15 Art Internships for High School Students
If you are a high school student who loves creating, designing, or exploring visual culture, an art internship can be a good way to explore the field. Art internships allow you to build your portfolio, learn new techniques, and work with artists, museums, studios, or creative organizations. In the process, you will see how ideas move from concept to final work in professional settings.
Additionally, art internships can expose you to career paths in fine arts, digital media, animation, illustration, photography, art education, and museum studies—helping you experience what it’s like to work in creative fields. Under the guidance of mentors, you will work on projects and develop your artistic voice. To help you explore the possibilities, we have put together 15 art internships for high school students.
1. The Met Summer High School Internships
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Generally, between July and August; exact dates TBA
Application deadline: Application opens in early February
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 who attend high school in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the world’s most renowned museums, offers paid summer internships for high school students, allowing them to engage with the museum’s collections, departments, and creative teams. Open to students with or without prior art experience, this fully funded program welcomes those interested in art, architecture, design, or creative expression. As an intern, you will find opportunities to build professional skills, network with artists and museum professionals, and learn firsthand how a major museum operates. Throughout the program, you will interact with experts across fields such as marketing, conservation science, social media, law, and education. You also get to take part in Career Labs, where professionals share guidance and insights about their careers.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type; financial assistance available
Dates: Several cohorts every year, including sessions in spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort—May deadlines for Summer cohorts, January deadline for Spring cohort, September deadlines for Fall cohorts, and November deadline for Winter cohorts.
Eligibility: Students (undergrads, high school students, and gap year students) who can work for 10 to 20 hours/week, for 8 to 12 weeks
Ladder Internships are selective virtual internships connecting students with startups and nonprofits around the world across diverse fields—from tech, AI/ML, and health tech to marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. As an intern, you will work on real-world projects that make a tangible impact on the organizations, with opportunities involving creative or artistic tasks in design, media, or the arts available. Throughout the program, you will collaborate closely with a startup manager while receiving personalized mentorship from a Ladder Coach. The experience ends with a final presentation where you will showcase your project and the skills you’ve developed.
3. Bloomberg Arts Internship program
Location: Runs in seven cities: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C (an expansion to Los Angeles is planned as well)
Stipend: Paid internship, exact amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Runs between June and August; exact dates vary by program and location
Application deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors residing in participating cities
Bloomberg Philanthropies connects high school students with paid internships at arts and cultural organizations in multiple U.S. cities. You will find opportunities to connect with artists and professionals. The program can help you build workplace skills, receive college-prep support, and gain experience in areas such as arts administration, exhibition planning, event coordination, and marketing. The internship timeline and application process vary by city, but all locations focus on helping teens explore careers in the creative sector.
4. Teen Programs by Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Stipend: $15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by program
Dates: Year-long internships
Application deadline: TBA; applications open in February.
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the Boston area
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, offers three teen internship opportunities: the STEAM Team, the Curatorial Study Hall, and the Teen Arts Council (TAC). In the STEAM Team track, you can gain experience across science, tech, engineering, art, and math while working closely with MFA mentors and visiting local artists and organizations. The Curatorial Study Hall provides a project-based introduction to exhibition planning, where you can learn about marginalized artists in the museum’s collection and gain skills in research, design, interpretation, promotion, and installation. Finally, the Teen Arts Council focuses on leadership and community engagement, allowing you to help the MFA connect with local teens and create public programs. As part of the council, you will also actively engage in Boston’s broader arts and culture scene, including events such as Teen Night, which features art-making and social activities at the museum.
