Internships and Apprenticeships
The Choral Arts Society of Washington is pleased to offer hands-on internships and apprenticeships in arts administration to students throughout the year. Descriptions for individual position available each semester will be posted here one month prior to the application deadline.
Interns and Staff Backstage at
A Capitol Fourth
About Arts Administration:
Arts Administration (or
Arts Management): the managing and direction of non-profit artistic organizations, such as choirs, symphonies, bands, theaters, museums, or public radio stations.
Arts administrators can work in a variety of fields, such as artistic and production, , public relations, community outreach, education, or development (fundraising). |
| A career in arts management combines the
tools of business with the
tools of community building to provide cultural experiences to a wide variety of audiences. |
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Internships:
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Undergraduate and Graduate Students
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Full- or Part-Time
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Fall, Spring and Summer Semesters
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Available in all Departments
Every effort is made to custom design a program that fits both the needs of the intern and our organization. While they mainly work with one or two departments, interns at Choral Arts acquire valuable knowledge from all departments and leave with a real-world perspective of arts management. A number of our past interns have completed master theses in conjunction with their internships.
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Apprenticeships:
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Recent College Graduates or Graduate Students
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Full- or Part-Time
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Nine to Twelve Month Positions
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August/September through May/June
Apprenticeships are intensive learning experiences. Participants take on the responsibility of a typical entry-level position. Apprentices become an integral part of the Choral Arts staff due to their extended season-long experience with the organization. Available apprenticeship positions change from season to season and are generally posted in April or May with an application deadline in July.
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Requirements:
Interns and Apprentices will complete a mutually agreed upon work plan with their supervisor(s) and are asked to compile a work sample portfolio. All interns will complete weekly journal entries reflecting upon their internship, an evaluation of their program, and an exit survey. Interns will also meet with their supervisor(s) for no-pressure midterm and final reviews where they will discuss their likes/dislikes, challenges/successes, and overall experiences.
Program Benefits:
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Summer 2010
Interns Backstage at Strathmore |
Why Choral Arts?
Here is what our intern alumni are saying:
“I originally was chosen as an intern at [a large arts organization] ...and I was intending to go there. However, I applied to CASW also, and after talking to John Chappell [former Director of Development], it was clear that CASW was the better choice. At Choral Arts, I got the chance to really make a difference for the organization. Because the staff was small, I was allowed to really take ownership of projects, and as a result I learned a lot more. Also, the opportunity to interact with all the staff as well as the Board of Directors was invaluable to me as a nonprofit administrator. Being a CASW intern was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”
“The CASW environment is comfortable and inviting and makes for an amazing learning and growing experience. The CASW staff is readily available and is always willing to answer questions no matter how big or small. The Choral Arts internship is perfect for students who are curious about arts administration and would like to further their knowledge of the field.”
“An internship at Choral Arts provides a great introduction into the arts administration field in a small, supportive, unintimidating environment.”
Possible Areas of Focus:
All interns and apprentices are assigned (based on intern preference and skills and organization needs) to one or more departments for the course of their internship/apprenticeship. All interns and apprentices are responsible for answering phones, selling concert tickets and other general office tasks.
A sample of possible intern/apprenticeship projects and study areas by department are:
Artistic and Production:
Education and Community Programs:
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Program planning and management
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Program evaluation
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Curriculum development
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Event preparation and management
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Strategic planning
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Community relations
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Artist recruitment and training
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Development (Fundraising):
Marketing and Public Relations:
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Media relations
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Publications development, planning, and execution
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Website development
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Group sales
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Box office and audience services
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Our Intern Alumni:
Choral Arts has hosted interns enrolled in a variety of degree programs at schools all over the country, such as:
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American University
Brown University
Brigham Young University
Bucknell University
Carnegie Mellon University
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland Institute of Music
College of William and Mary
Georgetown University
Goucher College
Indiana University
Korean National University of Arts
Pepperdine University
Sogang University
St. Lawrence University
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Oregon
University of the South
University of Virginia
Vassar College
Washington Semester Summer Internship Program
Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
Western Michigan University
Wingate University
Yale University |
Quotes from Intern Alumni:
“Choral Arts is a great place to get hands on experience working and dealing with the non-profit arts world.”
“As a CASW intern I felt like I was part of the team, as opposed to fulfilling the typical gopher role.”
“I liked having ownership over my own projects.”
“If you are looking to become close with professionals in the arts management field, this is a super internship to help accomplish that. The office environment at Choral Arts is friendly and fun!”
“If you are at all interested in a career in either the non-profit world or the performing arts world, this is an excellent internship to have.”
“The Choral Arts Internship opened my eyes to other facets of the music business that I knew little about. The internship allowed me to explore the administrative side of a business that I had looked at solely from an artistic point of view.”
“I greatly appreciated the weekly arts administration learning sessions with each department.”
“Interning at Choral Arts far surpasses my other internships in the DC area.”
Intern Alumni – Where are they Now?
Our intern alumni are working at organizations around the country and the world. Here is a sampling of what some previous interns are now doing.
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Working in Fundraising | Dallas County Community College District Foundation
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Teaching Music in the Mississippi Delta | Teach for America
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Teaching Private Lessons and Working as a Freelance Musician
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Director of Development | The Friends of Chamber Music | Kansas City, MO
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Part-time Development Intern and completing undergraduate study | Cleveland Institute of Music
To Apply:
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year; however we ask that application materials be received by the following dates:
Fall Internship July 15
Spring Internship November 15
Summer Internship March 15
E-mail, mail, or fax a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and the names and phone numbers of two references to:
Internship and Apprenticeship Program
The Choral Arts Society of Washington
5225 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 603
Washington, DC 20015-2024
phone 202.244.3669 x101
fax 202.244.4244
education@choralarts.org