Internships

Internships at Urban Arts Space & Hopkins Hall Gallery 

Our Internship Program offers Ohio State University students the opportunity to gain comprehensive experiences in the operation of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Urban Arts Space (UAS) and Hopkins Hall Gallery (HHG). Student interns support specialized positions, guided by professional staff, to advance the mission of the galleries through the delivery of exhibitions, programming, and events. Interns are integral members of the staff and support daily operations through active learning experiences, hand-on projects, and group collaborations. The internship offers students the opportunity to employ classroom research in a professional setting to better prepare them in their professional pursuits. 

How We Work

Urban Arts Space offers a variety of roles that provide hands-on job experience to students in their area of interest. Every position at Urban Arts Space is vital to gallery operations. The student teams provide specialized services, but they receive guidance and direction from our team of permanent staff. 

In addition to individual focus areas, all interns are expected to be familiar with the general operations and responsibilities of Urban Arts Space. This includes gallery reception and monitoring, serving as docents for exhibitions, program and event set up and management, and basic customer service duties.

Internship Areas of Concentration

Exhibition Interns focus on exhibition management responsibilities, exhibition design, and artwork installation and strike processes. 

Engagement Interns plan and implement thoughtful activities and tours that are inspired by current or previous UAS/HHG exhibitions. They gain experience in educational program planning, lesson-planning, art making processes, public speaking, and teaching

Accessibility Interns research best practices in digital accessibility and participate in planning, developing, reviewing, and implementing accessible materials used to support gallery programming.

Communications Interns assist in planning, tactics, and execution of communications efforts employing various methods. Communications Interns are encouraged to propose new and exciting materials and strategies to publicize events at UAS and HHG. These interns work with a cohort of design and photo/video interns to maintain marketing efforts.

Design Interns work closely with the Communications Team to create graphic designs for public release in formats such as brochures, window banners, general signage, forms, and presentations. Design Interns should be comfortable working independently and as part of a team. Generally, interns will work on projects from concept to release. A general portfolio review demonstrating skillsets is requested from the applicant for this position.

Video & Photo Production Interns document activities to support exhibition operations and promotional communications in digital platforms and print formats. A general portfolio review demonstrating skillsets will be requested from the applicant for this position.

What to Expect

Urban Arts Space fosters a work culture that is open, interesting, creative, and challenging, and our interns must be self-motivated. Teamwork is essential to facilitate exhibitions, gallery programming, and daily operations. In addition to the interns’ concentration, all interns support general operations requirements for Urban Arts Space and Hopkins Hall Gallery including activities such as:

  • Staffing gallery receptions, programs, and/or events
  • Monitoring the gallery and the safety of the artwork
  • Providing docent services for guest and groups
  • Program and event set-up and management
  • Basic customer service responsibilities to ensure a welcoming guest experience
  • Supporting specific day-to-day facility maintenance

Interns are requested to work a minimum of 10-15 hours per week at Urban Arts Space and/or Hopkins Hall Gallery. However, hours are flexible based on student availability. Applicants must available during regular gallery hours.

How to Apply

Interested applicants may submit their application via Ohio State's career-networking platform, Handshake. Selected applicants will be invited for a follow-up interview at Urban Arts Space.

Apply for an internship position

The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status. To learn more, read Ohio State's Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

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 deadline for Spring 2024 funding is March 31 at 11:59 PM ET. The Urban Arts Space staff will make decisions in April, with funding available for the summer or fall.

Full Guidelines

Application Form