Philly Cultural Critics Fellowship

cinéSPEAK is delighted to launch its third edition of the arts and culture journalism fellowship!

The cinéSPEAK Philly Cultural Critics Fellowship (formerly the Philly Beat Fellowship) is a paid learning opportunity geared towards BIPOC Philadelphia-based cultural critics and journalists—especially those who are new and emerging in the industry. We are looking for voices that further amplify the spirit and magic of the Philadelphia film and art community. The aim is to provide local journalists with the opportunity to refine their skills, get more connected to the local film ecosystem, and to be compensated for publishing work for the journal.

The 2025 cinéSPEAK Philly Cultural Critics Fellowship will take place between March 2025 to November 2025 (nine months total). Each fellow will be in charge of publishing an article every other month, writing four total articles, with in-depth interviews profiling moving-image artists and cultural workers in the Philadelphia area. There will be periodic check-ins between the fellows and the editorial team. We anticipate bringing on two writers for this year’s program. 

The fellowship will provide holistic support to writers, with in-person and marketing opportunities to share their craft. In addition to writing the column, each fellow will receive additional compensation to moderate at least one Q&A at an in-person cinéSPEAK screening or event, and other opportunities as they arise. For each article that is published, fellows will also produce an Instagram reel promoting the piece. Finally, fellows will get first priority to pitch and write articles that align with the cinéSPEAK Journal editorial calendar such as event coverage, local news, and more. Fellows will be provided additional compensation for any pitches that are published.

The monthly “Philly Profiles” column will be 1,000 to 1,500 words written in a narrative format (not a Q&A format). The articles will provide an in-depth look into the artist and/or cultural worker’s body of work, inspirations, upcoming projects, and more. If relevant, the article would include some links to the interviewee’s work. The interviewees will be selected in collaboration with journal staff. Take a look at our published spotlights to get a sense of what we’re looking for, although the previous Philadelphia Artist Spotlights and Philadelphia Organization Spotlights are shorter, less in-depth articles than we will be publishing in the new “Philly Profiles” column. 

Fellowship requirements:

• Fellows must live and/or work in the Greater Philadelphia region.
• We center the voices of Black, Brown, and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ writers.
• Fellows must uphold cinéSPEAK’s mission and values.
• Fellows should have some knowledge of and investment in the Philadelphia independent film scene.
• Fellows should have an understanding of the cinéSPEAK Journal’s voice and editorial vision.

Fellowship deliverables:

• Fellows will be required to submit article drafts, provide edits, and produce Instagram Reels promoting the articles on a tight deadline.
• Fellows will be required to facilitate at least one cinéSPEAK Q&A at an event or screening.
• Fellows will get first priority to pitch additional articles for additional writer fees.

Fellowship Timeframe: March 2023 and November 2024 (9 months)

Fellowship Fee: $2,000 total (4 direct deposits of $400 per article, including an Instagram reel per article. Plus $400 to moderate one Q&A.) Fellow will be a 1099 contractor employee.

Fellowship Note: Life happens and if the fellowship is not working out for either party, it can be terminated upon mutual agreement. If the fellowship is terminated, cinéSPEAK agrees to pay the fellow through the most recently completed article.

Miscellaneous Perks: 

• Fellows can request cinéSPEAK support to cosign festival press applications and cover participation fees (as needed). We cannot guarantee acceptance for press credentials or that we will be able to publish an article, but we will support as much as possible.
• Fellows get free admission to all cinéSPEAK screenings in 2025.

To apply for the fellowship, please fill out the application form at the bottom of this page. A select number of fellows will be invited to interview as part of the review process. The fellows will be announced in late winter.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: December 2, 2024 at 11:59 PM

APPLY HERE

---

2023-2024 Fellows

2022-2023 Fellows