Applications Now Open for Paid Arts Mentorships
The City of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture is seeking youth interested in a future career in creativity for the next class of its Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps (MCYC). This is an engaging paid summer mentorship program that provides professional experience to Albuquerque youth and builds new pathways into the city’s creative industry.
The program is open to high school students entering their junior or senior year, as well as recent graduates, who are in exploring a career in arts, culture, and creative non-profit organizations. Those meeting that criteria are encouraged to apply here. The program will take place June 1 through July 28, 2024.
"Giving creative and energetic young people in our community this opportunity sets them up for future leadership roles in arts and culture,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These paid internships recognize the worth of our youth and help break down financial hurdles that might hold them back from professional development."
To date, more than 100 local youth have participated in MCYC, gaining valuable hands-on professional experience in arts and culture leadership. Each participant is assigned to a different community partner or host site and works closely with a mentor or a team of mentors to develop skills in the creative sector.
In addition to time spent with their host sites, the MCYC youth work as a group on other civic engagement projects focused on community building, arts access, and celebrating youth voices. Projects have included designing and printing original t-shirts, supporting summer programming for young children, painting murals, creating and editing videos, and preparing for festivals and events across Albuquerque.
Applications can be found at http://tinyurl.com/bdzvbhnk. The deadline to apply is March 29, 2024.
“The Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps is a life changing force. I am incredibly grateful to have learned how to be a professional young artist in Albuquerque. The experience made such a difference in not only the way I view my artistic career, but the way I view our City. There is not a single young artist who won’t benefit from this experience.” – Henry Deacon, past MCYC participant.
“I personally think the Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps is a great opportunity for all young artists. As a recent high school graduate, it helped me step into a broader world full of people who truly care about art. I got to meet and collaborate with so many talented people around my age. It helped me appreciate the art community here Albuquerque! I highly recommend this program to everyone.” -- Melody Ortiz, past MCYC participant.