Thursday, April 1, 2021

Nation’s Largest Paid Summer Arts Internship Program Opens for L.A. County

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The nation’s largest paid summer arts internship program is accepting applications from university and community college students from Los Angeles County, officials announced Thursday.

The LA County Arts Internship Program will provide 228 university and community college students with paid on-the-job experience in the arts while completing projects that can include education, marketing, graphic design, fundraising and production, at more than 140 nonprofit organizations starting this summer.

The program — in its 21st year — has allowed more than 2,500 students to enter the Los Angeles County arts and culture field through internships in nonprofit performing, presenting, literary and municipal arts organizations, officials said.

A companion program, the Getty Multicultural Internship Program, provides internships to museums and visual arts organizations.

“For 21 years, the LA County Arts Internship Program has built career pathways for diverse young people to enter and thrive in L.A. County’s creative economy. The program is a win-win — students get real-world experience and our nonprofit partners receive funding support and join us in developing future arts leaders with inclusive talent and community representation,” said Kristin Sakoda, LA County Department of Arts and Culture Director. “This kind of paid work-based opportunity is a critical way to address inequities, build an arts and creative sector that centers equity and relieve the pandemic’s impact on youth unemployment in the county. As our sector begins a journey of recovery, interns will engage firsthand in the arts and create networks that help launch their careers.”

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the program timeline has been extended to allow for more flexibility for both interns and work sites, with part-time and remote internships available. Organizations set the start and end dates of their positions, but all students must complete their 400 paid hours between May 31, 2021 and March 1, 2022.

All applicants must be currently enrolled in a community college or four-year university and must be residents of or attending schools in Los Angeles County.

Internship opportunities are listed at www.lacountyarts.org/internships, with students encouraged to continue checking the website for the most up-to-date information on available positions. Students, however, apply directly to the host organizations.

“Through the largest paid arts internship program in the nation, L.A. County remains committed in investing and nurturing our future generation of artists and cultural workers,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis. “Not only does the program grow in participants every year, but it also chips away at longstanding disparities in creative opportunities.

“As we continue to re-open sectors of our county, and develop sustainable recovery efforts, our focus must be on building stronger and more accessible pathways for careers in this sector.”