Work with Down.Town
We work with people who know their downtown block by block, and with specialists who can explain a lease, a move or a storefront plainly. Remote, paid per assignment, and credited on everything we publish.
Six ways to work with us
City Editor
Research, write and keep up to date the Down.Town guide for a downtown you know well: districts, landmarks, getting around, living, doing business, events and the Find Space page. Paid per guide, and again for each annual review.
Suits local journalists, guidebook writers, urbanists and researchers.
Apply as City EditorContributing Writer
Practical, decision-focused guides for the Live, Find Space and Do Business lines: leases and rent, relocation, buying and renting downtown, storefronts, pop-ups and events.
Suits writers with real estate, relocation, small-business, hospitality or planning experience.
Apply as a writerPhotographer & Videographer
Shoot or license downtown photography and short walking videos for our guides, the Journal and the Downtown Dispatch. Always credited; you keep your copyright under a licence agreed for each assignment.
Suits street, architecture and documentary photographers and video makers.
Apply as a photographerCity Ambassador
Be Down.Town on the ground: gather local event details, represent us at events and photo walks, and introduce local brokers, agents, venues and businesses to our partner network and listings.
Suits well-connected locals with events, community or business-development experience.
Apply as an ambassadorPartnerships Lead
Sell City Partner, Find Space, Dispatch and contest sponsorships, and sign up partners for the introduction network. Commission on the sponsorships and partner sign-ups you close. This is a commercial role with no say over editorial coverage.
Suits media, real estate or tourism sales professionals.
Apply for partnershipsWeb & Data Developer
Build calculators, maps and data features on a fast, static, accessible stack: Jekyll on GitHub Pages and plain JavaScript, with no heavy frameworks. Clear specifications, project-based contracts.
Suits front-end developers who care about performance, accessibility and clean data.
Apply as a developerFair, clear and credited
- Remote. Work from your own city, on your own hours, around a deadline we agree together.
- Paid per assignment. A fee agreed in writing before you start, and paid on time.
- Clear briefs. Every assignment comes with a written brief: the sections, sources, length and deadline.
- Credit. Your name on published work you contributed to, if you want it there.
- Independence. No pay-for-praise, no gifts for coverage, and disclosure of any conflict of interest, as set out in our editorial policy.
Down.Town welcomes applications from people of every background, identity and ability. If you need an adjustment to apply, tell us and we will arrange it.
From application to first assignment
- Apply
Send the form below with a link to your work. No cover letter needed; the short pitch is enough.
- We read it
An editor reviews every application. If your city or skills match a current brief, we get in touch.
- A short conversation
A call or an email exchange about the brief, timing and fee.
- Your first assignment
A written brief, an agreed fee and deadline, and an editor who works with you through the edit.
- Ongoing work
Contributors who enjoy the work get first call on new briefs in their city or specialism.
Have an idea we should publish?
Freelance pitches are welcome from anyone, whether or not you want a regular role. Choose Story pitch in the form and keep it short.
What we're looking for
- Practical stories that help someone decide: where to live, lease, open or host
- How something really works in one downtown: a lease convention, a permit, a transit change
- Explainers that compare downtowns fairly, using sources we can check
What we don't publish
- Round-ups of named restaurants, shops or bars
- Sponsored or paid-for articles
- Stories that rely on numbers or quotes we can't verify
A good pitch gives a working headline, who it's for, why now, the sources you'd use and why you're the one to write it. Commissioned pitches are paid and credited.
Questions people ask
Are Down.Town roles paid?
Yes. Editorial, photography, video, ambassador and development work is paid per assignment, at a fee agreed before you start. The Partnerships Lead role is paid by commission on the sponsorships and partner sign-ups you bring in.
Do I need to live in the city I cover?
For City Editor and City Ambassador roles you should live in the downtown, or know it well enough to report from the ground. Contributing writers, photographers on assignment and developers can be based anywhere.
Can I pitch a single story without taking a role?
Yes. Choose "Story pitch" in the form and tell us the idea, who it is for and the sources you would use. If we commission it, it is paid and credited like any other assignment.
How long do you keep my application?
Twelve months, so we can come back to you when a brief opens in your city or specialism. You can ask us to delete it sooner at any time.