Work for The Skinny
The Skinny is an independent, creative company that seeks to connect curious readers with interesting artists and events. We aim to offer freedom within your role to work towards our company goals and business vision.
Deputy Editor, Fest
EAF x The Skinny Emerging Writers 2025
Contributors
Deputy Editor, Fest
As we gear up for a busy summer, we’re looking for a Deputy Editor for Fest magazine during 2025’s Edinburgh festivals. Working closely with Editor Arusa Qureshi, the successful candidate will plan and commission four editions of Fest – one preview going to print in July, and three review issues produced during August. The Deputy Editor will assist in the management of print and online content, helping to maintain a high standard of writing and presentation across all platforms. They will be highly skilled in writing, editing, subediting and proofing with an obsessive eye for detail.
Like all Fest staff, they will be passionate and knowledgeable about the Edinburgh Festivals. They will be ready to manage a team of reviewers during the hectic fun of Edinburgh in August. This role will require someone who is adaptable, able to work both reactively and to a schedule to ensure production requirements are met. They will be a skilled communicator, ready to create and maintain happy working relationships both within the existing company and externally with press agents and promoters.
Hours: This role will require full time working during production periods (one print deadline in July, three in August), and part time from May to plan and commission.
Fee: £3500
Essential skills/ experience
– A general knowledge of all genres included in the Edinburgh Festivals
– Ability to work quickly, independently and in an extremely organised manner
– Strong writing and editing skills, assisting with commissioning, supporting the Editor in accepting submissions from writers, and writing features and reviews as required
– Excellent in-person and written communication skills, both internally (within the Radge Media team) and externally (with PRs, acts, venues, and beyond)
– Developing close working relationship with the Editor and support in any element of Fest, especially as back-up/cover when needed
– Generating unique ideas for coverage (not just what PRs want covered), and confidence to distill masses of information into a coherent plan, accounting for balance between venues and genres and ensuring diversity in coverage
– Supporting writers on features and reviews, especially if significant edits are needed or something doesn’t quite work
– Managing overall content budget across print and online over full festival season
– Awareness of competing aims and conflicts of interest across the festival landscape
Desirable skills/ experience
– Specific knowledge of the comedy circuit (UK and international)
– Scheduling, management, organisation, budgeting
– Writer recruitment and management
– An understanding of InDesign and the overall magazine design process
To apply: Send a cover letter and CV to jobs@theskinny.co.uk along with writing samples reflecting a range of subjects and styles. The cover letter should include some ideas for Fest’s features content in 2025. Please mention Fest Deputy Editor in the subject line.
Closing date: Sun 27 Apr, midnight
EAF x The Skinny Emerging Writers 2025
The Skinny are teaming up with Edinburgh Art Festival for a fourth year running to commission four emerging art writers to write about the EAF25 Programme. The project aims to platform Scotland-based, early career writers from backgrounds underrepresented in journalism, through a mentored, paid opportunity to be published, in print and online, by The Skinny.
Full details can be found here or via EAF's Instagram; application deadline is Monday 7 April 2025, 9am
CONTRIBUTORS (Writers, Illustrators, Photographers)
The Skinny is your magazine: a collaborative effort, it’s put together by people who love their region and its culture, for people who love their region and its culture – and our contributors are known for having something new to say as well as a passion for their areas of expertise.
We are looking for writers, illustrators and photographers on an ongoing basis to help make The Skinny an informed, inspiring, witty and opinionated collection of the voices and talents that makes Scotland such an exciting place to be.
With 35,000+ copies distributed to more than 650 venues, The Skinny gives writers a platform to get their voice heard, and illustrators and photographers an opportunity to showcase their work and build their portfolio.
Pitching to The Skinny: Before you pitch your article ideas, we first recommend reading this pitching guide, which gives clear advice on writing a successful, eye-catching pitch to The Skinny and answers many questions you might have about the process.
If you’re a writer: Please introduce yourself to the relevant section editor – see contact details here – and send them two or three samples of your work.
If you’re an illustrator or photographer: Please email jobs@theskinny.co.uk with the subject line 'Contributor: illustrator' or 'Contributor: photographer' and let us know your area of expertise/interest (e.g. perhaps you’re a fashion photographer, or would like to try more live music photography) – and please link us to your portfolio where possible rather than attaching large files.