When I saw that America’s National Ballet Company had posted internship opportunities, it felt a little too good to be true. As an Art History and Spanish major, the Institutional Support Intern position seemed to be the invigorating kind of community based arts programming that was coherent with my trajectory in arts development. Also as a ballet nerd and occasional lesson-taker, I knew I wanted to do work that was important and inspiring to me. This internship became exactly that and more.
The structure of the ABT internship program is incredibly welcoming and efficient. After a smooth onboarding process where I met all of the interns and had any questions answered, we naturally fell into our weekly routines. The Institutional Support Internship position comprises a variety of tasks, from acknowledgement letters to grant applications, budget Excels to ticketing calendars. While the remote aspect, to me, is certainly less than ideal, I never felt unsupported or disengaged. ABT is steadfast in its valuation of the arts and a true passion for the artists and the art form is at the crux of every task.
A favorite memory from this past semester would be the opportunity I had to participate in venue tours with donors. I shadowed a backstage and event space tour of both the Koch Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera House, some of the most beautiful spaces in the city respectively. It was incredible how these iconic spaces were opened to us on a random sunny Tuesday and I thoroughly enjoyed getting a behind the scenes glance. I cannot recommend this experience enough to anyone who feels drawn to the world of nonprofits, arts and culture, and/or development. The environment at ABT is one that fosters professional and personal development, and I am incredibly grateful for my time spent with the Ballet!
Evalyn Bair
Institutional Support Intern
Spring 2022
abtinterns 
Leave a Reply