What’s her typical day like? Like living inside a pinball machine, Baltus says.
What do you do? I’m the editor in chief of City Arts magazine.
How did you get started in that field? I studied journalism in college, though my degree is in creative writing. When I moved to Seattle in 2001, I started a high-end arts zine that I ran out of my apartment for seven years while working as a communications consultant for local arts organizations. Eventually my interests converged when I took this job in 2011.
What’s a typical day like? Like living inside a pinball machine. I rarely know where the day will go, but it’s usually a mix of editing, story planning, working with my art director on images, coordinating assignments, reading and researching, and dealing with elaborate spreadsheets. Lately, I spend a lot of time working on the big Founding Membership campaign to support City Arts’ transition to independence.
What surprises people about what you do? It’s much less glamorous than people imagine. I do get to see a lot of wonderful shows and spend time in the company of brilliant creative people, some of them fancy, but I spend a whole lot of time on a computer, chasing deadlines. People are also often surprised that my entire staff is only four people, plus an army of freelancers.
What’s the best part of the job? The people — both my mighty team and the countless local artists whose work we get to witness and support. I love talking to people and learning about what makes them tick. And I love being able to observe the entire arts and culture community and figure out how to tell its story in a way that helps this place stay weird and beautiful and interesting.
Do you have a cool job or know someone in the Seattle area who does? Email us with your recommendations for people to feature in Cool Job.