Preparing for Work in Community Arts
In the M.Ed. in Arts, Community, and Education program, students interested in arts-based community work and research get training in essential skills such as researching community needs, writing grant proposals, fundraising, culturally responsive arts administration leadership, and building community support through equity, access and inclusion. One of the most important and exciting courses is a required one-semester, 150-hour internship at a location related to the student’s specialization or learning goals. Internships have taken place in Massachusetts and surrounding states.
Program faculty consider the internship experience to be one of the cornerstones of the program, a critical step for successfully preparing a student for work in the community. Often, it's what takes the student to the next step in their career. Recently, students have completed internships at places such as:
- Boston Lyric Opera
- The De Cordova Museum and Sculpture Park
- Boston Beijing Opera House
- Boston Boys and Girls Club
- Mary Baker Eddy Museum
- ARK (Art Resources for Kids)
- Artists for Humanity Boston
- RAW Art Works
- Boston Children’s Museum
- Butler Hospital
- Citi Performing Arts Center
- Arlington Center for the Arts
- Emerson College Archives
- Center on Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, Tufts University
- City of Cambridge
The internship is accompanied by a weekly group seminar led by Lesley faculty who have expertise in the field. This seminar allows students to share experiences and gain clarity as they reflect on their internship work. At the end of the semester and internship experience, interns have created a portfolio that documents all the work at their internship site.