Application Instructions

Please list all professional experience and explain any gaps in employment history. All of your application materials, which may include PDF files of work samples and/or links to audio, video, photography or graphics, must be uploaded to the field labeled Resume/Cover Letter/Work Samples to be considered for the position.

Join the future of news

We’re on a mission to deliver riveting storytelling for all of America. At The Washington Post, you’ll help reinvent news. Our work is driven by a deep investigative spirit and enhanced by innovation to bring audiences closer to the stories that matter most.

About Our Team

The Washington Post is powered by the passion and talent of our people. It takes all of us to reinvent news. Beyond our award-winning Newsroom and Opinions teams, we work across many departments, including Brand & Events, Communications, Customer Care, Engineering & Product, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing & Advertising, Print Operations, and Sales.

Why This Role Matters

The Washington Post is seeking an enterprising, deeply curious reporter to cover the intersection of arts and government at a pivotal moment for the nation’s cultural institutions.

This is a distinctive and high-impact beat focused on the country’s most prominent arts organizations — including the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress and the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities — and how they are being shaped by policy decisions and political forces. The reporter will chronicle how the Trump administration is influencing cultural institutions, and how those shifts reverberate through the arts, public life and national identity.

We are looking for a journalist who thrives on breaking news and driving original reporting, while also producing ambitious enterprise and narrative work. The ideal candidate will bring a passion for the arts, a strong instinct for accountability reporting and a keen eye for the personalities, conflicts and cultural currents shaping this moment. This is a busy and complex beat that requires both speed and depth — a reporter who can move quickly on developments while also stepping back to explain their broader significance.

This role sits within Features but will intersect frequently with politics, policy and national reporting, requiring close collaboration across the newsroom. It is based in our Washington, D.C., newsroom.

What Motivates You:

You are fascinated by how culture and power intersect — and how institutions shape national identity.

You are driven to break news and uncover the forces reshaping major arts organizations.

You enjoy moving between daily reporting and deeper, narrative storytelling.

You are curious about the people, conflicts and ideas driving change in the arts world.

You are collaborative and eager to work across desks to elevate coverage.

How You’ll Support the Mission:

Break news on major developments within the nation’s leading arts institutions.

Deliver ambitious news, analysis and enterprise stories shaped by original reporting, trend-spotting and fresh insight.

Develop and maintain sources across cultural institutions, government agencies and the broader arts ecosystem.

Track and explain how policy decisions and political dynamics are reshaping arts organizations and cultural priorities.

Produce narrative and feature stories that capture the human impact of institutional and cultural change.

Report and write quickly as events unfold, while also pursuing longer-term enterprise and accountability work.

Collaborate with visual journalists, designers and editors to produce compelling, multi-format storytelling.

The Skills and Experiences You Bring:

A track record of delivering exclusive news and impactful enterprise reporting.

Demonstrated ability to report and write breaking news with speed, clarity and precision.

Strong source-building skills and the ability to cultivate relationships across complex institutions.

A passion for the arts and a clear interest in how culture intersects with politics and public life.

Experience or interest in working with visual storytelling and collaborating across disciplines.

Ability to work both on deadline and on longer-term narrative projects.

A commitment to fair, accurate and rigorous reporting, upholding the highest standards of journalism ethics.

Experience covering arts institutions or demonstrated ability to quickly build expertise and sourcing on a new beat is a plus.

Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, résumé and three examples of their work (as PDFs) to our jobs portal. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but those received by Apr. 15 will be prioritized. The cover letter should be addressed to Deputy Features Editor Ellen McCarthy and Features Editor Amanda Finnegan.

The salary range for this position is $97,400 - $162,300. The actual salary within this range will depend on individual skills, experience and qualifications as they relate to specific job requirements.

Collaboration makes us stronger. That’s why our offices are designed with open layouts, modern technology, and easy access to transportation. With certain exceptions for newsgathering and business travel, we work on-site five days a week.

Compensation and Benefits

Wherever you are in your life or career, The Washington Post offers comprehensive and inclusive benefits for every step of your journey:

Competitive medical, dental and vision coverage
Company-paid pension and 401(k) match
Three weeks of vacation and up to three weeks of paid sick leave
Nine paid holidays and two personal days
20 weeks paid parental leave for any new parent
Robust mental health resources
Backup care and caregiver concierge services
Gender affirming services
Pet insurance
Free Post digital subscription
Leadership and career development programs

Benefits may vary based on the job, full-time or part-time schedule, location, and collectively bargained status.

Your story awaits. Apply today!

Learn more about The Post at careers.washingtonpost.com.

Arts & Government Reporter