For high school students passionate about art and design, gaining hands-on experience and industry exposure can be a game-changer. Some paid programs allow you to develop advanced skills, work with professionals, and even earn money while honing your craft. These fully funded programs can offer students access to top-tier mentorship, resources, and experiences that can strengthen their portfolios and career prospects. In this blog, we’ve listed 7 paid art and design programs for you to consider.
When we say paid, we mean programs that are fully-funded and offer a stipend!
These paid programs and internships in art are super competitive, and look great on your portfolio owing to their low acceptance rates. Participating in paid programs is also a financially accessible choice, as you can use this stipend towards your college applications, or apply to research programs and internships later on!
1. Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Hive
The Design Hive is a paid program for high school juniors and seniors, meant to encourage students to explore various design disciplines. This year, the Design Hive asks students to focus on how designers think about home, from comfort objects, to issues of housing and migration. Aspiring architects, city planners, activists, and more will learn how to work with curators, designers, and educators on how to bring their visions to life. This is a great opportunity for students looking to gain professional experience while getting paid!
Cost: The program is fully funded. Students will be paid $2,000 for their participation
Program dates: TBD
Program deadlines: Students should email [email protected] to be notified when applications open and close.
Location: Cooper Hewitt Museum
Who is eligible: High school juniors and seniors based in New York City
2. The MET School-Year High School Internships
This Metropolitan Museum of Art internship program offers paid opportunities for students who are in grades 10 or 11 and hope to develop their professional skills and network within the art world. Throughout the school year, the program allows students to connect in small cohorts with museum professionals in a wide variety of fields, such as editorial ,marketing, social media, education, scientific research, conservation, and more. Interns will go through a bootcamp of training and workshops before spending 40 hours observing, assisting, and being supervised by a staff member in one of the museum’s departments. Interns will also gain a lot of insight into potential career paths in career sessions with curators, educators, and other museum staff. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore one of the finest art museums in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded.
Program dates: Various dates throughout the school year (January – June)
Program deadlines: October 28
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Who is eligible:
- Students in grade 10 or 11
- Students who reside in or attend a high school in New York City
- Students who have not completed another paid or unpaid internship at the Met
- Students who are available to attend all sessions of the internship program
3. The MET Summer High School Internships
For those who don’t have availability during the school year but still hope to intern at the MET, the MET offers another paid internship program during the summer. This program is very similar to the school-year internship. Interns will be placed into a department based on their interests and shadow a department member, learning all about curation, art education, museum operations, and more. Like the school-year program, interns will also work together to plan the MET’s big spring teen night, facilitating logistics and art-making activities.
Cost: The program is fully funded.
Program dates: Various dates throughout the summer (June – August)
Program deadlines: March 7
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Who is eligible:
- Students in grade 10 or 11
- Students who reside in or attend a high school in New York City
- Students who have not completed another paid or unpaid internship at the Met
4. National Gallery of Art High School Internship
This program is a nine-week internship that offers students behind-the-scenes exposure to museum operations and professional mentorship. As an intern, you’ll be paired with a museum professional who will act as your mentor. You’ll also be attending weekly sessions like special tours, conversations with the museum director, and more. This is a great opportunity to work at one of the premier art institutes in the country, learn more about a career in the museum world, and get paid to do so!
Cost: The program is fully funded. Students will also receive $25.26 per hour, as well as a cost of living stipend of $1,818.
Program dates: June 2 to August 1.
Program deadlines: February 21
Location: The National Gallery of Art
Who is eligible: Open to all who have a passion for art and culture.
5. Teen Gallery Guides @ The Getty Center
Teen Gallery Guides is a paid internship opportunity for teens who are interested in art, museums, and art education. Participants will engage with art professionals and explore museum spaces, learning strategies for understanding and discussing artwork, strategies for leading gallery experiences, creating a museum tour, and more. This is a great program for those who aspire to work in a museum or gallery setting in the future.
Cost: The program is fully funded. Students will receive a stipend, as well as transportation coverage.
Program dates: TBD
Program deadlines: Email [email protected] for more information
Location: The Getty Center
Who is eligible: High school students
6. Artists for Humanity
The Artists for Humanity program hires students to work at one of their seven creative studios: 3D Design, Animation, Creative Tech, Graphic Design, Painting, Photography, and Video. Teens will work collaboratively with professional artists and designers while providing creative services for clients. This means you’ll be working on real-world projects with professional artists! This is a great way to build your artistic skill-set, portfolio, resume, and professional experience.
Cost: The program is fully funded. Students will be paid for their work
Program dates: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3pm-6pm during the school year; Mondays-Thursdays from 11am-6pm during the summer.
Program deadlines: Rolling
Location: Artists for Humanity in Boston
Who is eligible:
- Students must be in high school or at least 14 years of age
- Students must be enrolled in a Boston Public School and/or a resident of Boston
7. Bloomberg Arts Internship
The Bloomberg Arts Internship program provides students in Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. with work experience at various cultural institutions and museums. Students will receive paid summer internships as well as other opportunities in their city to help them develop skills necessary for working in a cultural organization. Participants will gain hands-on experience in various art disciplines, engage in professional development workshops, and receive college readiness training. This is a great opportunity to develop one’s professional skill set while engaging in the artistic community.
Cost: The program is fully funded. Students will receive a stipend during their internship
Program dates: Program dates vary by city
Program deadlines: Deadlines vary by city
Locations: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Cooper Hewitt logo
