Art New York
Art New York is an internship program that is exclusive to the University of Rochester—and the learning experience of a lifetime! It immerses you in the stimulating art environment of New York City, the global hub of the contemporary art scene and a major center for the exhibition, conservation, and trade in artworks.
You will have the opportunity to take in New York’s rich and varied cultural life while pursuing a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience. Participation in the program will enrich your understanding of the operation of the art world and offer insight into further study and career opportunities.
Art New York is integral to the Department of Art and Art History’s belief that the most transformative educational experiences marry theory and practice. The program offers exciting career development opportunities for students in all academic disciplines. Some participants may wish to pursue careers as artists, art historians, or curators; others find internships that locate their primary areas of study, such as business, public health, or computer science, within the art world. All gain an insider’s perspective on the world of contemporary art and culture.
Below is more information about Art New York including:
The New York Art World
Thousands of art professionals live and work in New York City. New York is home to world-renowned museums—the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim Museum—as well as smaller, more specialized museums such as the International Center for Photography, the Jewish Museum, el Museo del Barrio, and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design.
Hundreds of commercial galleries showing contemporary art are spread through three major Manhattan art districts: Soho, Chelsea, and the Mid- and Uptown galleries along 57th Street and Madison Avenue. In addition, there are the more experimental non-profit art institutions, such as the Dia Center for the Arts in Chelsea, the New Museum of Contemporary Art and Artists Space in Soho, and P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, one of the largest contemporary art exhibition spaces in the world. Of course, New York is also where you'll find the best in contemporary culture—performance art, dance, music, theater, architecture, and design.
The Program
Academic excellence is the hallmark of the Art New York Program. We work closely with you to help you reach your academic, personal, and professional goals. The program, administered by the UR Art and Art History Department, combines an internship with a colloquium and studio course and is offered in the spring semester.
It is offered to all qualified sophomore, junior, and senior students from any area of study who are interested in learning about how art gets made, how it reaches the public, and the process of its interpretation and display. Students receive a total of 16 credits for their Art New York semester—8 for the internship and 4 each for the colloquium and studio course. The 16 credit hours make for a full semester course load and fulfill the requirements of a humanities cluster.
Art History Major
The Art New York field studio course satisfies the studio requirement, and the Art New York colloquium satisfies one AH 100-level course for art history majors. The eight-credit internship counts as general credit toward graduation unless otherwise determined through departmental advisement. For minors, the colloquium satisfies one AH 100-level course, and the eight-credit internship satisfies one program 200/300-level course, with the remainder of the eight credits counting as general credit toward graduation.
Studio Art Major
The Art New York field studio course fulfills one of the 100-level course requirements, and the Art New York colloquium satisfies one art history/related field course requirement for studio art majors and minors. The eight-credit internship through Art New York fulfills one related field requirement.
More information about the program can be found on the Art New York website.
Internship (Eight Credits)
Each student will intern in an institution approved by the program director. The purpose of the internship is to give students an insider’s view of the workings of the art world.
Internships seek to make use of students’ particular abilities, such as a foreign language or computer skills. At the same time, students will learn how individual art institutions go about their day-to-day business, and about the functioning of the art world more generally. Students will document their work as a part of the learning experience, and as a means of evaluation. Students will also gain the skills needed to acquire the internship: writing resumes and cover letters, building portfolios, going through a job search, interviewing, demonstrating professionalism, etc.
Internships have been hosted by several institutions around the city such as Studio Institute, Artists Alliance Inc, and Point Studio. All interns work approximately 15 hours per week.
Colloquium (Four Credits)
Art New York students will participate in a weekly colloquium directed by a University of Rochester faculty member. Often these classes will take place in museums, galleries, or sites of cultural significance. The purpose of the colloquium is to provide an intellectual framework for understanding the operations of the New York art world and to allow students to discuss their experiences in an academic context.
Students will have the opportunity to discuss their experiences with each other, and to understand how Art New York fits in with their academic and professional goals. They will receive advice on exhibitions to visit, be assigned relevant readings, and be expected to keep a written record of their experiences that will form part of the assessment package.
Field Studio (Four Credits)
The studio course, led by a University of Rochester faculty member, will utilize the resources of New York City as a starting point for creative production. Projects will take students outside into the city to make art with a rotating variety of media, including photography, video, drawing, sound, painting, performance, printmaking, and installation. No previous art production experience is required.
Housing
Participants can be placed in a residence that caters to students living in New York City for a short period of time. Students also have the option of arranging accommodations independently, through consultation with the program director.
Application
Students considering Art New York must visit the Art New York website to review the application process and to apply. Applications for initial acceptance are due in April of the preceding academic year. Final admission is contingent upon prompt completion of program requirements during the fall semester, during which time students work to secure internships and prepare to participate in the program in the spring. The program is capped at 12 students for each spring session.
Contact
Megan Metté, Art New York and Studio Art Program Manager
Email: megan.mette@rochester.edu
Department of Art and Art History506 Morey Hall, P.O. Box 270456
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627