Arts Intern College Program

Turn Your Passion into Opportunity: Apply for a paid summer internship at a museum or cultural arts institution!

Through our summer internship program, students can gain valuable experience in visual and performing arts, as well as cultural organizations within their cities. Opportunities are available in various departments, including archives, community engagement, curatorial, collections, design, education, marketing, and more. Expand your possibilities for a brighter future with a paid internship that aligns with your interests in the arts.

Summer 2026 Program Dates:

• Cleveland: June 4 - August 4
• New York City: June 8 – August 7

Intern Compensation:

• Cleveland: $23/hour
• New York City: $28/hour
• Final Intern Stipend: Cleveland: $500, NYC: $600 is based upon completion of Arts Intern educational components, including attendance at Professional Development events and evaluation surveys
• Hours: Interns are required to complete a total of 252 hours, working 28 hours (5 days) per week over a 9-week period.
• Housing or Travel stipend is not provided!

Qualifications:

To qualify for the Arts Intern College program, you must meet these requirements:

• Currently enrolled full-time at a college or university.
• 3.0 GPA
• Legally authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship now or in the future.
• Currently a junior or senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree (only).
• Reside in Cleveland or New York for the entire 9-week summer program.
• Available to work from June 1 to August 7 during the 9-week period.
• Have completed the FAFSA for 2025-26 with an EFC/SAI between $0 and $10,000.
• Able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Able to adapt quickly within a museum or cultural arts organization.

Please submit your application by Friday, February 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM (est)

Communication:

We expect a high volume of applications this year, so only candidates selected for interviews will receive direct communication about the status of their application.  

We appreciate your interest and look forward to reviewing your application. 

Sincerely, 

The Arts Intern College Team

End of Summer Interview: Insights from Our 2025 Arts Interns

Here’s what our 2025 cohort has to say about their recent summer internship experience as Arts Interns.

 Arts Intern Alumni Chat with Kasssandra Gonzalez

Kasssandra talks about their Arts Intern experience at The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Brooklyn Museum.

Founded by Agnes Gund in 1999, the Arts Intern College program offers paid internship opportunities to skilled college undergraduates with financial needs, allowing them to explore careers in the arts. Interns earn competitive wages while gaining essential professional development to advance their careers.

In the Arts Intern College Program, students receive fully funded stipends and have the chance to engage directly with industry professionals, enhancing their knowledge and investment in museums and cultural institutions. Interns work on meaningful projects that showcase their perspectives, taking an active role in daily operations while receiving mentorship from experienced professionals. The Arts Intern College Program fosters peer interaction through required events and seminars, allowing interns to share experiences and insights.

Worksite Applications Priority Deadline: December 31st @ 11:59 PM 

Program Contact: Sophia Domeville, Director of Internships, artsintern@studioinstitute.org

Program Structure:

• 252 total hours over 9 weeks
• 28 hours per week: 4 days on-site (includes lunch). 
• Education Days: Every Friday, except June 19th (Juneteenth) and July 3rd (Independence Day, Observed)

Program Dates:

• Cleveland: June 4 – August 4 
• New York City: June 8 – August 7

Intern Compensation:

Cleveland: $23/hour

• Final Stipend: $500 given by the Arts Intern College Program to the student upon completion of educational requirements.

New York City: $28/hour

• Final Stipend: $600 given by the Arts Intern College Program to the student upon completion of educational requirements.

Intern Compensation and Worksite Stipends

Participating organizations ("worksites") are provided with upfront funding from Studio in a School to place interns on payroll (up to 252 hours per intern). Following the completion of the program, worksites will receive an additional stipend of $750 per intern to cover fringe payroll expenses. Any unused intern payroll hours will be deducted from this final stipend amount at the end of the internship.

