The Washington Post laid off approximately 30% of its newsroom staff, including Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Sebastian Smee, as part of broader cuts to sports, local news, and international coverage. Smee, who joined the Post in 2018 after working at the Boston Globe and The Australian, confirmed his departure in a statement to ARTnews, expressing gratitude to former editor Marty Baron and solidarity with affected colleagues. Another Pulitzer-winning critic, Philip Kennicott, reportedly remains on staff. The layoffs come shortly after the release of a documentary produced by Amazon MGM Studios, owned by Post owner Jeff Bezos.
The loss of Sebastian Smee represents a significant blow to arts journalism at a major national newspaper, as he was one of the few dedicated art critics with a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. His departure, alongside the elimination of local and international coverage, signals a troubling trend of shrinking arts and cultural reporting in mainstream media. The layoffs also highlight ongoing tensions between journalistic integrity and the business interests of billionaire owners, as protesters outside the Post's offices linked Bezos to the cuts with signs reading "Democracy dies in darkness ��� Bezos is the dark."