Artslife

The applications for Artslife is now open! The application deadline is 11:59 pm on Mon, April 21, 2025.

Artslife is a paid summer internship program for 10 rising sophomores and juniors enrolled in New York City public and charter high schools. The internship combines art and design with leadership training, museum studies, and community engagement. Participants are introduced to careers in all sectors of the museum: Curatorial, Education, Development, Communications and Marketing, Visitor Services, Security, and Registrar. The first week of Artslife is dedicated to team bonding and introducing the interns to the Museum. During the remaining five weeks, participants work on collaborative projects with Museum staff, local designers, and arts professionals who act as mentors. Artslife interns enjoy firsthand experience and the broadest possible exposure to ongoing museum activities, both public facing and behind the scenes.

Artslife Interns:

• Learn about careers in the arts.
• Build career readiness.
• Create artwork with local and visiting artists in the Artist Studios.
• Create a podcast series based on a topic of the interns' choosing.
• Develop and lead peer-to-peer tours.
• Build and strengthen presentation, communication, and public speaking skills.
• Visit other cultural institutions in New York City.
• Earn $16.50 an hour.

RECESS Intensive Program

The applications for RECESS I and II 2025 are now open! The application deadline is 11:59 pm on Sunday, January 12, 2025 for both sessions.

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 internships take place during NYC public schools’ winter and spring breaks.

RECESS I will be held Tuesday, February 18 to Friday, February 25, 2025 from 10 am to 12 pm with a culminating event from 5–6 pm on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Interns Will:

• 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.

RECESS II will be held Tuesday, April 15 to Friday, April 18, 2025, from 10 am to 12 pm with a culminating event from 5–6 pm on Friday, April 18, 2025.

Interns Will:

• 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.

Both RECESS I and II participants receive a stipend and have an opportunity to be a part of MAD’s teen council.

Artslab

On select Friday afternoons, the Museum’s Artslab teen workshops connect New York City students with an Artist-in-Residence for hands-on art-making. Each workshop is custom designed by the Museum’s Artslife teen interns. The workshops are free, but 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.