What is Spotlight on the Arts?

Spotlight on the Arts is a project of California Lawyers for the Arts' Art and Community Development Program. Now in its sixteenth year, "Spotlight" was originally derived from our organizational plan (funded by the National Endowment for the Arts) that called for "articulating a role for the arts in community development." Initiated in 1992 with planning grants from the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth & Their Families and the Mayor's Office of Community Development, "Spotlight" has placed over 500 low-income youth from diverse backgrounds in more than eighty arts organizations, for paid internships and first-time job experience in the arts.

Who are Spotlight youth?

Spotlight interns are between the ages of 14-17, and reside in low-income households in San Francisco. Interns are not required to have prior work experience, but they should have an interest in the visual, performing, literary or media arts.

When does Spotlight on the Arts take place?

Summer 2008 is slated to run for six weeks from mid June through early August. Deadline for applying is April 15.

How many hours do interns work?

Interns work and attend workshops for 120 hours over a 6-week period, approximately 20 hours per week. Internship schedules are coordinated between interns and site supervisors, working with summer school schedules if necessary. Interns receive stipends for work performed, based on minimum wage, at the end of the summer.

What types of internships are available?

Job placements are made according to the participants' experience, skills and interests in specific art disciplines. They work at a wide range of jobs that reflect the diversity of arts programming offered by partnering arts institutions. Examples of typical assignments include: preparing press kits and radio announcements, database management, assisting teachers, cataloguing, constructing sets, organizing workshops, working in a museum store and researching and installing exhibitions.

Webmaster: Josie Porter

© 2007 California Lawyers for the Arts, all rights reserved.