Internship description provided by Spiral Q
Spiral Q is a West Philly based non-profit who uses the power of art to connect people, actions, neighborhoods, organizations and movements to each other to unleash their collective creative force for change. We use accessible art forms to build strong and equitable communities characterized by creativity, joy, can-do attitudes, and the courage to act on their convictions. We imagine a city whose streets reflect the full spectrum of its residents’ creativity. We see a responsive and engaged society that rallies consistently to overcome the challenges of discrimination and oppression.
Project Description:
Active at the intersection of arts and social justice, Spiral Q’s apprenticeship program provides a unique experience to persons who align with our mission, vision and values. Our program provides training, supervision and exposure to all facets of a non-profit organization. We offer flexibility and intention in the projects assigned to our interns; keeping their specific skills in mind while looking at our needs. Our intern’s talents and aspirations are recognized and cultivated, allowing each individual to grow in capacity and take on responsibility. This summer we specifically are looking for interns who would be energized by working on some of our more behind the scenes preparations for all of the great work we do.
Possible Projects and Areas of Focus
- Building out storage in our studio: Helping adjust our studio space for better functionality and increased storage
- Archiving Spiral Q’s Puppet Collection: Organizing current puppet collection archive, and expanding upon it
- Art-making & Studio Maintenance: Learn how to resource recycled and found materials, help maintain a professional art studio, and learn how to make puppets, masks and public art to be used for activism
- Communications & Administrative Work: Be a part of the day to day operations of a mid-size non-profit organization, assist with social media marketing, and get to know Philadelphia with community outreach
What you will get out of this internship:
- Learn the ins and outs of running a creative nonprofit organization on a day to day basis
- Experience with community engagement as you support Spiral Q artists at schools, social service agencies and other sites programming, as needed - interacting with youth, activists, and neighbors to create art out of accessible materials.
- Expanding your creative practice through art making or performance as you work with staff, guest artists, and community members on planning and creating creative projects
- Developing space management practices by assisting in the maintenance of our studio space and preparing materials for events
Eligibility & Qualifications:
- Commitment to Spiral Q's mission, vision and values (please see website: sprialq.org)
- Advocate of social, racial, and economic justice
- Desire to work with, and sensitive to, diverse communities
- Self-motivated, self-directed, discreet with a willingness to learn, willingness to teach, and a sense of humor
- Available for occasional weekend and evening events
- Comfort with public speaking, presentation and performance
- Excellent communication, organization, problem-solving, and collaborative skills
- Computer literacy, data entry, and office skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel
- Ability to work independently and think creatively
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and details in fast paced environment
- Must be able to work in non-air-conditioned spaces
- Must be able to walk over steps, our space is unfortunately not ADA accessible
- Per Pennsylvania state law, all employees must provide criminal background and child abuse clearance checks upon hire
In your SHIP application, please indicate your availability for an intervivew during the first week of March.
For More Information and Advice:
- Visit https://www.spiralq.org/ for more information.
Application Procedure
To apply for this or any of the SHIP internships, please follow the instructions at the Summer Humanities Internship Program homepage.