Marketing Internship
Reports to: Senior Director, Marketing and Communications Team: Marketing
FLSA Status: Full-time, Hourly, Non-Exempt Employment Type: Student Intern
Session: Spring (late April to mid June) Location: DC-Based
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Pay Rate: $18.40 per hour. This internship is intended for educational benefit; we support receiving school credit for participation.
Application Deadline: The application portal will close on January 3, 2027, 3:00 pm ET.
Who We Are
Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading arts advocacy organization. We mobilize advocates, produce trusted research, and secure bipartisan wins that protect funding and expand arts access nationwide — work we've been doing for more than 65 years. We advance the people, organizations, and systems supporting arts and culture across America through advocacy, research, and national convening. We envision a nation where freedom of creative expression is upheld as a fundamental human right, where arts and culture are woven into the fabric of civic life, resourced in every community, and accessible to everyone.
About the Team
Led by the Chief Marketing Officer, the Marketing team serves as the voice and storytelling engine of Americans for the Arts, responsible for building awareness, driving engagement, and deepening connection to our mission across digital, print, and field channels. The team oversees brand strategy, content creation, social media, email communications, media relations, and digital platforms — working closely with every department to amplify AFTA’s advocacy, research, and programmatic work. We collaborate especially closely with the Government Affairs, Research, and Development teams, as well as with the Arts Action Fund, to ensure our communications reflect the full breadth and impact of the arts and culture field.
About the Position
The Marketing Intern plays a key role in supporting the team’s efforts to share the impact of arts and culture advocacy with diverse audiences — from grassroots arts advocates and field partners to policymakers and the general public. This intern will contribute to content creation, social media management, communications support, and digital engagement projects, working closely with the full Marketing team and gaining exposure to how a national nonprofit develops and executes an integrated communications strategy.
At the completion of this program, the intern will have greater insight into how a national arts advocacy organization tells its story, builds public awareness, and engages stakeholders across platforms and communities.
The ideal candidate will bring a curiosity about storytelling and communications, a commitment to equity and the arts, and an eagerness to contribute to meaningful advocacy work.
Participation in this program provides the opportunity to attend our annual conference, in Atlanta June 7 – 11, 2027, and work across teams to learn more about the arts and culture field and support advocacy and policy related initiatives.
Key Responsibilities
Content & Storytelling
- Support development of written and multimedia content for AFTA’s digital channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), including website copy and video content.
- Assist with drafting and editing stories that highlight the impact of arts advocacy and the communities AFTA serves.
- Help maintain and organize the content calendar across platforms.
Social Media & Communications
- Assist with day-to-day social media management across AFTA’s channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), including drafting posts and monitoring engagement.
- Help research and track trends in digital communications and social media strategy relevant to the nonprofit and advocacy sectors.
Community & Field Engagement at AFTACON 2027
- Support student and community outreach tied to AFTACON 2027, including coordination with schools, universities, and partner organizations.
- At AFTACON, create social content aimed at engaging young professionals and students.
Data Analytics
- Assist with tracking and reporting on social media, email, and web performance metrics.
- Help compile reports on campaign results and audience engagement to support data-informed decision-making.
Digital Asset Management
- Support the organization and maintenance of digital assets, including photos, graphics, and videos, in accordance with AFTA’s content management processes.
- Working with our Web Developer, assist with projects related to maintaining our newly launched website.
Experience and Skills That Matter Most
Candidates are encouraged to apply, even if they do not possess all the experience and skills listed:
- A commitment to advancing the AFTA mission, with a passion for arts and culture, public policy, and non-profit advocacy, and a dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
- Pursuing studies in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, Arts Administration, Political Science, Public Policy, or a related field.
- Strong writing skills and an ability to communicate clearly and compellingly across audiences and formats.
- Familiarity with social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube) and interest in digital communications.
- Comfort with Microsoft 365 Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams); experience with design tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite is a plus.
- An independent self-starter who also enjoys collaborating as part of a team.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal skills and a customer-service mindset that ensure all feel valued and respected.
More About the Internship
Eligibility:
- Current college students with an interest in building a career in the arts and culture ecosystem.
- Must be eligible to work in and reside within the United States.
- Must be available to work between 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday – Friday (37.50-hour work week) and commit to participating for the full 12 weeks program.
- Ability to attend in-person AFTACON 2027 in Atlanta, Georgia, June 7 – 11, 2027. Travel and lodging cost are fully covered as part of your participation in the internship.
Program Duration:
- The program is scheduled to run for a 12-week period. We anticipate the program to begin in Spring 2027, starting late April and concluding mid-June.
- There is the potential for flexibility in the program start and end dates, depending upon the ideal candidate and team needs.
Work hours and office:
- We have a 7.50-hour day Monday - Friday, for a total of 37.50 hours work week.
- You will be provided with a laptop and other equipment in support of the internship.
- This internship is DC-Based with regular time spent working directly with staff in our DC office. There is potential to work remotely on occasion.
- In person dress code is business casual.