When thinking about art internships, you may think that there are limited options available for you. However, many different types of internships are beneficial to art majors. Examples include museum, design, architectural, fashion, and even marketing internships. Although some of these may sound irrelevant to an art major, they provide new skills that are necessary to be a successful artist. For instance, a marketing internship could teach you how to sell your art to potential clients and what brings in customers; an architectural internship could teach you how important it is to pay attention to detail; and a fashion internship could open a new door of opportunities you never imagined. It is important to take all the opportunities you get and use them to your advantage. Although they might not relate to your specific career, you will gain skills that you can apply to your career.
When looking for internships, you can look into anything art-related first such as museums and galleries. These will provide you with a unique and unforgettable experience and will help grow many different skills. You will also get hands-on experience with what the professional art world looks like. You also gain meaningful connections that could help you when looking into future job opportunities. The first step you have to take is to research museums around your location and see if they offer internships through their websites. If not listened online, you can also reach out to local galleries and museums about internships. This shows them that you are willing to reach out to these places and are ready to work. When speaking to them, you should sound professional and enthusiastic. You can also visit the Fleishman Center if you need help reaching out to these places. Usually, they ask for a cover letter and portfolio and may also have an application to fill out. When writing a cover letter, I strongly recommend getting it read over by a career consultant at the Fleishman Center to have a second pair of eyes look it over. They are super helpful and provide excellent feedback, so don’t be afraid to make an appointment!
Regarding a portfolio, you could reach out to a professor and ask them what to include in it. Professors typically give helpful advice on what to include and not include. Portfolios vary person by person so not everyone’s is going to look the same; some people might have websites and others might have actual physical work to show. You can use Google Sites to help create your online portfolio; it is free to use for all Binghamton students. After you hand in the necessary materials to apply for the internship, you might get an interview! How exciting!
The Fleishman Center could help you prepare for the interview by asking you questions that would typically be asked during the interview and practicing them before the real interview. This helps ease your nerves and gives you the confidence needed to succeed in the interview. After securing the internship, celebrate! You are now a step closer to your dream job.
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