Creative Internships in New York, Chicago & Los Angeles with ABI

It really helped me as a young design school graduate so much as ABI guided me in to the right direction. I wouldn't have accomplished this without the program. The training definitely played a big part given that I didn't even have a designer portfolio website prior to that, my resume was also crafty and way less eye-catching. During the meetings some of the ABI alumni shared their stories which I found really engaging, it’s always nice to hear from someone in a similar position and learn from them. Plus I’m grateful that I had the support I received during the company search level as well as preparing for the interviews, it saved me a lot of time and energy so I could utilize my time critically and meaningfully.

Participating in the ArtBound Initiative program was in every way a great experience. It took me in the end 2 years to finally get to New York due to the pandemic, but I was very well assisted throughout the whole process. I got high quality coaching at the beginning which really helped me define my professional goal and I was also very well equiped for applying and interviewing at my dream organisation, Creative Time.

Once in New York I got all the support I needed in terms of finding a place to stay, to information about admistrative stuff you need to do when you move there. These things can get quite overwhelming when you move abroad and it was nice to have someone to contact in case I had any questions and who was always responsive.
Besides getting a foot in the door in a competitive City like New York, I also got in touch with a lot of other participants. Some of them became very good friends and it is inspiring to think I have friends all over the world!

I would keep in mind that New York is a very expensive city. Coming from a background with low income, it was a huge challenge to live there, even if I saved money before coming. However, I would still totally recommend making this investment, because this experience was priceless and I know it will pay off in the future.

I applied to ArtBound in 2019 and it has turned out to be the best decision I have ever made. I would say ABI helped me the most with making my dreams a reality. I got a valuable lesson about self-presentation in the creative industry and I have made connections all over the world!
I interned for a creative marketing agency that works with high-end companies such as Hublot, Shiseido, Ivy Park, and Tory Burch. My main tasks were to come up with campaign concepts and rebranding. The projects varied every week, which kept the internship exciting.

Artbound Initiative helped me get an internship with Seliger Studio, world-renowned photographer Mark Seliger’s photo studio in New York City. I can already tell that I will look back on this internship as the break-through start of my career. I’ve learned more in the past five months than I did during almost the entirety of my film degree, I’ve made remarkable connections, and I’ve gotten the opportunity to get an up-close look at what my dream career would look like on a day-to-day basis.

I was originally placed as a production intern, during which I assisted Mark’s executive producer with call sheets, scheduling, billing, researching/presenting creative concepts, and other production logistics. I also got to work as a production assistant on set during photoshoots, which was a great opportunity to observe and learn from Mark’s process! After 4 months as a production intern, I was given the opportunity to switch to a photo
Internship, which is the position I currently hold. As an aspiring photographer and
creative director, I’ve been thrilled with the opportunity to work more closely with Mark in
the photo and creative process. On a day-to-day basis, I work directly under Mark’s first assistant in creating lighting plans for shoots, organizing creative treatments, testing equipment, assisting Mark on set, and much more.

Without Artbound Initiative, I would have had no idea that internships with Seliger Studio even existed. Artbound has put me in touch with all of the right people, truly kickstarting the beginning of my career and allowing me to move to New York. I’ve so appreciated the caring, personal support they have provided me throughout this whole process, encouraging me to reach for opportunities that I would have never thought possible for myself. The confidence I have gained in my own abilities, as well as my career, in the past year is in large part due to the coaching, support, and opportunities provided by Artbound– for that, I couldn’t be more grateful!

I found Artbound Initiative after a year of unsatisfying college and was in a process of reevaluating. They connected me with companies and experiences that higher education couldn't and helped me to find a foothold and gain experience in an extremely tough and competitive industry. I would recommend this program for those looking to either relocate to a major city with strong artistic roots or those living there already needing to find a foot in the door. However, if the locations and cities don't interest you I would recommend finding a way in elsewhere. This is absolutely not a bad reflection of ABI only a reflection of the creative industry and that the connections you build in one place may stay in one place even after you leave. Overall it was a great and reflective experience for me, I'm glad I did it.

A brilliant and advantageous program that will give your career a jump start! You truly can get so much out of the ArtBound program in both your career and self growth. The program provides you with amazing opportunities that are otherwise extremely challenging to secure, or even be considered for, and sets each participant up with a great network of support and friendship. I interned in New York City and am now looking to extend my stay with full time employment and many connections that ArtBound helped to establish.

When I started with ABI I did not expect half as much as what was given to me during the program. I landed an internship with a top creative agency through them and throughout this, the ABI team were so patient and supportive in all facets of the process. I truly believe that this program is 100% worth it because they really care about the well-being of all of the participants as well as trying to ensure that your experience is one for the books. Their accommodation and attentiveness to me personally was unmatched. I got the experience of a lifetime at the agency I worked for gaining skills and networking with some pretty incredible and talented people in the industry and that’s only a small piece of what ABI offers.

I did a marketing internship in Fall 2021 where I found a great environment to learn how the marketing world works. In 4 months, I learned how to pitch a winning deck to clients, what 'creative strategy' really consists of, what things I need to learn to reach my dream position, and many more. I was able to develop the confidence needed to succeed in NY as well. One piece of advice for interns is that ABI can't do it all, be assertive and take initiative to get the most out of your experience.