What are the responsibilities and job description for the [Spring 2026] Education - Public Programs and Engagement Internship position at Whitney Museum of American Art?
The Whitney’s Academic Year Internship program offers a semester-long paid internship for undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in an accredited academic program. The internship is hybrid, with some onsite work. For Spring 2026, interns commit between 16–21 hours per week over 10–12 weeks for a total of 200 hours. Interns are assigned to a specific department at the Museum for the duration of the internship. For more information, including information on eligibility requirements, please visit our Internships page.
The Whitney seeks a Public Programs and Academic Engagement intern for the Spring 2026 semester.
Expected Projects & Assignments
The Spring 2026 Public Programs and Engagement Intern will help to develop and implement programs that explore the exhibitions Sixties Surreal, Marina Zurkow: Parting Worlds, Whitney Biennial 2026, and other projects. The role also involves research and planning for future programming and ongoing initiatives for academic engagement. Projects include:
Skills & Qualifications
Basic training on event production, research, and administration will be provided.
The intern will gain:
Interns will be paid a stipend of $3000.
Generous support for Ostrover Family Academic Year Interns is provided by Julie and Doug Ostrover.
If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.
About the Whitney:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment
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The Whitney seeks a Public Programs and Academic Engagement intern for the Spring 2026 semester.
Expected Projects & Assignments
The Spring 2026 Public Programs and Engagement Intern will help to develop and implement programs that explore the exhibitions Sixties Surreal, Marina Zurkow: Parting Worlds, Whitney Biennial 2026, and other projects. The role also involves research and planning for future programming and ongoing initiatives for academic engagement. Projects include:
- Researching artists, curators, writers, filmmakers and scholars for panels, workshops, film screenings and other events
- Draft agreements, tracking invitations, and coordinating logistics
- Assisting with the advance planning for public programs across departments including Curatorial, Digital Media, Marketing and Visitor Services
- Assisting with audience research projects as needed
- Helping to coordinate with museum staff, speakers, and members of the public on the day of events
- Learning about accessibility at public programs and helping to ensure all program are as accessible as possible
- Maintaining digital archives for the division
- Additional projects as assigned
Skills & Qualifications
- Demonstrated interest in art history, contemporary art, American studies, and/or museum education
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Ability to juggle a variety of tasks simultaneously and work in a fast-paced work environment
- Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills
- Familiarity with MS Office and Photoshop
Basic training on event production, research, and administration will be provided.
The intern will gain:
- Knowledge of the current field of contemporary art in the U.S. through current and upcoming Whitney exhibitions and the artists, scholars and critics participating in Public Programs, as well as more broadly the field of modern and contemporary art history and related disciplines
- Experience in developing and producing museum programming, including coordinating with museum staff, program documentation, program ticketing, preparing visual materials, and engaging with audiences
Interns will be paid a stipend of $3000.
Generous support for Ostrover Family Academic Year Interns is provided by Julie and Doug Ostrover.
If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you’re new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.
About the Whitney:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.
EEO Statement:
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment
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