Become a Paid Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop
There are very few paid opportunities for arts professionals to hone their skills straight out of college or in the first years of their career. Many creative or arts related entry-level positions demand experience within their respective fields prior to even landing the job. While internships offer a guaranteed route to learn, gain connections, and standout for future employers, many, (really, far too many) are unpaid. This vastly limits the pool of applicants that are able to commit their time while sacrificing income.
So you can imagine our excitement when we came across the 2050 Administrative Fellowship at New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW). It’s a “new program designed to provide first-rate instruction and mentorship to young professionals who are underrepresented in the field of theatre administration,” as stated on their website. The Fellowship is named in celebration of the U.S. Census Bureau’s projection that by the year 2050, there will be no single racial or ethnic majority in the United States.
The renowned New York institution is accepting up to 12 paid part-time Fellows per season to work in all of the Theatre’s departments; artistic, casting, engagement, development, education, executive, finance/operations, literary, marketing, producing, and production management.
NYTW is well-known for providing artistic fellowships for over 20 years to playwrights and directors. They are now taking one step further in their support of the theatre landscape and are recognizing the need to assist arts administrators in their careers as well.
The program will replace the current internship program, will be paid (!!) and will give you the opportunity to become an integral part of their staff. NYTW 2050 Administrative Fellows will also have organized professional development experiences and lunches with all staff members. So although you will be based in one specific department, you will have the chance to meet heads and staff of all departments.
The Fellowships will entail a year-long commitment from July 2017 to June 2018. The deadline is on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 5 PM.
We personally spoke to NYTW and asked for tips for your application. Here's some things they told us you should keep in mind when applying:
Tell them about WHO you are and WHY you want to work with them
Don’t use a blanket cover letter
Focus on what you’re applying for. E.g. if you’re applying for the education department, your cover letter will be very different than an application to the finance department
As this Fellowship is designed for supporting inclusion in the arts, make sure to have part of your personal statement outline how your personal life is in line with the the goals of the Fellowship program
Realize that there are a lot of different ways to address inclusion and your passion for the field - let your personality shine through!
Important note: You will need to provide two (2) recommendations (academic or otherwise). Since the application deadline is approaching soon and asking for recommendations can take a while, you probably want to start with reaching out to your recommenders first!
Find all details for the 2050 Administrative Fellowship program here.
Good luck with your application!