Program Overview

The NEA Arts Journalism Institutes are a series of intensive, introductory professional training programs for journalists who cover dance, theater, musical theater, classical music, and opera. To date, more than 250 journalists from all 50 states -- representing print and broadcast organizations, as well as independent writers -- have participated in the program, which has received universal acclaim from participants, faculty, and arts organizations.

Launched in 2004, the goal of the institutes—which are made possible through a funding commitment from the National Endowment for the Arts of $500,000 annually—is to improve the quality and quantity of arts coverage and criticism outside the country’s major metropolitan areas by training working journalists in specific arts disciplines.

Journalists who cover the arts for small and mid-sized news organizations frequently function as general assignment critics or reporters, covering multiple arts beats. Their employers are often limited in their ability to make in-depth coverage of the performing arts a budget priority or to find permanent places for trained performing arts specialists on their staffs. Therefore, the institutes are a unique opportunity for journalists who may not have extensive arts knowledge to deepen their grasp of the art forms they cover and gain access to major venues and nationally recognized performers and experts.

Fifteen to 25 journalists attend each Institute, which are hosted by universities working in partnership with arts organizations. All participants receive full funding to cover the costs of tuition, room, board, transportation to and from the institute, and tickets to performances and events. During each session, the fellows receive training from senior journalists and journalism instructors, as well as meet with artists, scholars, and administrators to improve their viewing, analytical, and writing skills. They attend performances representing a broad range of styles within the particular disciplines they are studying. Their reviews of these performances are the basis of critique and instruction from institute faculty. The institutes also include a physical learning element, such as movement or acting classes, or elementary instruction on a musical instrument.

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
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Washington, DC 20506