Internship

The New City Arts Internship is a paid 12-week learning opportunity for a UVA Arts student who is passionate about the arts.

About the Internship

The 2024 Spring or Summer Internship is supported by UVA’s Department of Art and is open to declared Studio or Art History undergraduate majors at UVA. This internship provides students with the opportunity to support the mission of a local, non-profit arts organization by helping to facilitate community arts participation through Welcome Gallery and NCAI program support. Over the course of the internship, students are given first-hand experience with gallery and arts program implementation. Interns work directly with NCAI staff to gain a greater understanding of Arts Administration—in the Charlottesville community and beyond—and are involved in exhibition planning, event staffing, gallery sitting, and communications with local artists.

    • Joins staff in welcoming visitors to exhibitions one weekday between 10AM-5PM

    • Supports New City Arts events including First Friday opening receptions on the First Friday of each month

    • Experiences partner events, exhibition openings, community performances, and studio visits

    • Gives a short public presentation to UVA Art Department and New City Arts staff at the end of their internship sharing their experience.

    Outside of the gallery, we encourage our interns to connect with the Charlottesville arts community through tickets to partner events, community performances, studio visits, and community exhibitions.

    Interns will work alongside a highly collaborative team of three staff members and will be guided by Welcome Gallery Manager, Tori Cherry.

  • New City Arts seeks to work with UVA Arts students who are…

    • Committed to centering artists’ voices by listening to them and supporting them

    • Organized and have great attention to detail

    • Committed to social equity within the organization and artistic programming.

    • Great at managing their own schedule, responding to emails in a timely manner, and taking the initiative to problem solve effectively.

    • A team player who loves to brainstorm new ideas and create a supportive working environment for your co-workers

    • Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (required for all New City Arts staff)

    Please note that this internship position is in-person and located in Charlottesville, VA, so applicants should be able to make this commute frequently for gallery staffing and events throughout the week. Applicants interested in the Summer internship should note that the period overlaps with a break in our exhibition season and therefore will likely include at least one week of remote work.

  • The internship is a 12-week, maximum 20 hr/week commitment and is scheduled based on the applicant’s availability, and New City Arts open hours and events. Applicants may indicate preference for a Spring or Summer internship in the application form.

    We respect student schedules and will work with the Program Intern to determine a schedule that works well for the student and the organization.

    Some evening and weekend availability is required on an event-by-event basis as well as for First Friday exhibition openings on the first Friday of each month.

  • Rising 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year Studio Art or Art History declared undergraduate majors at the University of Virginia are eligible to apply.

  • Thanks to the support from UVA’s Department of Art, our 2024 intern will receive a $3,000 stipend (issued in two installments at the start and end of the internship). Additionally, interns will receive free tickets to community performances.

Hear from Past Interns

Isabella Whitfield, 2020 New City Arts Intern

“My internship at New City Arts introduced me to the local arts community, provided meaningful professional development opportunities, and gave me a behind-the-scenes look at planning exhibitions. In addition to meeting a bunch of awesome Charlottesville creatives, I acquired valuable skills that I still draw upon to this day.”

Lauren Campbell, 2020 New City Arts Spring Intern

"Interning at New City Arts was truly such an incredible opportunity to engage with the local art community and to learn from an experienced (and incredibly kind!) staff. From interacting with visitors to completing my project, I witnessed the interconnectivity and vibrancy of the art culture within Charlottesville. Through New City’s guidance, I developed a skill set in arts administration and a confidence in my passion for celebrating artists.” 

Rachel McGinnis, 2023 New City Arts Summer Intern

“My internship at New City Arts allowed me to engage with local artists through exhibition planning, formal correspondence, and installation work. I built lifelong relationships and gained valuable experience in arts administration that I will carry with me as I continue to grow professionally.”