2020 Los Angeles County Arts Internship Grant Program: COVID-19 Update

Professional Development

The rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 (Coronavirus), and the County-wide Stay at Home order issued in the middle of March, have necessitated a shift in the timeline and parameters of the 2020 Arts Internship Program (updated June 1, 2020). The goal of the Department of Arts and Culture is to retain the values of the program while providing additional flexibility to grantee organizations during this difficult time. On July 1, 2020 the Department will allow organizations to move forward with submission of the Internship Confirmation Form.

What Host Organizations Need to Know

The Department has issued an updated guidance for 2020 grantees of the Arts Internship Program. All organizations must review this guidance to assess whether they can move forward. The guidance:

  • Retains all major guidelines regarding student eligibility, student rate of pay and number of hours worked
  • Expands the timeframe of the internship program through March 2021
  • Allows organizations and students much more flexibility regarding work schedules, ranging from a minimum of 15 hours per week to a maximum of 40 hours per week
  • Updates requirements regarding educational programming
  • Allows for between 50%-100% remote work
  • Shifts the confirmation and public posting of positions to a rolling timeline

View Full COVID-19 Guidance

What Students Need to Know

The first batch of positions will be posted on our website on July 15, 2020. Positions will continue to be posted on our website on a regular basis through the end of the year. Students will still be able to work 400 hours at a rate of $15.00/hour; however, available positions will range from 15 hours per week through a full-time schedule depending on the needs of host organizations. Due to social distancing guidelines in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, some internships will be working remotely for part or all of the internship. Students will continue to apply directly to the host organizations they are interested in as those positions are posted.

Educational events, such as Arts Summit and Peer Groups, will no longer be required as students will be participating in their internships at different times in the coming months. As the COVID-19 situation evolves, the Department will determine how to best provide educational supports for participating students. Those may include in-person and virtual gatherings.

Questions

Any questions may be directed to Martín Hernandez at internship@arts.lacounty.gov.