Studio Institute and Bloomberg Philanthropies Provide Paid Internships to 73 Students at 35 New York City Cultural Institutions in Summer 2022
Full-time paid internship program helps prepare future generations for success in the arts workforce
New York, NY – Today, Studio Institute and Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the start of the 2022 Bloomberg Arts Internship program, marking the ten-year anniversary of the program in New York City. Through this partnership, 73 rising seniors from New York City career and technical education public high schools are getting paid internships this summer at 35 New York City cultural organizations across all five boroughs. The Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program prepares young people for college and careers. The grant also includes a school-year component that will enable participating teens to deepen their understanding of career opportunities while contributing to the city’s arts organizations.
Launched in 2012, and now operating in five cities—New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, and Washington, D.C.—the Bloomberg Arts Internship program provides intensive college-readiness preparation and professional development training to help set up the next generation for success as they transition from high school to college and the workforce, whether in the arts or other industries. The program offers meaningful workforce experience, develops knowledge of the creative sector as a career path, and encourages awareness of culture as a civic resource. With the support of college mentors and writing coaches, students also strengthen their oral and written communication skills.
BAI in New York City includes programming that develops students’ knowledge of and connection to New York City’s vibrant arts culture. Interns participate in panel discussions featuring local artists, studio visits, and trips to arts areas and organizations. These events and outings provide opportunities for teens to connect, create, and catalyze change in their lives and their communities.
Through the summer of 2021, the BAI program had placed more than 1,100 students nationally at over 200 cultural organizations—including over 580 students who have been part of the New York City program. 81% of 2017–2020 participants report being currently enrolled in college or technical school, compared to 41% of 18–24-year-olds nationally. Further, 77% of interns since 2018 increased their writing proficiency—as measured by program evaluators via a nationally-used scoring metric–with close to half of interns achieving scores that would exempt them from remedial college coursework.
“The Bloomberg Arts Internship program continues to successfully connect talented young people with vital arts institutions, expanding opportunity and benefiting students and organizations alike,” said Patricia E. Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Together with Studio Institute and our dedicated partners citywide, we’re glad to see this valuable program grow and help even more New Yorkers build a foundation for success in college and their careers.”
Participating New York City BAI partners for summer 2022 include:
Art21, BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, Ballet Hispánico, Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Children’s Museum of the Arts, Cool Culture, El Barrio’s Artspace PS109, Ghetto Film School, Gibney Dance, HERE Arts Center, King Manor Museum, Madison Square Park Conservancy, Materials for the Arts, Museum of Chinese in America, National Dance Institute, New York Botanical Garden, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, New York Hall of Science, Open House New York, Park Avenue Armory, Pregones/PRTT, Queens Botanical Garden, Queens County Farm Museum, Studio Institute, Signature Theatre, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, Staten Island Museum, STREB Laboratory for Action Mechanics, Theatre for a New Audience, UrbanGlass, viBe Theater Experience, Wave Hill, and Wyckoff House Museum.
“We are very grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for their unwavering commitment to New York City high school students,” said Tom Cahill, President of Studio Institute. “After two years of uncertainty and loss, it is more important than ever that our students get the opportunity to learn about career opportunities and what it takes to succeed in the workplace. That they do this while deepening their knowledge of New York City’s diverse arts and cultural organizations makes it all the more powerful.”
About Studio Institute:
Studio Institute is dedicated to improving opportunities for learners of all ages through visual arts education and career development programs: from partnerships that include early childhood programs, family engagement, school residencies, and arts education resources to internship-based learning for teens and college students and professional learning for educators. Learn more at studioinstitute.org. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 941 cities and 173 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2021, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.66 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Studio Institute, Jeannie Sharkey, jsharkey@studioinstitute.org
Bloomberg Philanthropies, Rebecca Carriero, rebeccac@bloomberg.org