Partner Organizations
Through this program, graduate-level students are embedded in partner community arts and cultural organizations in the Columbus, Ohio area. The list of partner organizations for the summer of 2024 is listed below. Check back at the end of February for a list of participating organizations for summer 2025.
Community Music School
The Community Music School (CMS) in the School of Music at The Ohio State University is a pilot program that will launch in 2024 with community engagement as its central mission. CMS will offer high-quality music education at the brand new Timashev Family Music Building on the campus of The Ohio State University (1900 College Rd.) and at the African American and African Studies (AAAS) Community Extension Center (905 Mt Vernon Ave.). This program will broaden engagement and sustain outreach activities in communities immediately adjacent to both The Ohio State University campus and the AAAS Community Extension Center. Additionally, it will underscore the city of Columbus’s established and dynamic music and arts culture by connecting local artists to the resources of a major research university, thereby fulfilling an important community need by providing easy access to music education of the highest quality.
CMS will offer the finest music instruction in-person and online to students of all ages, with diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and differing educational goals through private instruction, group classes, and ensembles. Private instruction will be offered for each instrument and voice type and group classes will include audio production, composition, group guitar and piano, music history, preschool music, Suzuki group classes, and music theory. CMS will also offer chamber ensembles, community bands, choirs, orchestras, rock bands, and jazz ensembles. All CMS students will have the opportunity to participate frequently in recitals and other school-sponsored events.
Highland Youth Garden
At Highland Youth Garden, our mission is to grow food, grow minds and grow community in partnership with the Hilltop community of West Columbus. Highland Youth Garden is considered by the City of Columbus to be a local model for community engagement, food justice and beautification. We were established in 2009, grew thanks to the hard work of committed volunteers, and achieved federal nonprofit status in 2019. We grow and distribute fresh produce to our neighbors, build and support backyard Family Gardens, provide nature- and nutrition-based education to over 350 Hilltop students in grades preschool through grade 8, offer after school gardening clubs for neighborhood children, employ and mentor Westside teenagers and provide a peaceful and welcoming community gathering space in a challenged neighborhood. Our doors are literally always open.
King Arts Complex
The Martin Luther King Jr. Performing and Cultural Arts Complex connects community through the arts. Serving as a major anchor for development in the King-Lincoln District, The King Arts Complex is an oasis for cultural and educational activities as well as community facility for special events. Our vision is to be the preeminent culture and arts institution in Ohio preserving, producing, and presenting the cultural expressions of African Americans. We engage central Ohio through performing, cultural and educational programs of high artistic merit that increase and disseminate knowledge regarding the vast and significant contributions of African-Americans to the culture and history of America and the world.
The King Arts Complex internship program has been designed to offer students comprehensive practical experience in Marketing. Our objective is to help students meet their requirements by providing them an opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and understanding of nonprofit arts organizations, including the structure and forces which affect them. The King Arts Complex can offer students a unique working and learning experience that can contribute to their professional development.
Open Door Art Studio & Gallery
Every day, Open Door Columbus provide individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities with the support they need to lead their own inspiring life journey – whatever that means for them. Open Door Art Studio & Gallery believes in the transformative power of the arts and are committed to fostering personal and artistic growth and deepening community connection. Located in Grandview Heights, Ohio, Open Door Art Studio & Gallery serves as a creative space for a diverse group of working artists. Open Door is a progressive organization which believes in integrity, transparency, equality, and kindness.
Maroon Arts Group
The Maroon Arts Group (MAG) is a non-profit grassroots organization galvanized to build and provide a platform for community, art and learning, centered in the cultivation, celebration, and promotion of Black Cultural production and art. Since our inception, MAG has developed scores of programming including but not limited to history learning communities, poetry events, artist and writers residencies, gallery shows, original plays, and more. MAG has also produced original productions with local artists such as Black Staccato, ROOTS, Write on FIRE!!, and Inside the Riot to name a few.
Roy G Biv
ROY G BIV Gallery champions emerging artists by presenting thought-provoking exhibitions that increase the public’s awareness of the artists’ work and enhance the cultural diversity of Central Ohio by focusing on artistic merit alone. Exhibitions are created from a juried process that begins with an annual call for artists. Additionally, ROY provides educational programming, critique, and networking opportunities for members and the community.
A resource for emerging artists in Columbus since 1989, ROY is known for showcasing innovative contemporary art by artists, both local and global. As a nonprofit art gallery, ROY impacts the community by supporting neighborhood activities and arts groups, hosting outside organizations in its gallery space and collaborating with other arts institutions on events and promotion.
Wild Goose Creative
Wild Goose Creative (WGC) has been an incubator of the arts in Columbus for over 15 years. From visual art to storytelling to monthly business workshops, WGC has proudly hosted it all. Embedded in the heart of the Franklinton Arts Community, WGC is poised to continue its growth. WGC holds the deep belief that when artists thrive, communities thrive. WGC’s mission is to build a creative community at the intersection of art, risk and meaning.
WOSU Public Media
The mission of WOSU Public Media is to enrich lives across Ohio through content and experiences that engage, inform and inspire. We celebrate our diverse citizens, embrace innovation, promote lifelong learning, and partner with those who share our passion for public service. As an NPR and PBS member station, WOSU has grown over the years to include multiple broadcast and digital distribution platforms focused on distinctive areas of content: quality journalism, arts and culture and lifelong learning.
Through a position with WOSU, Summer Associates will develop an understanding of how a radio station runs and the various kinds of work done in this industry. These tasks include planning, promotion and execution of programs for children and families, including Classical 101’s interactive, sensory-friendly IMMERSE program for children with autism; development and promotion of program content for radio, blogs, podcasts, and social media; database management and data coding; and digitization of audio files.
To Apply
Job posting: Coming soon! Check back at the end of February.
Interested individuals should submit a resume and cover letter through Workday (to be linked above). The application deadline is Monday, March 24, 2025.
Please include the following information in your cover letter:
• Name the partner organization (from the list to be updated in February) that you are interested in working with
• Showcase prior experience and specific skills relevant to the position
• Describe your interest or prior experience in community-engaged work
• Share your professional goals related to work in the arts
Applicants may apply to up to three partner organizations. Please note, if you would like to be considered for more than one opportunity you must submit a separate cover letter for each community partner of interest.
Application Preparation
• There are resumé templates and tip sheets on the ASC Career Success website.
• You can find guidance about resumés and cover letters on Beyond the Professoriate. Log in with your OSU credentials; go to Professional Careers, then Know your Options, then use the Quick Find dropdown menu.
• Good advice for cover letters can also be found on Imagine PhD (free login required).
Application Preparation Workshop
There will be a Zoom workshop on applying for these positions or other internships or jobs outside the professoriate. The workshop includes instruction on building a resumé and cover letter and a Q&A session about preparing a strong application and interview. Attendance at this workshop isn’t required to apply for a position but it is strongly encouraged.
Date, time and zoom link coming soon!