Places, Please! Metcalf Internships in the Performing Arts 2001-2012
Catherine Smalley
2012

Why are there not more internship opportunities in the non-profit sector?

A good internship can change a life, an organization, even a sector. An internship can put someone on the path to acquiring the skills they need to thrive and contribute. Such an opportunity can also make a remarkable difference to the host organization. There has never been a time when robust internship opportunities have been as necessary as now. There is a generation of civic-minded, thoughtful young people emerging who, once engaged, would make enormous contributions to the quality and character of our country for years to come. To get there, they need access, skills, networks, confidence, guidance, and the financial support and security that will enable them to engage in this work. They need a place.

Places, Please! is both a call to funders to consider the extraordinary potential of supporting internship opportunities and a celebration of what Metcalf has accomplished in over a decade of focused arts internship programming. It includes a background to the Metcalf program, a summary of lessons we have learned, and personal stories from both interns and mentors.