Internships

Aperture’s internships offer the chance to engage, contribute, and work alongside editors, publishers, educators, and more. Offered year round, these internships provide a platform for motivated individuals to gain insight and hands-on experience in one of the organization’s various departments.

About Aperture Internships

Aperture’s Work Scholar Program provides the opportunity for individuals to become involved with one of photography’s most influential organizations. Through hands-on experience in one of the organization’s various departments, Work Scholars will learn about the organization’s history and contribution to photography; work alongside Aperture editors, publishers, and educators to achieve department goals; attend gallery tours, educational lunches, and various field trips; and understand the business operations essential to a nonprofit.

Click here for more information on how to become an Aperture Work Scholar.

The Maryland Institute College of Art and Aperture are pleased to offer a ten-week summer internship to qualified MICA photography majors. Juniors or graduating seniors are invited to apply for this paid summer internship with Aperture located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. The MICA intern will be exposed to the wide range of activities that define Aperture, from the editing, design, production, circulation, sales, and marketing of photography’s most significant publications to the creation of web content, educational programs for children and adults, and other business and development operations essential to a nonprofit organization. This internship has been generously funded by MICA alumnus S. B. Cooper with R. L. Besson.

Click here to read more about the internship.

Work Scholar Program Testimonials

Since 1985, Aperture has provided training to over 500 young arts professionals through its Work Scholar program. Many Aperture Work Scholars have gone on to exciting careers, including artists Gregory Crewdson and Taryn Simon; curator of photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Corey Keller; and associate curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Christopher Lew, as well as Aperture’s editor at large, Lesley A. Martin; and director of exhibitions management Annette Booth. Below is a selection of personal accounts from past Work Scholars describing how the program affected their professional and creative practice.

“I can honestly say that being selected to take part in the Work Scholar Program was my “golden ticket” into the art world. With Aperture having such a renown and respected reputation I received twice as many responses when applying to many art related organizations, specifically in the area of photography, that I was not being considered for before. I have recommended the program frequently over the years to qualified candidates who I believe would gain an unbeatable experience at a nonprofit and who want to learn about photography. Aperture has a wonderful staff and I highly recommend applying to the program.”
—Jassell Boisselle; Magazine Circulation, 2009

 

“The Aperture Work Scholar Program changed the course of my life. I applied for the program while studying at the Goethe Institute in Berlin. I was just finishing up my college degree (a B.A. in English Literature) and knew I wanted to move to New York City to work in an editorial department. Melissa Harris offered me the position over the phone and I moved to New York in November 1989. New York quickly became home and the Aperture community my family. I met so many amazing people during my time there, some of whom I now call close friends. I went directly from Aperture to the position of editorial assistant, then assistant editor, at Art in America magazine and later transitioned over to a curatorial position at the Dia Art Foundation, then as Curator of Artists Space in SoHo. I am grateful for the course the Aperture set me on all those years ago. What an amazing opportunity.”
—Anastasia Aukeman; Editorial, 1990

 

“My experiences at Aperture were fundamental in opening my eyes to the many different ways I could engage with photography, both professionally and creatively. While I worked in development, our work scholar meetings laid a groundwork for my understanding of the day-to-day activities involved in making the organization run across all the departments, and it fueled my interest in photobooks and critical writing on photography. On top of all the professional benefits, I made some close friendships that have extended far beyond Aperture; that’s been one of the best unanticipated perks!”
—Ashlyn David; Special Events and Membership, 2010

 

“My time as a work scholar enriched my appreciation and my knowledge of the medium of photography. I gained critical exposure to artists and administrators working in the contemporary art field. I also sharpened my archival and cataloging skills, an area I would explore in my professional life following the program. I was handed a great degree of responsibility during my time at Aperture and I am very thankful for the experience and exchange of ideas amongst my peers and staff members.”
—Audree Anid; Finance & Administration, 2012

 

“Taking advantage of the opportunity that is the Work Scholar program at Aperture effectively began my career in art book production. Though I had previous experience in working with photographers, printing, file preparation, and various technical aspects of photography, along with a degree in photography, print production in the field of art book and magazine publishing was more or less new to me. The high-quality standards of Aperture, along with its multi-faceted nature and ever-ambitious, diverse, and growing list of publications very quickly and undoubtedly formed a strong basis for a fundamental understanding of print production. I honestly can’t think of a more effective means to have prepared me professionally than the Work Scholar program at Aperture. ”
—Luke Chase; Production, 2013

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