I enter the competition?
To enter the competition email a .pdf or .doc copy of your entry to competition@dayeight.org.
What kind of piece can I submit? Can I submit something I wrote for a class?
While the majority of arts journalism falls in the category of criticism – including description and analysis of an arts experience or arts experiences –the Judges are happy to consider all types of arts writing, including: criticism, opinion, editorial, and history. Any piece of arts journalism created for any reason may be submitted for this competition.
What is acceptable to write about? Does it have to have happened in DC?
Any performance, gallery show, exhibit, or other artistic product, in any location, may be the focus of your article. Artwork or performances covered don’t have to have occurred in the District, but must be verifiable (i.e. you can’t write about a made up performance or event. This is arts journalism, not creative writing.)
Who will judge submissions?
The first round of judging will be completed by the Bourgeon editorial board staff, and will result in selection of the five finalists. The second round of judging – to pick the winner – will be done by a panel of professional arts journalists. Last year the panel included Washington Post classical music critic Anne Midgette and Washington Post visual arts critic Michael O’Sullivan.
What are the criteria that will be used to judge the competition? What are the judges looking for?
Judges will be looking for arts journalism that comments astutely on the arts, but that is also accessible and meaningful for the general public. Judges will consider the clarity, artistry, technique, and overall impact of your work.
Why should I participate?
Arts journalism is a very competitive field, and the shift of media from print to online is causing a re-structuring of how arts journalism is presented and viewed. Opportunities for talented young arts journalists to network and promote their work through early publication are crucial for future career successes. The competition offers the opportunity to distinguish yourself as an exceptional young writer, to be published, and to win a cash prize. All finalists will have the opportunity to receive feedback from a member of the final’s selection panel, and two finalists will be offered internships with the magazine.
Why is Bourgeon running this competition?
The project has ambitious goals, including raising awareness of arts journalism and the history of the field, encouraging quality arts journalism, stimulating increased university and local arts interaction, and supporting emerging arts journalists. Washington Post visual arts critic Michael O’Sullivan states, “As an arts writer and critic for The Washington Post, it’s been my pleasure to observe and document the Washington D.C. art scene for the last 17 years. At a time when the future of arts journalism—indeed, the future of journalism itself—is at stake, Bourgeon’s Student Arts Journalism Challenge offers encouragement to the next generation of arts journalists, along with a reminder that the arts, and those who write about them, still matter.”
