Artslife

Artslife is a paid summer internship for 10 rising sophomores and juniors in New York City public and charter high schools. The program integrates art with leadership development, museum studies, and community engagement.

Interns explore careers across the museum and collaborate on projects with staff and arts professionals. The six-week program begins with team building, followed by hands-on experience, and behind-the-scenes exposure to museum work.

Artslife interns:

• Explore careers in the arts 
• Build career readiness skills
• Create artwork with local and visiting artists 
• Design and lead peer-to-peer tours 
• Strengthen presentation, communication, and public speaking skills 
• Visit cultural institutions across New York City 
• Earn $17/hour

The application portal for the Artslife summer 2026 internship is now closed. Have questions? Email us at education@madmuseum.org

RECESS Intensive Program

RECESS is a paid intensive internship program teens 13 to 18 to learn about art and art history with other NYC teens, develop and lead peer-to-peer tours, and learn how museums work. The internship takes place during NYC public schools’ winter and spring breaks.

Interns:

• Go behind the scenes to develop a tour of a MAD exhibition.
• Develop a youth-friendly tour of a MAD exhibition..
• Conduct peer-to-peer tours at MAD.

Artslab

Created by MAD’s Teen Council members, Artslab connects participants in MAD’s Artist Studios residency program with a group of New York City teens. Admission is free and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Have questions? Email us at education@madmuseum.org.

On June 12, from 4 to 6 pm, Artslab participants will engage with 2023 Artist in Residence Jacquelyn Strycker and the Teen Council. Teens will explore screen-printing techniques using hand-cut stencils and a process that requires no darkroom or special equipment to create a graphic print.

Preregistration is required.

Teen Council

MAD's Teen Council is comprised of Artslife and Recess Intensive alumni who share a common interest in art, design, and community engagement. The Teen Council plans events for teens, including Artslab workshops.