Internships & Learning Pods
High school and college-aged students transform their creativity into valuable career paths through paid internships, kickstarting their professional journeys at creative companies aligned with their interests. Students gain practical experience while building their resumes, expanding their social capital, and enhancing their career readiness skills.
Yaqueline was an archive intern at LGD Gallery before landing her internship at Derek Fordjour’s studio that turned into a permanent job.
“When I started college my freshman year, all of my friends were like “How did you get all of these crazy opportunities with artists?” and I told them that I’ve been involved with Free Arts since my Junior Year!”—Jackie, Artist
Nashalae’s first published piece online for Elite Daily
Nashalae interned at Bustle, Orchard Street Ventures, Elite Daily, and Kaleidoscope Consulting where she thrived! After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, she plans to work for a few years before applying to attend Polimoda in Florence, Italy, to obtain her Master’s Degree in Fashion Trend Forecasting.
Mai reviewing her textile-inspired work with her manager.
“It’s a fun internship that widens my perspective in the working industry. I get to see many different departments and how they work together to create textiles and other products. The people are so kind. Overall, it’s just an amazing place to be and learn about the work.” —Mai, 12th Grade Learning Pods are a 6-week paid summer program with a creative company for high school students. They provide career exposure, job training, skills development, and networking opportunities. Students develop and present completed projects aligned with the company’s objectives at the end of the sessions.
Learning about the auction market at Sotheby’s
Event planning with Blueprint NYC
Talking all things architecture at DXA Studio
2023–2024 Internship & Learning Pod Partners
Anne James New York
Artnoir
Blueprint NYC
Bustle
Canvas NYC
Catbird
Conrad Hotel
Derek Fordjour Studios
DXA Studios
Elliott Berman Textiles
FORMah Gallery
Free Arts NYC
Hill Art Foundation
Indo-American Arts Council
International Center of Photography
Kaleidoscope Consulting Inc.
LGD Gallery
Maharam Studios
Masc Hospitality Group
Mitchell Innes & Nash Gallery
Reclypt
Rema Hort Mann Foundation
Salon 21
Sotheby’s
Stitchroom
Tariku Shiferaw Studios
The Brant Foundation
Threads of Habit
White Columns Gallery
Program Overview
Timeline: On-going, year-round
Participants: High school and college students who complete our program are eligible to apply
Setting: This is a hybrid program, with a mix of virtual and in-person internships across NYC
Commitment: Varies based on internship
Objective: By the end of the program, participants have expanded professional development skills, experience, and social networks
Workshops: Networking & Resume Writing, Financial Literacy, Mock Interviews, Applying for Scholarships & Grants, Marketing Your Work, Building an Online Presence
In This Program, Students Receive:
Paid Internships
Travel and lunch stipends to in-person internships
Internship opportunities at well known galleries, creative companies, artist studios, etc.
Resume development