5. Opportunities for Teens at the Art Institute of Chicago
Location: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Teen Council is open to 15 students; summer internship cohort size not specified
Dates: Teen Council: September 13 – June 6 | Summer Internship: June – August
Application deadline: Teen Council: June 30 | Summer Internship: TBA; applications open in the spring
Eligibility: Chicago high school students who are 16 or older
The Art Institute of Chicago offers two teen programs: Teen Council and Summer Internship. The Teen Council program allows you to team up with museum staff to create programs and resources that make museums more inclusive and relevant to young audiences. You will attend weekly virtual and in-person sessions and collaborate on projects that support visitor engagement. The museum’s Summer Internship Program offers additional hands-on experience, giving you the chance to plan festivals, tours, and workshops for local and international audiences. Both opportunities provide exposure to museum professionals, local artists, and behind-the-scenes work. The programs also offer practical training along with insights into exhibitions, collections, and museum operations.
6. Whitney Museum of American Art’s Youth Insights
Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid; amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Year-round program, with sessions held in the summer and after school
Application deadline: August 22
Eligibility: High school students who are residents of New York; grade-level requirements vary by program.
The Whitney Museum of American Art’s Youth Insights is a series of after-school and summer programs that connect NYC high school students with artists and mentors. Free programs such as YI Artists, YI Arts Careers, and YI Introductions are designed to help you learn about art-making and creative professions. If you complete these tracks, you become eligible to apply to Youth Insights Leaders, which offers a year-long paid internship. As a YI Leader, you will develop public programs for teens, lead interactive exhibition tours, and support museum educators. Here, you will also connect with artists and educators and create an original work of art that will be displayed in a final exhibition.
7. Museum of Arts and Design Teen Programs
Location: Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Artslife is limited to 10 students; cohort size for RECESS is not specified.
Dates: Artslife: July – August | RECESS I: February 18 – 21 | RECESS II: April 15 – 18
Application deadline: Artslife: April 21 | RECESS: January 12
Eligibility: Artslife: Rising high school sophomores and juniors in NYC | RECESS I and II: Students, ages 13–18, in NYC
The Museum of Arts and Design offers two internship programs, Artslife and RECESS. Artslife is a six-week summer internship that combines museum studies, leadership development, and collaborative art and design projects. During the internship, you will learn about careers in various departments, including Curatorial, Education, Communications, Development, Visitor Services, and Security. The first week centers on orientation and team building, followed by five weeks of group projects with designers, museum staff, and arts professionals. RECESS is offered during winter and spring school breaks, and is a shorter, four-day program that introduces you to art history and museum work. In either of the programs, you will lead peer tours and contribute to a student-run podcast series.
8. Brooklyn Museum’s Creative Practice
Location: Brooklyn Museum, New York City, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not listed
Dates: September – June
Application deadline: Generally in July; applications open in June
Eligibility: NYC teens who are high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors when the internship starts
This academic-year internship at the Brooklyn Museum connects you directly with teaching artists, museum educators, and curatorial staff, offering a hands-on opportunity to explore how art, education, and social themes intersect in museum settings. You will assist with community art classes, help design and facilitate sessions for visitors of all ages, and work on collaborative creative projects tied to museum exhibitions. The experience also includes field trips, teen-staff events, and weekend responsibilities, providing a well-rounded introduction to museum education work and arts programming. You will also create art of your own during the program.
9. Museum of Contemporary Art’s Teen Creative Agency
Location: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Up to $1,600/year available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~25 members (based on past cohorts)
Dates: September – June
Application deadline: Not specified; applications open in Spring
Eligibility: Students who are 15 – 19 years old
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago runs the Teen Creative Agency (TCA), a cultural leadership program for city youth. TCA aims to amplify the voices of youth in the museum space while fostering collaboration and leadership. As a member, you will meet other members once a week at the museum, visit other arts organizations, and collaborate with contemporary artists and peers. The program encourages you to share your perspectives, develop public engagement skills, and explore creative processes under the guidance of lead artists and museum staff.
10. Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF) Teen Program
Location: Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $150
Program dates: September 20 – November 15
Application deadline: September 4
Eligibility: Bay Area students who are 15 – 18 years old
ICA SF’s Teen Program offers high school students a paid opportunity to explore various pathways to creative careers and arts leadership. The program also focuses on offering exposure to contemporary art. As a participant, you will attend classes led by museum educators and learn about contemporary art through a mix of dialogue, hands-on activities, and public speaking exercises. The program culminates in a public engagement day, during which you will participate in exhibition tours and workshops.
