“Why volunteer for Arts & Culture?”

Endless free books, CDs, and DVDs. Infinite concert, theatre and movie passes. While other sections trade in the ethereal — vague promises of “personal affirmation” or “making a difference” — Arts has no problem securing your favour with finery. If you’re the rare Winnipegger unmoved by free stuff, however, there’s still good reason to write for Arts. In general, art(s) can represent, interpret or make meaning of reality, and, as such, can sort of be a big deal for a lot of people. Write about the arts, and not only will you get a readership, but you will also mine the deepest font of beauty, tragedy and meaning that there is in our collective experience. This isn’t “Diversions” we’re talking about here.

“I don’t know how to get involved”

Ever tried to join a gang? You know how you usually have to get “jumped in?” Well, Arts is sort of like that, except this gang is going to assault you on all sides with high fives and good vibes. Interested? Drop me a line at arts@themanitoban.com and tell me your story idea, or, if you’re feeling journalistically bereft, I’ll gladly give you a story idea. Whatever works. Arts is very laid-back. So laid-back that I am writing this poolside in Spain right now, by the way.

“I can’t write/I don’t know what to write/other excuses”

Peruse a couple issues of The Manitoban and you’ll see that our general approach is all-encompassing, all-brow, and all-powerful. You don’t have to be an artist to write about the arts. You don’t have to be literary, and you barely even have to be literate. We’ll work with you, foster your development as a writer, and provide the opportunity for you to start building up a portfolio of published work. So volunteer today, because I have the impatience of a lamb and won’t wait around forever.

“Why Culture?”

Why not culture? Culture is the black sheep section of the Manitoban. The most attractive characteristic of the Culture section is that it is flexible enough to include just about anything. Culture can cover anything from high society to everyday life. The Culture section is the most appropriate section for
humourous articles and is always looking for food-related articles of any type.

There are no set rules for Culture, and the format of the article is entirely up to you. Culture is the perfect place to experiment with form in the Manitoban. Here are some simple guidelines. The typical length for a Culture article is 500-800 words and articles often incorporate humour in a unique way. If writing an informative article, try to include at least three sources and even an interview if you can. Most importantly, a good Culture article is well-written and covers an interesting topic.

The best way to see what a Culture article is like, though, is to just open up the paper and look.

Section meeting

The arts section meeting will take place Fridays at 12p.m.. Stop by to pitch story ideas, get assignments or just to say “hi!”

Interested in volunteering? Apply here!