What Is the Bloomberg Arts Internship?
Started in 2012, the Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI) program connects students in high school and college with paid summer internships at cultural organizations. BAI is currently operating in seven cities (Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C), with an expansion to Los Angeles and San Francisco planned for 2026.
BAI offers a 7-8-week paid internship at cultural worksites, in addition to professional development, college preparation support, dedicated mentorship, and educational and cultural field trips. By partnering with public schools and providing paid roles, BAI reaches students from all backgrounds, helping them secure experience crucial to accessing future education or career opportunities.
The program is designed to help prepare the next generation for success in the workforce, be it in the arts or other industries. It aims to provide meaningful workforce experience, develop knowledge of the creative sector as a career path, encourage awareness of culture as a civic resource, and prepare students to apply and transition into college.
Supporting Young Talent, Strengthening Our Ecosystem
CultureSource engages the local creative economy by contracting members, artists, and vendors to lead sessions on writing, communications, financial literacy, wellness, leadership, and public speaking. These partners serve as hosts, mentors, and subject-matter experts.
- Black and Brown Theatre
- FAR Therapeutic Arts and Recreation
- Increase Branding & Design
- InsideOut Literary Arts
- Dr. Naimah Wade
- Visual Artist Stephanie Howells
- University of Michigan Credit Union
The BAI program provides weekly visits to cultural institutions which all include special tours and career panels with working arts professionals across our region.
- Ann Arbor Art Fair
- Arab American National Museum
- Corpus Art
- Detroit Institute of Arts
- Motown Museum
- Pewabic Pottery
- The Shepherd
- The Wright Museum of African American History
2025 Member Worksite Partners
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Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
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City of Detroit
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COMPÁS – Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest
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Corpus Art Inc.
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Detroit Public Theatre
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Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy
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Menace Media
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Mexicantown CDC
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Michigan Science Center
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Mint Artists Guild
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Motor City Street Dance Academy
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MSU Community Music School-Detroit
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Pour Forward – The Nap Time Show Foundation
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RTTM Community Center – Que Blackout
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Signal-Return
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Someday/We Will
Why Participate: Member Benefits
- Position your organization as a leader in youth development
- Gain tangible support for your mentorship and programming efforts
- Build meaningful relationships with the next generation of cultural workers
- Local dollars invested in cultural venues, freelancers, and creative educators
- Strengthened ties between schools, nonprofits, and cultural institutions across Detroit
- Learn more about member eligibility and participation
- Attend our fall info session to learn how your organization can host a 2026 intern
Interns Leveled Up
- +54.6% increase in writing skills*
- +22.6% growth in oral communication
- +19.9% boost in agency and professionalism
*With support from our partners at InsideOut Literary Arts.
What's Next
This August, interns will present final projects and reflect on their journeys at our BAI graduation event.
Photos captured by Japheth Hannon, 2025 BAI mentor and 2024 BAI program alum.
Become a Host Worksite in 2026
This fall, we’ll host an info session for organizations interested in becoming host sites next year. It’s a great way to grow your organization’s reach, invest in future talent, and deepen your role in the regional arts ecosystem with support from CultureSource and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop.