Cleveland: $6,546
$5,796 for $23/hr x 252 hours intern compensation awarded at the start of the program, $750 for associated administrative costs (awarded to select organizations upon completion)

New York City: $7,806
$7,056 for $28/hr x 252 hours intern compensation awarded at the start of the program, $750 for associated administrative costs (awarded to select organizations upon completion)

NYC Foundation Worksites 

We are excited to continue our partnership with nationally recognized foundation partners! This collaboration supports our initiative to provide competitive compensation for college students from low-income backgrounds in our Arts Intern College program, empowering the next generation of creatives. We kindly ask all foundation partners to cover the following costs:
Arts Intern College Program Costs

• 9wks (252 hours) x 28hr (each week) x $28/hr = $ 7,056
• Final stipend to student = $600
• Program Admin fee = $1,500
• Costs for Foundation Partners = $9,156

Worksite Eligibility:

An organization should consider applying if:

• Located in Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, or New York City, near public transportation.
• Can hire the intern as a part-time, temporary employee of the organization and provide the workspace, equipment, and resources required to complete their 9-week project.
• Has an available staff member, with a vision for mentoring an Arts Intern, to serve as the intern’s supervisor – offering support, learning opportunities, and feedback throughout the summer 
• Has short-term meaningful project(s) that an intern could move forward with as part of their work plan in approximately 9 weeks 
• Is open to providing feedback and engaging in ongoing communication with the College Team.
• Can complete a mid and end-of-summer survey in lieu of a final grant report

Examples of Summer Internship Projects

• Curatorial Research: Assist in researching and curating exhibitions.
• Digital Archiving: Help digitize collections by cataloging and photographing artifacts.
• Educational Program Development: Design workshops for school groups and families.
• Visitor Experience Survey: Gather feedback from visitors to suggest improvements.
• Social Media Campaign: Create a strategy to promote events and exhibitions online.
• Community Engagement Projects: Launch programs like artist talks or collaborative art projects.
• Grant Writing Assistance: Research funding opportunities and assist with proposals.
• Exhibition Marketing: Develop promotional materials for upcoming events.
• Outreach and Partnership Building: Connect with local organizations for potential collaborations.
• Event Planning: Organize special events to attract diverse audiences.

The Studio Arts Internship: College program is an extension of a high school internship program, administered by Studio in a School Association, and in partnership with: Arts for Learning in Maryland, EdVestors in Boston, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, and Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC.

Host Applications Priority Deadline: December 31st @ 11:59 PM ET. (Note: After December 31st, a second round of applications will be considered, if available)

Priority Deadline: Sunday, Jan 4th @ 11:59 PM ET

This summer 2026, we have an exciting paid opportunity to intern at non-profit arts and cultural partners for the Studio Arts Internship: College program.

To be eligible, you must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree and: 

• Currently enrolled as a full-time sophomore, junior, or a senior graduating no earlier than fall 2026.
• You must either reside or attend college in the same city as the organization that hosts you. (Baltimore, Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, or Washington, D.C.)**

*Applications from community college students, graduate students and international students will unfortunately not be accepted

**Please note: we do not provide relocation assistance.

Materials required for submission: 

• Cover Letter 
• Résumé/CV      
• College/University Transcript

Application Process:

• Eligible applicant submits application via Submittable by Sun, Jan. 4th @ 11:59 PM
• Application reviewed to determine eligibility
• 15-Minute Zoom Interview with a Studio Team member to review application
• Applicants will be matched to interview against open roles based upon their application materials & Zoom interview results
• Virtual interview(s) with worksites Mon, Jan 12th - Thurs, Jan. 29th
• Accepted candidates receive internship offer on Tuesday, Feb 3rd
• Deadline for candidates to accept or reject internship offer Mon. Feb 9th EOD

Additional Information:

• The summer internship program: June 2026 - August 2026.
• Compensation includes up to living hourly wage rate (varying by city), a commuter stipend and program stipend to be received at the successful completion of all internship programmatic requirements.
• Interns work 4 days weekly and must attend all enrichment activities every Friday during the program.
• If you are selected to move forward with the application process, a Studio Arts Internship: College staff member will contact you on next steps.

Questions? 

Email Alyssa Muñoz (she/her), Studio Arts internship: College Associate Manager, at amunoz@studioinstitute.org to learn more