Cuckoo Review coming soon

Do you have opinions about the arts in the North East? Love film, theatre, books, art or cinema? Want to be the next Caitlin Moran, Mark Kermode or Lauren Laverne?

In April 2013 we will be launching a new website called Cuckoo Review, and we’re looking for the next generation of arts journalists (aged 15-23) to review, preview and opine on the best of the arts in the North East. Cuckoo Review will aim to become the region’s premier reviewing site for young people and is a partner site to Cuckoo Quarterly, our successful online literary magazine for young people.

Cuckoo reviewers will get access to press nights, performances and one-off events at the finest venues in the region; interviews with artists, authors and musicians visiting the region; and a chance to take a sneaky first peak of soon-to-be-released books and films. It’s a must for anyone looking for experience of journalism, or wanting to flex your critical muscles and let the world know what you think!

How will it work?

Cuckoo reviewers will receive an email every two weeks with a list of the things to be covered. This will be a mixture of previews/news items, reviews, interviews and other articles.

You will then email back telling us what you’d like to cover – pieces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis, so you need to be snappy! We’ll confirm what you’ve been signed up for, when and where you need to be, and a deadline by which we need to receive your piece. If you’re reviewing a live event/screening or performance, you’ll be expected to write the review and send it to us within 48 hours.

Your piece will be edited and appear on Cuckoo Review within 24 hours. We will tweet and facebook. Everyone will be happy.

Cuckoo will be launched on 28 April at Hexham Book Festival, so we need people ready to start reviewing, previewing and interviewing throughout April. If you’re interested in becoming a Cuckoo Reviewer or would like to find out more, please email [email protected] with your name, age and contact details.

Arts journalism masterclass

For those of you wanting to brush up your reviewing skills before getting started, Cuckoo will be holding a special arts journalism masterclass on 10 April at Newcastle City Library from 1pm-3pm. It will cover reviewing, previewing and interviewing, as well as offering some more information about becoming a Cuckoo reviewer.

If you’re interested in coming along, please email [email protected] with your name, age and contact details. There are 20 places at the workshop which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and so you should get in quick!

We’d like to thank all of the Cuckoo Review partners who are supporting the scheme. They are: Tyneside Cinema, Dance City, Theatre Royal, Northern Stage, Live Theatre, Tyne and Wear Museums, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Customs House, ARC Stockton, Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Gala Theatre, Random House, Orion, Bloomsbury and Hot Key Books.