Community Engagement Internship
An intern screen-printing with an artist at Urban Arts Space's monthly Artist Commune event
Urban Arts Space interns, staff, and volunteers after the Artist Commune: Fashion Show
An intern installing artwork at the gallery
Two interns painting a window display to promote a show
An intern giving a gallery tour at Urban Arts Space
An intern leading a rooftop garden tour at the Lazarus building
Community Engagement Internship
The Mellon Foundation–funded Urban Arts Space Community Engagement Internship Program is a two-semester, paid undergraduate internship model designed to bridge academic learning with sustained, reciprocal community engagement. Housed at Urban Arts Space at The Ohio State University, the program prepares students to become ethical, skilled arts administrators and community leaders through structured training, critical reflection, and long-term community-based practice.
Community engagement in this program is understood as long-term, relational work that requires time, trust, accountability, and continuity. Rather than positioning community spaces as sites for short-term learning or practice, the program centers communities as partners in knowledge-making and shared growth. Students move through institutional learning and preparation before entering community placements, allowing them to arrive with the skills, context, and care required for responsible engagement.
At its core, the program resists extractive or transactional models of engagement. Intern labor, learning, and professional development are intentionally tied to the health and sustainability of the organizations they support. Students gain real-world experience and clarity around career pathways, while community partners receive consistent, skilled support aligned with their missions and needs.
You can read more about the program and our Internship Program Coordinator, Ashley Martin, on the Arts at Ohio State website.
Program Goals
Strengthen Community Arts + Culture Organizations
Increase the capacity of community-based arts and cultural organizations through sustained, non-extractive internship placements that provide consistent, skilled labor aligned with organizational missions, workflows, and long-term sustainability.
Prepare Community Leaders
Equip undergraduate students with professional skills, critical frameworks, and real-world experience in arts administration and community engagement, preparing them for long-term careers grounded in care, accountability, and reciprocal practice.
Build Reciprocal University–Community Relationships
Foster long-term, trust-based partnerships between the university and the Columbus arts ecosystem that prioritize community needs, shared responsibility, and equitable collaboration over short-term or transactional engagement.
Program Structure
First Semester- Urban Arts Space
During the first semester, interns are based at Urban Arts Space and Hopkins Hall Gallery. This phase focuses on foundational training, professional development, and critical frameworks for ethical community engagement. Interns complete weekly gallery shifts, attend cohort meetings, and participate in hands-on projects connected to exhibitions, public programs, marketing, and accessibility initiatives. Structured readings, discussions, and weekly portfolio reflections support learning and professional growth.
Second Semester- Community Sites
During the second semester, interns transition into sustained, semester-long placements with local arts and cultural organizations. Placements are intentionally matched based on intern interests, organizational needs, and community impact. Interns arrive prepared with clear learning goals, professional skills, and an understanding of community-centered practice.
Building Sustainable University-Community Partnerships
The Community Engagement Internship Program was established through Mellon Foundation support to strengthen relationships between The Ohio State University and the greater Columbus arts community. Many partner organizations operate with small staffs and limited administrative capacity, often serving under-resourced neighborhoods while sustaining significant cultural impact.
Rather than positioning interns as temporary helpers, the program treats students as emerging professionals whose work is mutually tied to organizational sustainability. This approach increases capacity for community partners while preparing students for long-term careers in arts administration, education, curation, cultural advocacy, and community-based practice.
Community Partners
Open Door Studios
Maroon Arts Group
Columbus Museum of Art
Priscilla Tyson Cultural Arts Center
Arts Impact Middle School
WOSU
The Opportunity Zone
William H. Thomas Gallery
We Amplify Voices
Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services
Ohio History Connection
Fort Hayes High School
ArtPossible
Roy G. Biv Gallery
Wild Goose Creative
Thurber House
Neighborhood Design Center
Hilltop Arts Collective
All People Arts
Partnerships are cultivated intentionally and carefully with attention to mission alignment, organizational capacity, and community impact.
Professional Development Grant for Urban Arts Space (UAS) Interns
The UAS Professional Development Grant encourages Urban Arts Space interns to prepare for careers in their chosen field after graduation by helping defray costs associated with career development. By offering grants of up to $500 for one applicant per funding period, UAS will provide an incentive for interns to invest in their futures while interning at UAS. The UAS Professional Development Grants will be awarded to interns demonstrating strong linkages between their stated professional goals and their submitted professional development plan.
Applicants should read the full guidelines prior to applying. The 2025 application opens Monday, February 3 and closes Monday, March 17 at 11:59 PM.
Questions?
Contact Ashley Martin at martin.4988@osu.edu.