THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR EMERGING CRITICS (2) PROGRAMME IS NOW AT AN END. DETAILS OF THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

Are you an Emerging Critic? Develop your skills by working closely with some of the finest Arts Critics in print and online in Scotland today. JOIN US in season 2 of Emerging Critics – a mentoring and discussion programme.  Our aim? A generation of critics who are skilled, professional and experimental, and readers/audience members who are able to bring a higher level of critical analysis to amateur reviewing.

Previous mentors include:

David Robinson, Alan Taylor, Rosemary Goring, Kaite Welsh, and Dave Coates

The programme includes a half day seminar and small-group mentoring over a 10 month period for those new to criticism, those already working in this field who want to improve their knowledge, recent graduates and post graduates and those with a genuine interest.

At a time when we have never needed criticism more are our critics losing their voice? Look again.

Over the last 15 years over a third of Scots have stopped reading printed daily newspapers. Arts pages have been a casualty of cuts in many of these papers but the Arts themselves – whether that be books, music, performing arts or visual arts — are robust.

Last year we focussed the energies of Emerging Critics on Literary criticism. This year we are widening this out to cover all aspects of Arts Criticism.

On books – the literary pages that remain in Scotland are robust and must be cherished – but their presence is shrinking. We are fortunate with the pages in The Herald, The National and The Sunday Herald and The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday. We have our own Scottish Review of Books, much loved by our readers, and other occasional literary journals. Regional press including (but by no means only) the Press & Journal and the West Highland Free Press offer regular coverage. This shrinkage in coverage is felt right across the wider Arts — the owners of print media do not appear to give value to the critic. But their readers do!

New platforms for criticism are appearing and print media critics are enjoying a new audience. Critics with many years of experience of print and broadcast journalism are making the transition to online spaces – whether they be digital visitors or inhabitants, or indeed commissioners, writers or managers – with instant access to the public. Many of the online voices sharing in this vital exchange are new or newly liberated from more traditional platforms. They have something to share. Something fresh and fun in their approach. But online content is often unedited and unaccountable. Does that matter? Or will the intelligent reader seek out the criticism they want to read?

We want to support Emerging Critics. Learn skills from the very best of Scotland’s Arts journalists and share ideas, discover opportunities.