The Caste System of Arts Employment

Caspar David Friedrich, Wanderer Above the Sea of  Fog

In April, the New York Times published an article about the legal crackdown on unpaid internships, causing many organizations including my employer, a small historic house and arts museum, to scramble to bring their operations into compliance with the previously under-reported laws that govern such positions.  But as someone who's been searching for low-experience or entry-level positions in the arts, I can tell you that six months later, the unpaid internship is still thriving in New York. 

Why is this such a problem?  Of the 200+ openings currently listed on the New York Foundation for the Arts website, more than one-quarter (60+) are for unpaid internships, or "paid" internships that do not meet minimum wage requirements. 

In order to be considered for "entry-level" positions in the arts today, it is increasingly necessary to have several internships on one's resume.  However, this practice fundamentally constricts the labor pool to a tiny percentage of qualified candidates, namely those who are willing and able to work for free indefinitely.  We must recognize that by limiting potential museum employees, we limit the vision of our organizations.  If we want to be relevant to the middle class and working poor in an age of declining museum attendance and funding, perhaps we should start by examining our institutional diversity, or lack thereof.