Bloomberg Philanthropies expands arts internship program

Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced the expansion of its Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program, which offers paid summer internships in the cultural sector to high school students.

For 12 years, the program has placed rising public high school seniors in paid seven-week-long internships to develop communication, problem-solving, and team building skills. Participants also receive mentoring and weekly classroom workshops.

In the summer of 2024, the program will expand to Detroit and New Orleans while continuing services in Baltimore, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. In addition, to provide professional development in the field of arts administration, BAI will pilot an extension of the program for its alumni who are now in college. According to program evaluator WolfBrown, 80 percent of 2017-22 program alumni report current enrollment in college or technical school, compared to 53 percent of high school graduates nationally. Program partners include Arts for Learning Maryland (Baltimore), CultureSource (Detroit), EdVestors (Boston), Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (Philadelphia), KID smART (New Orleans), Sitar Arts Center (District of Columbia), and Studio Institute (New York City).

“By expanding the Bloomberg Arts Internship program to Detroit and New Orleans, more talented young people will gain access to valuable skills that will empower them to pursue careers in the arts,” said Bloomberg Philanthropies CEO Patricia E. Harris. “When this program began 12 years ago, it started with 25 students in New York City, and we’re glad that it has grown to serve over thousands of students across seven cities. None of this progress would be possible without our partners and now we will open even more doors of opportunity for young people.”

Read the full story on Philanthropy News Digest here.