NEW YORK CITY CENTER has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943 when it was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia with the mission to make the best in the performing arts accessible to all. The distinctive neo-Moorish theater welcomes 300,000 visitors annually to experience internationally acclaimed artists on the same stage where legends like George Balanchine, Leonard Bernstein, and Barbara Cook made their mark. Its landmark 75th Anniversary Season (2018 – 2019) paid tribute to this rich history while celebrating the institution’s singular role in the arts today.

For more than 25 years, the treasured, Tony-honored Encores! series has given new life to the American musical theater canon, complemented in recent years by the Encores! Off-Center series, which brings today’s innovative artists into contact with groundbreaking musicals from the more recent past. Dance continues to be an integral part of the institution’s mission through programs like the annual Fall for Dance Festival, which exposes a new audience to an international array of artists by offering subsidized tickets for the price of a movie ticket.

City Center is also home to a roster of renowned national and international companies, including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (City Center’s Principal Dance Company) and Manhattan Theatre Club. Through its robust education and community programs, City Center brings the performing arts to over 11,000 New York City students, teachers, and families each year and activates all areas of the building with talks, master classes, art exhibitions, and intimate performances that provide audiences an up-close look at the work of the great theater and dance artists of our time.

Whether you are an early-career or career-changing arts professional, you can build your knowledge and experience in arts administration with an apprenticeship at City Center.

Receive on-the-job training and learn about the daily operations of a nonprofit performing arts center while working alongside experienced arts administrators.

Our nine-month program offers you plenty of hands-on learning opportunities in Dance Programming, Development, Education, Marketing, and Production Management.

The program runs from September to May and includes paid training. Apprentices are paid $15 per hour for 24 hours a week. Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm. Weekly schedules vary by department. Need-based scholarships are available.

Interested in learning more about the Administrative Apprenticeship Program before applying? Join us for a virtual information session on either Wednesday, March 30 or Tuesday, April 12 from 5:30-6:30pm. Register here.

Through this program, apprentices will:

• Work directly with a supervisor in their area of focus
• Engage with City Center staff and artists
• Participate in paid training
• Receive professional development
• Build a professional network under the guidance of a designated Mentor
• Participate in City Center’s staff initiatives, including anti-racism workshops, committees, and all-staff meetings
• Attend rehearsals and performances, when possible
• Deliver a final group presentation to City Center staff

How to Apply:

The program application is open through Sunday, April 24. Available positions include:

Dance Programming: The Dance Programming Apprentice will assist the programming team with the implementation of New York City Center’s dance season, including the 19th annual Fall for Dance Festival. This will include assistance in maintaining artistic planning materials, updating and organizing programming documents, providing research support, and assisting with artist services. This apprenticeship will allow for an in-depth dive into the ever-changing and diverse needs of the annual programming process of a large NYC cultural institution and is an opportunity to creatively and resourcefully solve problems while navigating a complex web with a variety of stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be proactive, flexible and detail oriented. They should also have a passion for dance and an interest in learning more about the local, national, and international dance landscape.

Development: The Development Apprentice will be involved in all aspects of City Center’s fundraising activities, including membership, special events, and institutional giving. Through this program, the apprentice will gain familiarity with donor acquisition and stewardship, event management, grant writing, and database maintenance, all while experiencing the day-to-day operations of a premier non-profit performing arts organization. The Development Apprentice will assist in answering our Member Hotline, so comfort on the phone is a must. Strong writing and editing skills are highly encouraged. This apprenticeship is an ideal fit for someone who is interested in gaining a fundamental understanding of nonprofit fundraising and who wants to develop strategy, craft compelling appeals, and organize data to build a case for support.

Education: The Education Apprentice will work directly with the Education department team, teaching artist roster, and City Center partner schools. Through this program, the apprentice will gain insight into administering arts education programs in New York City schools and communities. They will assist with the coordination of school workshops and residencies, as well as Education events including professional development workshops. Additional responsibilities include assisting with the development of study guides, analyzing program evaluations, and preparing event support materials. The apprentice will also assist in communication with schools, communities and teaching artists, so comfort on the phone is a must. This apprenticeship is an ideal fit for someone who is passionate about arts education and access initiatives, enjoys collaborative work, is interested in generating creative and responsive educational materials and learning more about partnering with NYC schools.

Marketing: The Marketing Apprentice plays an active role in the execution of the department’s initiatives to promote all of City Center’s performances and welcome audiences new and old into the theater. The apprenticeship will introduce the individual to the wide range of disciplines within marketing. Specifically, the apprentice will assist with audience development and outreach, email creation and tracking, production and artist research, advertising, and survey development and execution. This apprenticeship is a great position for someone who is a self-starter, detail oriented, and enjoys talking about the latest trends in social media. They should also be passionate about musical theater and/or dance and be interested in learning about digital marketing and data analysis.

Production Management: The Production Management Apprentice will work directly with the Production Department team to oversee and support City Center productions and events in our mainstage theater. The Apprentice will have the opportunity to experience all aspects of stage production, assist in the management of production and institutional scheduling, help coordinate physical needs for our mainstage theater, and conduct general administrative duties within the Production Management department. The Apprentice will also have ample opportunities to interact with top designers, stage managers, and Local One union stagehands, as well as access to production meetings and rehearsals. Candidates should expect to do a combination of office tasks and hands-on experience mounting large-scale productions and events. This apprenticeship is a great position for someone interested in the day-to-day operation of productions and collaborating across technical departments with a variety of people.

APPLY HERE

To apply for the program, please visit: https://www.nycitycenter.org/education/career-development/
Application closes Sunday April 24th at 11:59 PM.