Students in the Performing Arts Administration program are required to complete internships at arts organizations during their program to acquire a total of 3 internship credits. Internships provide valuable hands-on experience that enhances our curriculum and helps students establish a network of professional contacts that often lead to permanent employment. Students often intern for, and are mentored by, alumni of the program. Performing Arts Administration students have completed internships at various large and small local arts and cultural organizations – most recently at the following sites:
Alvin Ailey American Ballet Theatre
Atlantic Theater Company
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Flushing Town Hall
Japan Society
Jujamcyn Theaters
Korean Cultural Center
Lincoln Center
Manhattan Theatre Club
Metropolitan Opera Association
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)
New York Philharmonic
Oregon Symphony
Paul Taylor Company
Pentacle
Signature Theatre Company
The Public Theater
Internship Substitution
Students with a total of 2-4 years of full-time paid work experience in arts administration (accrued after the conferral of the undergraduate degree) can apply to substitute one or both of the required internships for a suitable elective course(s). Contact Academic Advisor Ashlyn O'Boyle (ao2369@nyu.edu) for more information.
Student Internship Experiences: In Their Own Words
Name: Klancy Maples
Notable Internship Experience: Executive Department at Jujamcyn Theaters (2019)
Highlight: Coordinating the hand delivery of 700+ copies of Torch Song in a single day!
Biggest Lesson: Be flexible! Things change quickly and you have to be able to pivot from one task to another quickly and gracefully.
Next Steps: After completing a few different internship roles within Jujamcyn, I was offered a full-time position as executive assistant!
Name: Eunice Ahn
Internship Experience: Office of the General Manager at the Metropolitan Opera (2020)
Highlight: Attending the Agrippina Premier Party at the Grand Tier of the Metropolitan Opera House
Biggest Lesson: I learned how to leverage multi-tasking skills to thrive in a fast-paced environment
Next Steps: Supporting performing arts by finding new ways to create programming and fundraising strategies to respond to the pandemic.
Name: Liza Hersh
Internship Experience: Development with a focus on institutional giving at New York Live Arts (2020)
Highlight: Discovering a new grant opportunity and spearheading the application!
Biggest Lesson: Don't be afraid to ask for specific projects that interest you or to take initiative! Your supervisor will appreciate it.
Next Steps: Building theatre industry connections in my hometown of Toronto and producing a virtual play series.
Name: Wei-Mei (Dolly) Huang
Internship Experience: Brands, Marketing and Sales at the Jazz at Lincoln Center (2019)
Highlight: Meeting world class musicians and seeing how a successful arts organization operates.
Biggest Lesson: Applying what I learned from NYU (Marketing Concepts, Marketing for the Performing Arts, and Data Analytics) to my internship.
Next Steps: I'm increasing my knowledge of digital marketing by pursuing a Facebook and Google Analytics Marketing Certificate.
Name: Kinsey Powell
Notable Internship Experience: Marketing, Sales and Analytics at Manhattan Theatre Club (2019)
Highlight: Screaming with my team when we were nominated for ten Tonys!
Biggest Lesson: Things move fast! I had to learn to be very organized and how to prioritize competing tasks effectively.
Next Steps: I'm the Press Intern at The Public Theater, where I use my passion for communications while working in the arts.