11. Milwaukee Art Museum Internships
Location: Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Satellite Teens: October 2 – December 11 (commitment of 10 sessions) | ArtXpress: July 10 – August 1
Application deadline: Satellite Teens: August 29 | ArtXpress: June 6
Eligibility: Milwaukee-based high school juniors and seniors, ages 16 – 19
The Milwaukee Art Museum offers two paid teen internships designed to provide insights into gallery operations and connections with local artists. Satellite Teens is a 10-week program where you will engage in 10 sessions to learn how museums function, visit studios and galleries, and collaborate on a final creative project. ArtXpress is a four-week internship focused on designing a public mural that addresses a local issue, guided by artists and inspired by works in the museum. The finished mural is displayed on a Milwaukee County bus, giving you the chance to make a visible impact in your community.
12. Exploratorium’s High School Explainer: PACE Program
Location: Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid; amount not specified
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: School year and summer programs available; dates vary
Application deadline: July for the school-year program; March for the summer program
Eligibility: Students who are 17 – 21 years old and have valid work permits
The High School Explainer: PACE (Professional Advancement & Career Exposure) Program at the Exploratorium offers high schoolers learning and hands-on experiences in science, art, and museum education. As a participant, you will explore roles in exhibit maintenance, public programs, cinema arts, biology labs, and program administration. You will engage in interactive, visitor-facing work that can allow you to build communication skills and contribute to the museum’s learning environment. You will also undergo training that covers topics such as exhibit facilitation, career readiness, science content, professional/academic development, and mentorship. During the program, you will be paid and supported through structured training.
13. Project Write Now Teen Internship Program
Location: Primarily virtual; one of the tracks (Teaching Assistant) requires in-person participation in Monmouth County, NJ
Cost/Stipend: No cost to apply or participate; internships are unpaid but are eligible for community service hours.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohorts; up to 8 participants in the Teaching Assistant track, and up to 10 in the other tracks
Dates: June – August
Application deadline: Applications open in February
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18
Project Write Now’s Teen Internship Program offers high schoolers meaningful experiences in writing, publishing, and education. You can choose one of three tracks. All tracks begin with virtual training sessions. If you apply for the Teaching Assistant position, you will help lead writing classes for younger students in person. As an Editorial Assistant, you will produce content for the organization’s online magazine and help manage its digital platforms. You will also get to exercise creativity while making flyers and social media posts for the organization. You can also choose the Interview Project track, which trains you in journalism skills like interviewing, narrative construction, and storytelling for publication.
14. The Mark Twain House & Museum Student Internships
Location: The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, CT; on-site and remote internship options
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies by internship; roles offered in summer, fall, and spring terms.
Application deadline: Not specified; you can check the museum website for specific listings
Eligibility: High school and college students
Interning at the Mark Twain House & Museum gives you a chance to work in a historic cultural institution dedicated to the life and legacy of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain). You may engage in projects across areas, including digital archives, website development, podcasting, virtual tour creation, curatorial support, and museum education. You will work under the guidance of museum staff, collaborating on tasks that help interpret and share historical content, develop digital media, and connect with broader audiences. The experience blends creative, technical, and research components, making it ideal for students interested in history, literature, digital humanities, or museum-based work.
15. Stanford SHTEM Internship
Location: Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: No cost to participate besides the application fee; no stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application deadline: TBA in November
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 14 by the program start date
The SHTEM internship offers high school juniors and seniors an eight-week immersive research experience at Stanford University. You will be placed in small mentorship groups (2–5 students) under faculty or graduate-student mentors at the Stanford Compression Forum, working on interdisciplinary projects that unify science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts. The program emphasizes teamwork as well as independent inquiry. The program will end with a final presentation, where you will discuss your project with peers and instructors.
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