Building Career Skills Through Arts
ArtWorks is an internship program in the arts for high school (9th – 12th grade) students. Each year, we hire student interns to work in co-ops to flex their creative muscles and learn essential career skills while making and producing works of art.
Developed from a model created by Young Audiences Arts for Learning’s Northeast Ohio affiliate Center for Arts Inspired Learning, the ArtWorks program at Arts for Learning/Miami (A4L) began in the summer of 2012. The program’s first summer offered internships in Visual Arts and Dance to 25 interns, housed at The Bakehouse Art Complex. Since then, ArtWorks has expanded to offer internships in Creative Writing, Theater, and Animation; integrated college application support,
cultural and community service field trips, and held residence at several spaces throughout Miami, including The Light Box at Goldman Warehouse, The Lewis Arts Studio, and most recently The Historic Hampton House.
During each internship, ArtWorks interns:
- Create art
- Learn how to work independently and together to meet deadlines
- Exhibit and perform
- Build friendships with students from different schools
- Acquire community service hours
- Discover hidden strengths
- Develop workforce skills
- Build upon each other’s talents
- Acquire community service hours
- Exhibit and perform
- Participate in writing workshops (including resume development)
- Practice public speaking
- Learn about money management
- Participate in performance reviews and feedback sessions
- Learn how to network
- Build friendships with students from different schools
- Learn why the arts are important to a community’s identity and success
- Have access to College Advisors and Tutors
- Learn about careers in the arts
By giving students the opportunity to learn and practice essential 21st century career skills such as communication and collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as the ability to work creatively and well with others, ArtWorks inspires students to confidently succeed, at the same time ensuring they develop the skills to do so.
No prior experience in the arts is necessary.
High school students must be at least 14 years of age to apply and be eligible to work in the U.S. (for paid internship).