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
- Students usually meet the internship requirement by successfully completing two part-time (15-20 hours/week) semester-long internships (1.5 credits each) or one full-time (30-40 hours/week) semester-long internship (3 credits; typically during the summer).
- Apply for the NYU Wasserman Center Internship Grant offered every semester. The purpose of this $1,000 award is to provide financial assistance to students pursuing unpaid internships in the arts, education, public service and other not-for-profits. Visit the Wasserman Center website for deadlines and guidelines.
- Check out NYU Wasserman Center for Career Development’s various resources, career development workshops, resume and cover letter review, and a mock-up interview coaching session to elevate your candidacy.
- Did you know that students enrolled in NYU Steinhardt can order NYU-branded business cards? The cards are useful in job searches, in informational interviews, and at networking events.
Students receive weekly emails with select opportunities for internships and jobs in the arts. Other ways to find internship opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Playbill – latest jobs
- New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)
- Dance/NYC – listings: jobs & internships
- Idealist Job Search Engine for nonprofit organization (see example search results)
- Indeed job search engine (see example search results)
- Job search on Google (see example search results)
- LinkedIn – Follow organizations of your interest
- Handshake – NYU Wasserman Center’s online job database
Deploy your creativity to discover opportunities. Contact program director Dr. Richard Maloney at richard.maloney@nyu.edu for consultation.
International students must apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) via the Office of Global Services (OGS) to receive work authorization and especially to receive any form of payment including hourly wage, travel reimbursement, stipend, etc.
- Get an internship offer
- Get the academic advisor approval and enroll for the internship course
- Submit CPT authorization request to OGS online
- Apply for a Social Security Number if you don’t already have one
Key important things to note:
- You must be a full-time student in the U.S. for at least one academic year to qualify for CPT
- The dates of the internship and the CPT authorization must fall within the dates of the internship course
- You may not work before the CPT start date or after the CPT end date listed on your I-20, and your CPT authorization cannot be modified or changed retroactively after your employment start date.
Review the detailed CPT application steps and eligibilities on the OGS website carefully to understand the process and prepare the needed documents in time. Workshops and info-sessions are offered to help students get CPT authorization.
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 Program Administrator Minji Kim at TellMinji@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.