Are you a college student or recent graduate looking to kickstart your career in arts and culture? If so, applications open Thursday for ArtsBuild’s Opportunity Fellows program. Now in its fifth year, the program places college students and recent college graduates in a 10-week paid work experience with a local arts organization from February through April. ArtsBuild invites college students of all majors and interest areas to apply.
College students and recent college graduates will have the opportunity to serve the River City Company, Hart Gallery, City of Chattanooga Office of Arts, Culture, Creative Economy/Public Art Chattanooga, and Chattanooga Tourism Company as paid interns.
The program also includes professional development, networking, and community engagement experiences.
ArtsBuild is seeking innovators and forward thinkers as participants in the fellowship program who share in ArtsBuild’s mission to build stronger communities through the arts. Candidates should possess strong communication skills, a willingness to learn, and a desire to work with others in a collaborative setting.
Fellows will receive $17.50 per hour for a maximum of 35 hours per week from ArtsBuild for the duration of the 10-week program. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
The ArtsBuild Opportunity Fellowship is one of several programs ArtsBuild provides to support arts sector workforce development. The ArtsBuild Opportunity Fellows program is made possible by generous support from ArtsBuild donors, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Nancy Lackey Community Education Fund. Candidates can find more information and submit their application through an active link to a Google Form at
https://forms.gle/7Bpv7K7eFLDnDKhS6.
James McKissic, president of ArtsBuild said, "I’m delighted to open applications for the 5th Opportunity Fellowship. Chattanooga is full of talented young people looking to get their first chance to work in arts and culture. We are proud to partner with fantastic local organizations to make sure they can get that experience."
According to a recent nationwide economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts, Hamilton County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generates around $200 million in economic activity each year. The nonprofit arts and culture industry also supports over 3,000 jobs locally.
ArtsBuild plays a role in supporting this strong arts workforce through arts leadership programs, professional development programs for artists and educators, and creating a pipeline of young artists and arts professionals in support of the arts ecosystem.