Friends:

It is with a heart full of grief that I must announce that our beloved Arts Editor Alison Hallett is leaving the Portland Mercury after 10 years of meritorious service. On the upside, she’s not pissed at us, and will be taking a very interesting job with the marketing firm Sheepscot Creative, which has worked with lots of great arts organizations including Oregon Humanities. Also, she’ll be with us through the entire month of August, and ushering the latest issue of Agenda out the door, as well as working on coverage of the TBA Fest—so nobody panic immediately!

With all seriousness, Alison is one of our (and Portland's) funniest, smartest writers, and while my heart is broken, I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say, “Thank you so much for all your hard, brilliant work, Alison! We wish you nothing but the best!”

Sniff.

Okay, get it together, Steve... it's time to get back to business. (Ahem!) The Mercury is looking for a new arts editor. Are you that person? Is someone you know that person? Read the employment ad below, and yell it from the social media mountaintops! FINALLY, A JOB FOR YOUR USELESS ARTS DEGREE.


NOW HIRING: ARTS EDITOR

The Portland Mercury is currently hiring a full-time ARTS EDITOR to join our fun and energetic editorial staff. Considered one of the most innovative weeklies in the country, the Mercury is looking for a writer/editor filled with passion, hustle, and the desire to share their love for the Portland arts scene with the rest of the community. This is a good position for a strong writer with a literary or fine arts degree—a background in journalism is not required (but it doesn’t hurt).

Qualified applicants must possess the following:

• Previous and demonstrable editing/management experience (working in an arts-related field is a definite plus).

• Snappy, smart writing paired with a passion for digging deep into an arts scene (including theater, visual art, books, comedy, and more). Must respect and be interested in all forms of culture, from highbrow to low.

• Must be extremely organized and able to produce a weekly arts calendar, while writing reviews, meeting daily blog deadlines, and managing freelancers.

• An ability and desire to build relationships within the art and performance community.

• Extra points: Proofreading skills, love of reading, social media expertise, a flexible schedule, and a thick skin (needed for writing honestly about those you may run into on the street).

• And of course, enthusiasm, professionalism, people skills, and a good sense of humor are a must.

This is a full-time position, with competitive salary and excellent benefits. Evening and occasional weekend hours are sometimes necessary. Interested applicants should electronically submit resume, web links for at least three relevant writing samples, and a cover letter describing goals, story ideas, and local topics that you’re passionate about to steve@portlandmercury.com, and please put "ARTS EDITOR JOB" in the subhead. (Or, if you're old-timey, via snail mail to “Arts Editor Job,” c/o Wm. Steven Humphrey, Portland Mercury, 115 SW Ash Street, Suite 600, Portland OR 97204.)

Deadline for applications: Sunday, August 10.

The Portland Mercury is an equal opportunity employer.

I know you're not leaving yet... but we'll miss you desperately, Alison!!