Art@Work | Marwen's Summer Internship Program

Applications for Summer 2025 are now open!

APPLY HERE

Art@Work is a creative career internship program where Chicago young people are hired for a 5-week summer creative internship in Chicago. Students are placed in an arts-related organization or business that matches the student’s interests, strengths, and creative skills. Marwen partners with sites across the city to offer various creative internships in order for young people to explore their next steps, learn about different creative career pathways, and envision their futures.

Since Art@Work launched in 2007, Marwen has partnered with 90+ organizations and companies and welcomed nearly 300 interns into the program. In 2025, we celebrate the 18th anniversary of this special program with longtime partners like Intuit (11 years) and so many other wonderful organizations and friends. Hear directly from past Art@Work interns about their personal experiences! See a complete list of past partners and creative fields below.

Eligibility:

• Must have taken one Marwen course

• Ages 16 - 18 (by July 1, 2025)

• Resident of Chicago

• Social security number or employment tax ID number required

• If selected for the program, must be able to commit to the full employment schedule

Key information about the program:

• Approximately 18 unique internships are available during the summer.

• Applications will be due in May 5, 2025.

• Selected young people will be invited to a 30-min Zoom interview with Marwen staff during the month of May.

• Internships run for 5 weeks July 7 thorough August 8.

• Interns will divide their time between Marwen and their matched internship site.

• Interns work a total of 14.5 hours per week for 5 weeks. 12 hours are dedicated to their internship site and 2.5 hours are spent at Marwen for professional development workshops.

• Interns are paid $16.20/ hour for a total of $1,174.50 (before taxes).

• Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements (see above).

Program Description:

Art at Work is a staple Marwen career program in which nearly 20 young people are hired to partake in both professional development workshops and creative internships around Chicago for five weeks in the summer. The goal is to support young people in exploring their next steps by providing an immersive experience for students in various creative career pathways, to offer paid opportunities in the arts, and to engage in professional and career development skill building.

The internship component is a unique way for young people to experience a job in a creative field that is often unavailable to predominantly underrepresented communities in the creative workforce. Marwen partners with Chicago organizations and businesses across the city so young people can gain and develop new skills. Young people are also able to visualize what their futures can look like!

In addition to the internship, interns participate in workshops at Marwen. The workshops cover a range of career development skills and themes, including communication skills, public speaking, artistic identity, resume and interview practice, financial literacy, time management, and more. These workshops aim to support young people throughout their internships and build new skills.

2025 Internship Sites

AIGA

Field of Work:  Graphic Design 

Location: 205 N Michigan Ave. Suite 810

Internship Description: 

The intern would be designing social media content on Canva, or any other available design software for the Chicago AIGA. They would also be interacting with many different creative professionals brainstorming promotional materials for events. This internship is primarily remote, unless they were interested in helping out with one of the events in person. 

Internship Responsibilities: 

Creating social media posts for Instagram, LinkedIn, and FB. Communicating virtually through Slack, Gmail, Clickup and Zoom for upcoming work/assignments. Developing social media copy and researching optimal posting strategies. 

Internship Qualifications: 

Some knowledge of creative software such as Canva, GIMP, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.) - Beginner level in any (min 1) previously listed. Interest in creative fields such as Graphic Design, Social Media Marketing, Web Design, Motion Graphics, Event Planning and Illustration.

Chicago Scholars

Foursided

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Intuit Art Museum

LBBA Architects

Magnolia Screen Printing

Maison Blanche LLC

Marwen - Communications 

Marwen - Community Engagement + Outreach 

Marwen - Mural 

Marwen - Studio Programs 

Snow City Arts

Woman Made Gallery

Writers Theatre

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Past Art@Work Partners + Fields (2007-2024)

Interested in hosting a Marwen intern? Contact Maricela Ramirez at mramirez@marwen.org or 312.374.2949 to sign up.

Art@Work interns have worked with dozens of organizations and companies in a variety of creative fields since 2007...

Arts Administration - Community Engagement - Public Art - Gallery - Graphic Design -Jewelry Design - Nonprofit Arts Education - Art History - Retail Merchandising - Visual Merchandising - Film - Animation - Art + Technology - Marketing and Communications - Photography - Original Music - Licensing - Post-Audio - Digital Printing - Contemporary Art Gallery - Fashion Design - Child Development - Museum Programs - Ceramics - Architecture - Interior Design - Exhibition Design - Printmaking Museum Studies - Web Design - Murals - Bookbinding - Book Arts - Industrial Design - Disability Learning - Set Design - Fashion Merchandising - Facilities and School Management - Community Engagement - Community Arts Studio

3ARTS

606/PARK DISTRICT

826CHI

A + D GALLERY

AIGA CHICAGO

A GREATER GOOD

A+D GALLERY

ADORNMENT & THEORY

ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO

ART WORKS PROJECTS

BANANA REPUBLIC

BIT SPACE

BURBERRY

CANTV

CAPE

CHERRY MOUNTAIN ARTS

CHEWBONE ANIMATION

CHICAGO ARTIST COALITION

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

CHICAGO COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CHICAGO SCHOLARS

CHICAGO WOMEN IN TRADES

CHICAGO YOGA

COMMA MUSIC

CURSIVE DESIGN AND UAS

CUSHING

DAVID WEINBERG GALLERY

DESIGN CLOUD

ELASTIC ARTS FOUNDATION

ELISE BERGMAN

ENGLEWOOD ARTS COLLECTIVE

FIELD MUSEUM

FIREBIRD COMMUNITY ARTS (FKA ARTREACH)

FIREHOUSE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER

FITZGERALDS ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS

FLATFILE GALLERY

FOURSIDED CARD & GIFT

FREE SPIRIT MEDIA

GALLERY 400

GENSLER

GNARWARE WORKSHOP

GREATER GOOD STUDIO

GRIP DESIGN

GUERRERO HOWE

GUERRERO MEDIA

HAROLD WASHINGTON COLLEGE - CITY OF CHICAGO COLLEGES

HOOFPRINT

HULL HOUSE MUSEUM

INTUIT: THE CENTER FOR INTUITIVE AND OUTSIDE ART

KILBOURN PARK CONSERVATORY

LANDON BONE BAKER ARCHITECTS

LATITUDE CHICAGO

LEO BURNETT

LUMA

MAGNOLIA SCREEN PRINTING

MARIA PINTO

MARWEN

MARWEN X CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY

MoCP

MOTOROLA

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY

NORTH BRANCH

OPENLANDS

PAPERBOY PRESS / VESPINE GALLERY

PARK DISTRICT - Special Events

PDT

PROJECT ONWARD

R. HANEL PHOTOGRAPHY

REDMOON THEATER

ROBIN RICHMAN

SAIC

SAIC CONTINUING STUDIES

CAMPSKOOG PRODUCTION

SPUDNIK PRESS

STORYCORPS

SULLIVAN GALLERY

THE #LETSUSBREATHE COLLECTIVE

THE WASTESHED

TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND

UIC LATINO CULTURAL CENTER

WEINBERG NEWTON GALLERY

WERKSPACE

WOMAN MADE GALLERY

WRIGHTWOOD 659

YOLLOCALLI/NATIONAL MEXICAN MUSEUM OF ART