The word “internship” has an increasingly watered-down meaning. Oftentimes, student interns find themselves doing busy-work for employers as nameless free labor. This occurs both in non-profit and corporate environments. The situation is especially problematic for students interested in pursuing visual art as a career. While gallery and museum internships can offer a view of the administrative side of
visual art, a student interested in learning what exactly is involved in being an artist only gets a second-hand glimpse through a gallery internship. The Mentorship Project is conceived with the conviction that the best way for a student to learn how to develop a professional art practice is through a direct internship with an individual artist. Through this project, artists and students will be selected and paired to work together one-on-one. The student will assist the artist in his or her studio/place of artistic practice.
The Mentorship Project is conceived and organized by Barnard College undergraduate Julia Caston, in conjunction with the Barnard College Centennial Scholars Program and artist Heather Hart. It specifically draws on Barnard students as internship applicants because their current college career resources for visual arts are limited. Caston has worked with multiple artists and arts organizations, and with the help of her mentor, Hart, has helped other students find internships with individual artists since 2010. This project is the next step in what we hope will be an ongoing effort.