Oliver Art Center Summer Internship Application Form 2025

About Us:
The Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts (OAC) is a non-profit 501(c)3 cultural organization housed within the historic former Coast Guard building in Frankfort, Michigan. Its mission is to maintain an educational program and facility for the advancement of the arts. The OAC works to promote and develop the visual, performing, culinary and literary arts in Benzie County and the surrounding region.

The OAC is a vibrant and growing regional center for the arts in northwest Michigan. It maintains a full schedule of classes and workshops for adults, children and families year-round in ceramics, painting, collage, drawing, printmaking, textile arts, culinary arts, fiction writing, poetry and photography. In addition, it offers more than a dozen exhibitions of visual art and numerous musical performances and community events each year. 

Exhibiting artists from across Michigan and the Midwest are featured in three gallery spaces. Dedicated educational studios include a professional ceramics studio, a digital arts studio, and a printmaking studio. A classroom devoted to early childhood development through art offers crafts, books, and games, is free and open to the public.  

Located in a beautiful harbor town on the shores of Lake Michigan, OAC is in close proximity to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Interlochen Arts Academy, Point Betsie Lighthouse, and a wide assortment of inland lakes, trails, and conservation lands. Northwest Michigan has long been a haven for artists and there are many excellent arts and culture organizations in the region. 

Learn more about the OAC at OliverArt.org

Contact Theresa Gimpel, Associate Director with any questions. 

theresa@oliverart.org 

About the Internship Position:
The Arts Organization Administration Intern will experience the daily operations of a busy art center and gallery. They will have opportunities to support OAC’s staff in a range of areas, including but not limited to:

• Visitor and member relations
• Marketing
• Gift shop activities
• Production of OAC programs and events
• Gallery operations and exhibitions setup
• Gallery maintenance
• Artist relations
• Arts administration tasks
• Educational program support

Through this internship, students will gain valuable real-world experience in non-profit art administration and art gallery operations.

This is a paid position offering 12 hours of work per week (typically 3 four-hour work days) from early June through early August 2025. Pay rate is $15 per hour and will be managed through a direct-deposit system, with required state and federal taxes withheld. Internship hours are available Monday – Friday with occasional evening or Saturday/Sunday hours. Dates of the internship and workdays are flexible based upon the availability of the student and the needs of the OAC.

Course credit is available through participating institutions.

Housing and transportation are not provided as part of the internship. Housing can be difficult to come by in this area, so please consider this before applying and have a plan in place for lodging.

Preferred candidates will have completed their first year of college and can demonstrate a facility with tasks related to this position such as effective communication, the ability to self-manage, computer proficiency, and other related skills. This position is appropriate for students considering careers in Art, Arts Administration, Business Administration, Non-Profit Administration, or Gallery/Museum Operations.

The Oliver Art Center is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

THIS INTERNSHIP DOES NOT INCLUDE HOUSING. Use the following field to explain your housing plans for the duration of the internship. For example, do you live in the area? Do you have family to stay with? Understand that there are no rental apartments as this is a resort town, so confirming that you have a place to stay is important for consideration for this program. If you have questions before submitting an application, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!

Declaration:

By submitting this form, I certify that all information provided is accurate and truthful to the best of my knowledge.