Internships in the Arts: NYC
Students majoring in Art and Art History gain invaluable experience by working as interns in the museums, galleries, auction houses, graphic design and photography studios, advertising and publishing companies, and other art-related businesses in metropolitan New York, and beyond.
In doing so, students can test their hand in professions in which they are considering careers and learn first-hand how professionals in the art world developed their areas of expertise. Serve as a Studio Assistant to a professional artist and learn how they balance the work of running a studio with their work as curators, writers, and educators. Work at an art institution and learn about all of the many career opportunities available to you there: curator, registrar, exhibition designer, fundraiser, publicist, etc. Here is a partial list of leading NYC institutions that offer art-related internships, many of which MMC Art and Art History majors have held.
Studio assistantships in the studios of artists, photographers, and designers
Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces
Art-Related Businesses
Castel (interior & fabric design)
The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts
Museums
American Museum of Natural History
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
International Center of Photography
Metropolitan Museum of Art (including the Cloisters)
Museum of the City of New York
National Museum of the American Indian
New Museum of Contemporary Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
Auction Houses
Selected list of departments
-American Art Department
-Antiquities Department
-Creative Department
-Japanese and Korean Art Department
-Museum Services Department
-Prints And Drawings Department
-Proposals Department
-Public Relations Department
-South Asian Art Department
-Watches & Wristwatches Department
Fashion & Entertainment
Newspapers, Magazines, Publishing Houses
Hear it from our students:
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Brooke Bell ’20
Class of 2020, Art Major, Photography Concentration
“My internship at Benrubi Gallery in the gallery district in Chelsea placed me in a real work environment where I earned credit toward my photography degree and prepared me for a career after graduation.”
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Jamie Allen ’14
Class of 2014, Art Major, Studio Art concentration
After her internship with multi-media artist Jo Wood-Brown, Class of 2014’s Jamie Allen not only gained a mentor-student relationship but also a “special and important friendship” she’ll cherish for the rest of her life. “Without Marymount Manhattan, I would never have had such a life-changing experience.”
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Janine Florio ’12
Class of 2012, Art Major, Graphic Design concentration
“I still cannot believe that I have had this amazing experience. I remember the first day like it was yesterday. Walking into the Conde Nast building on August 22nd was the beginning of a brilliant experience that I will never forget. Successful people surrounded me as I stood on the elevator waiting to reach my destination. I read all of the businesses on each floor as the numbers reached higher to Teen Vogue. Finally the elevator stopped ant the 10th floor. The doors opened and I nervously but excitingly entered….On my right side were the doors to Allure Magazine, to my left the beautiful glass doors of TEEN VOGUE. This began my journey of the most nerve wracking, but brilliant internship yet.”
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Vanessa Gonzalez-Bunster ’13
Class of 2013, Major in Art, Photography concentration
“Working at Pier 59 Studios has given me valuable technical knowledge of digital equipment as well as business knowledge. My understanding of the commercial photography business has broadened from working with clients and my co-workers to help projects flow smoothly. Above all I value the relationships and connections I have created that will continue to help me after my internship is complete.”
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Amy Pekal ’15
Class of 2015, Art History and Business Management double-major, Studio Art minor
“On the first day of economics class, we were taught that time is limited and resources are scarce. My solution: make art, a lot of it, in whatever form. Marymount Manhattan makes it easy for students to curate their own paths.”
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Jordan Anderson Smith ’12
Class of 2012, Major in Art History
“During my time at MMC, I was able to complete four internships. The first was at Free Arts NYC, followed by the Antiquities Department at Christie’s, then the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and finally, The Solomon R Guggenheim Museum. The hands-on experiences and the combined support from my Art History professors at Marymount and my internship supervisors gave me a strong base on which to begin my career.”
