Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Welcomes Arts Writers For Annual National Critics Institute

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will welcome 16 talented arts and culture writers and critics from across the country to campus for the annual National Critics Institute.

The 2022 class of fellows includes the following writers: Tre'vell Anderson, Nancy Coleman, Alexi Chacon, Serena Daniels, Jay Gabler, Devika Girish, Angela Harmon, Cecilia Johnson, Brittani Julious , Pam Kragen, Jasmine Liu, Kaitlin McCarthy, Gloria Oladipo, Hanna Raskin, Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, and John Wenzel.

From July 12 to July 24, these journalists will strengthen and diversify their skills through workshops in reviewing, storytelling and analysis, arts profile writing, blogging, social media, and more. This year, fellows are hearing from mentors including Peter Marks (The Washington Post), Sarah Kaufman (The Washington Post), Ligaya Mishan (The New York Times), Harvey Young (Boston University), KO (performer and activist), Mark Blankenship (arts writer and critic), Mary Dixon (WBEZ), and Mark Caro (freelancer writer and podcaster).

This selective, intensive program is led by Director Dr. Chris Jones, chief theater critic for the Chicago Tribune and the New York Daily News, and Associate Director Naveen Kumar, journalist and culture critic with work in The New York Times, Town & Country, Variety, and more.

"We're thrilled to welcome such an impressive group of cultural critics for the first in-person National Critics Institute in three years," Jones said. "This is about the only national retreat and workshop for mid-career critics, and it's clear that the profession is in great hands for the future. We are so grateful to Knight Foundation for their support."

Knight Foundation, which is investing in journalism and the arts in cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight published newspapers, fully supports participation by fellows who live and/or work in one of these communities. This year's Knight Foundation Fellows are Alexi Chacon, Serena Daniels, Jay Gabler, Angela Harmon, Cecilia Johnson, Jasmine Liu, Hanna Raskin, and Frances Kai-Hwa Wang.