Art and Design Intern

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

1d

About The Position

The Department of Planning and Development’s Art & Design Unit is in search of a Summer 2026 Intern. The intern will work directly with Sydney Conaway on fieldwork and deciphering data, and inventory report development relating to Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation’s (PHDC) Percent for Art program. There will be opportunities for an intern to contribute to a variety of elements related to the ongoing research and program development of PHDC’s Percent for Art program. This position is a temporary, part-time internship. Intern can expect to work on the following: Fieldwork: Assisting with surveying Artwork that will be conducted digitally in the field. We will record location, condition, materiality, and general site analysis of work produced under the Percent for Art program (approximately 350 pieces). In-Office Work: Intern will investigate and confirm ownership of Artworks with guidance of staff and assist with other in-office tasks related to the Survey. A field trip to City Archives and the Public Library will be necessary for understanding ownership and timelines of Artworks produced. This will provide the intern with exposure to the archiving process at the City. Additional activities include assisting in compiling and sorting through survey data with Sydney Conaway and collaborating with other Planning Department teams such as GIS. This work will contribute to a new web app that will display the Percent for Art Collection on a public interface. This application will show exact locations of artworks in addition to being able to sort by year, neighborhood, medium, whether the piece is indoors or outdoors, etc. Importantly, the culmination of this work will be paramount for both the Percent for Art program but also the broader arts and cultural community of Philadelphia. This research will contribute to the City’s understanding of its own Cultural Resources while building relationships and information to share with the broader Arts and Planning communities. The maximum number of hours allocated for this role is a maximum of 20 hours per week. Please submit a resume, cover letter, and references.

Requirements

• The intern should have a working background of public art, conservation, and general understanding of Urban Planning.
• Ability to use adobe suite, write proficiently, and the ability to perform outdoor research and analysis in the summer months.
• Master’s level student with at least one year of graduate level courses in Art, Conservation, and/or Urban Planning/Design.
• Majors aligned with this position include Urban Planning/Design, Public Art, Fine Art, Historical Preservation, Conversation Studies, Curatorial Studies, and Landscape Architecture.
• The Intern must possess the ability to work independently and communicate research both verbally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

• Any demonstrated site or art surveying experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Data Collection
• Data Interpretation
• Graphic Representation (Adobe Suite)
• Research and Analysis
• Writing
• Assisting with surveying Artwork that will be conducted digitally in the field. We will record location, condition, materiality, and general site analysis of work produced under the Percent for Art program (approximately 350 pieces).
• Intern will investigate and confirm ownership of Artworks with guidance of staff and assist with other in-office tasks related to the Survey.
• assisting in compiling and sorting through survey data with Sydney Conaway and collaborating with other Planning Department teams such as GIS.

Benefits

• City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships.
• Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees