BLOOMBERG ARTS INTERNSHIP
What is the Bloomberg Arts Internship?
Creative Youth Development
CultureSource is the Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program partner for Detroit. Through CultureSource’s member network, the BAI program places rising Detroit high school seniors in paid internships at our arts and culture member organizations.
The 7-8 week summer program provides students with creative career-path exposure and college-prep experiences, and it will provide our members with resources to support youth and attend to their own workforce development needs.
In addition to work placement, interns will participate in cultural site visits and curriculum days focusing on writing, leadership, financial literacy, public communication, college readiness, and more.
This program is designed to simultaneously invest in the long-term workforce development of the Southeast Michigan cultural sector, and provide rich professional and educational experiences for promising Detroit youth.
ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP
Program Highlights:
1.
Receive a 7-8 week paid work placement
2.
Receive a living wage for up to 35 hours of work per week
3.
Additional stipend for food, clothing, and transportation
4.
Mentorship support from workplace supervisors as well as near-peer mentors who are familiar with the internship
5.
Jumpstart your career over the summer
6.
Submerge into your city’s culture
7.
Gain valuable career and life skills
8.
Continuing opportunities after the completion of the summer internship
Summer Internship Structure
Who Should Apply?
Interns will have a wide range of backgrounds, but potential applicants should:
1.
Be a rising senior (current juniors, entering their senior year after their summer internship). There is no GPA requirement to apply.
2.
Attend a public or charter school in the city of Detroit.
3.
Have an interest in being introduced to careers in the arts (Do not have to be an artist to apply).
Photo by BAI 2024 Alumnus and BAI 2025 Mentor, Japheth Hannon
It's Not Just One Summer
Support and Skills that Last!
School Year Program
Continued support, learning, and mentorship after the conclusion of the summer internship and throughout the school year. A select number of interns will have the opportunity to continue their paid internships into the school year, but ALL BAI Alumni will have access to resources and workshops focused on writing skills, mental health, financial literacy, and more. Some alumni may also be asked to become paid mentors for future BAI interns.
Growing Alumni Network
After the conclusion of the summer internship, participants will become part of our Alumni network, which provides connection, mentorship, and community, as well as helpful career and educational resources.
This network will only continue to grow, strengthening Alumni community connections in Detroit. Additionally, the Bloomberg Arts Internship is a program run in several major cities across the United States, giving Alumni the opportunity to connect to arts ecosystems around the country.
Hear What Our Interns Think
2025 Detroit Bloomberg Arts Internship in Review
Timeline
January 12
Application Opens
March 13
Application Closes
February – March
Rolling Interviews
Early April
Interns Selected
June 30
Program Kickoff
Summer 2025 Photo Album
Photos by BAI 2024 Alumnus and BAI 2025 Mentor, Japheth Hannon
ABOUT BECOMING A WORKSITE
Program Details:
1.
Worksites will receive a $2,250 stipend per intern
2.
Interns will work on-site three days per week for 7-8 weeks
3.
CultureSource pays all intern salaries
4.
Interns will be rising seniors from Detroit public and charter schools
5.
CultureSource and Neutral Zone host a mandatory workshop for worksites to learn about equitable practices for working with youth
6.
Worksites will receive coaching to develop a summer project for interns
7.
The summer project is a crucial link between the program’s professional development experience and worksite experience
Host a Cultural Visit
Organizations who don’t have the capacity to host interns but still want to get involved can receive a $1,000 stipend to host a full-day, immersive cultural visit for interns.
Eligibility
Eligible organizations should:
1.
Be a current CultureSource member organization. To check if your organization is a CultureSource member, please contact Kim Howard, Director of External Relations.
2.
Have the staff capacity to host one to two interns, dedicating time to both their educational and professional development.
Timeline
January 12
Application Opens
February 12
Application Closes
Late March
Worksites Selected
June 30
Program kickoff
Past Program Participants
2024
Organizations
- Class Act Detroit
- CultureSource
- Hannan Center
- MSU Community School of Music Detroit
- Mint Artists Guild
- Motor City Street Dance Academy
- Popps Packing
- Scarab Club
- Ukrainian American Archives & Museum, Inc.
Detroit High Schools with Participating Students
- Cass Technical High School
- Covenant High School Southwest
- César Chávez Academy
- Detroit School of Arts
- Fitzgerald High School
- Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
- Melvindale High School
- Mumford High School
- University Prep Academy
- Veritas Union High School
- Western International High School
2025
Organizations
- Motor City Street Dance Academy
- Someday/We Will
- RTTM Community Center – Que Blackout
- Mint Artists Guild
- Pour Forward – The Nap Time Show Foundation
- Signal-Return
- Menace Media
- Michigan Science Center
- MSU Community Music School-Detroit
- Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy
- Corpus Art Inc.
- COMPÁS – Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest
- Detroit Public Theatre
- Mexicantown CDC
- Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
- City of Detroit
More Information
Advancing Our Mission
CultureSource’s mission is to advance creative and cultural expression in Southeast Michigan from our Detroit base. This new program will allow us to think longitudinally about the nonprofit arts sector’s sustainability, developing young talent to augment our sector as we prepare for retirements and leadership transitions in the coming decade. By increasing our commitment to arts education, we will be able to simultaneously invest in long-term workforce development and provide rich educational experiences for promising Detroit youth.
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Questions? Contact BAI Program Manager Karilú Alarcón Forshee at kforshee@culturesource.org.
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