Internships with the federal government can be found on USAJOBS.
If you would like to learn more about available internships with our Initiative or with partner organizations, please reach out to Elyse Jones Gillespie at: elyse.jones@ed.gov.
Webinar: Mental Health Resources for HBCU Students!
Webinar Recording: Mental Health Resources for HBCU Students!
Project Blackbird – HBCU follow up meetings and tour information – aholmes@vergardestrategies.com
Website: https://www.projectblackbirdinc.org
Americans for the Arts Paid Summer Internship Opportunities
This June, Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading arts advocacy organization, will convene more than 1,000 artists, administrators, advocates, and cultural leaders from across the country in Albuquerque for their annual conference AFTACON, June 2–5, 2026. Centered on the theme Shaping the Future and Organizing for Impact, AFTACON 2026 brings together the people and ideas shaping the next chapter of arts and culture in the United States—and we believe students belong at the table.
Students can learn more about AFTACON and register for the conference at AFTACON.org. Conference registration is $100 and through their Attendance Support Program, Americans for the Arts is helping to reduce financial barriers that may limit attendance. Details on how students can request up to $1500 in financial assistance, depending on travel distance, are below.
At AFTACON, students will:
- Gain real‑world exposure to the arts sector, connecting academic learning to practice through hands‑on sessions, field experiences, and national conversations shaping the future of the field.
- Build professional networks with arts and culture leaders—from emerging voices to seasoned practitioners—working across the sector.
- Engage in collaborative problem‑solving, sharing ideas, strategies, and approaches with peers and professionals from across the country
- Explore key trends and opportunities through nine high‑impact pathways, including Action & Advocacy; Arts, Humanities, and Community Vitality; Readiness, Response, and Community Care; Empowering Rural Arts and Culture; Creative Work, Agency, and Technology; Arts & Economic Sustainability; Arts in Civic Life; Nonprofit Strategy; and Arts Education.
- Develop professional confidence and a national perspective, participating in a major convening and contributing their voice to field‑wide dialogue at a pivotal moment for arts and culture.
Students will also engage as part of a student cohort, with built‑in opportunities to connect, reflect, and learn alongside other students throughout the conference.
This opportunity is for all students in arts, humanities, and related programs who would benefit from engaging with the arts and culture field at a national scale. Through participating in AFTACON, students will build the skills, professional networks, and field awareness that prepare them for careers and leadership roles across the arts and culture sector.
If you have any questions about AFTACON or the Attendance Supper Program, please contact Mital Lyons-Warren with Americans for the Arts, at mlyonswarren@artsusa.org.
OPM launches recruitment push, a year after mass layoffs of federal workers
The federal government’s Office of Personnel Management is pushing a new recruitment program for “emerging professionals.” The program is called the Early Career Talent Network (ECTN) and is backed by the White House. ECTN was designed to help funnel the new generation into jobs in finance, human resources, project management, and engineering departments within the federal government.
The new network can be accessed at EarlyCareers.gov.