Summer Internships

The Great Lakes Center for the Arts (GLCFA) is guided by its mission to inspire, entertain, educate, and serve all in Northern Michigan year-round by presenting exceptional experiences across the full spectrum of the performing arts and offering impactful educational opportunities.

The upcoming Summer season will certainly be one to remember! The Center is a 501(c)3 with six paid internship positions available for the summer of 2023 in the capacities below. All interns will work alongside the entire GLCFA team and gain valuable experience in a variety of areas within arts management.

Internship Details

  • Dates are flexible but generally run mid-May through late-August.
  • Rate of pay: $15/hour for a 40-hour work week; overtime ($22.50/hr) as needed up to 55 hours per week.
  • Applications will be considered immediately, on a rolling basis, until all positions are filled. 
  • Interns must have a vehicle at their disposal for the duration of the internship.
  • Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid for by the intern; GLCFA will help hired interns secure housing upon request.
  • 30-day onboarding interview and exit survey/interview will be conducted.
  • Next Gen Director will meet weekly with interns and schedule social events to build connections among the intern cohort and with GLCFA staff.
  • GLCFA staff will complete evaluations per university requirements; responsibility resides with the intern. 

Production Internship

Duration: 12 weeks, mid-May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary tasks will include assisting with:

Production

  • Lighting setup for rentals and presented events in multiple spaces
  • Sound setup for rentals and presented events in multiple spaces
  • Video setup for rentals and presented events in multiple spaces
  • Behind the scenes, backstage
  • Load-in/Load-out
  • Stage management when not provided by artist
  • General office duties

Additional tasks will include assisting with:

Artist logistics

  • Pre-planning
  • Transportation, contract needs, lodging
  • Be available to the artist/visiting company prior to, during, and after the event to meet their needs
  • Set up/clean up artist dressing rooms and green room including food
  • Manage all backstage signage
  • Schedule for day of event – run of show
  • Errands around town for artist requests

Supervisor: Technical Director

Rate of pay: $15/hour; overtime ($22.50/hour) up to 55 hours

Schedule: TBD, GLCFA events, evenings and weekends, weekday business hours, overtime as needed, including late nights as events require

GLCFA staff will complete evaluations per university requirements. Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid by the intern.

Development Internship - filled

This position has been filled. 

Duration: 12 weeks, mid-May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary Development tasks include assisting with:

Fundraising

  • Learn the fundamentals of a non-profit fundraising department
  • Interface as needed with Marketing & other departments on behalf of Development
  • Assist Development senior staff with various donor tracking & coordination
  • Assist with the Annual Fund process while learning the aspects of executing an Annual Fund plan

Donor Events

  • Invitations, mailings, tracking rsvp’s
  • Help during events including set up and tear down

Back Office/Administrative

  • Printing, mailing, recording, filing
  • Assist to maintain/develop donor giving/data reports

Research

  • Research and draft donor profiles, foundation, and corporate prospects

GLCFA Events

  • Staffing the Donor Lounge when needed with senior member of Development
  • Assist with Meet & Greets, the Annual Gala in July, and donor events planned around performances

Other tasks as assigned

Supervisors: Director of Development, Development Manager

Rate of pay: $15/hour for a 40-hour work week; overtime ($22.50/hr) as needed up to 55 hours per week.

Schedule: To be determined – GLCFA events on evenings and weekends (including late nights as events require), weekday business hours. Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid by the intern.

Box Office Internship - filled

This position has been filled. 

Duration: 12 weeks, mid-May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary tasks will include assisting with:

Box Office

  • Assist with all facets of the daily operations of the box office, processing patron ticket orders over the phone, as well as walk-up sales using computerized ticketing software
  • Run and process Box Office reports
  • Assist with front-line operational excellence, including customer-facing interactions
  • Exhibit excellent conflict management skills, while working within the framework of company policies
  • Deliver a world-class, safe and memorable experience for all guests
  • Maintain crowd control and entry safety checkpoints, especially during high-occupancy times
  • Assist in the oversight of event operations: coordinate volunteer ushers, address patrons’ needs, set-up venue, distribute concert programs

Secondary tasks will include assisting with:

House, Special Events, and Tech

  • General organization
  • Day to day operations in the venue
  • Set up and tear down for special events
  • Running errands
  • Concessions
  • Artist management as needed (back of house)

Supervisor: Box Office Manager

Rate of pay: $15/hour Schedule: TBD, GLCFA events on evenings and weekends (including late nights as events require), weekday business hours, overtime ($22.50/hour) as needed up to 55 hours per week.

GLCFA staff will complete evaluations per university requirements. Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid by the intern.

House Artist Management Internship - filled

This position has been filled. 

Duration: 12 weeks, mid -May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary tasks will include assisting with:

Front of House

  • General day to day operations of the venue
  • Working events to include weekdays, weekends and evenings
  • Training and upholding GLCFA standards, especially when providing services to patrons, donors, and special guests
  • Responsible for overall cleanliness of venue and event spaces
  • Assisting with concessions and bartending as needed
  • Assisting with event set up and tear down

Artist Management (Back of House)

  • Transporting artists and driving for artist-related errands
  • Preparing artists' spaces
  • Catering assistance and shopping for artists' needs

Special Events, Box Office, and Production

  • Set up, tear down, and executing venue concerts, shows and events at GLCFA
  • Set up, tear down, and executing other venue rental events for GLCFA
  • Working the box office before and during events, as needed
  • Working with Special Events as needed
  • Load-In/Load-Out as needed

Supervisor: Venue Operations Manager

Rate of pay: $15/hour, overtime ($22.50/hour) as needed up to 55 hours per week.

Schedule: TBD, primarily Fridays and Saturday, weekday business hours, weeknights and weekends as needed, including late nights as events require

GLCFA staff will complete evaluations per university requirements. Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid by the intern.

Marketing Internship - filled

This position has been filled. 

Duration: 12 weeks, mid-May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary Marketing tasks include assisting with:

Social media marketing

  • Social media content brainstorming & creation
  • Helping maintain the social media calendar

Events

  • Represent the Center at community events
  • Help at GLCFA events as needed
  • Photography at events as needed (will depend on candidate)

Communication/Administration

  • Distribute posters/flyers to communities as needed
  • Update digital community calendars
  • Submit info to Chamber promotional blasts
  • Submit weekly ads to print partners
  • Organizational tasks
  • Assist in keeping the department's digital project management tool organized and up to date
  • Assist with weekly newsletter content and creation

Additional tasks

  • As marketing tasks are completed, this position will report to other departments such as Development, Venue Operations, Box Office, and Special Events to assist with tasks as needed.

Supervisor: Marketing Director

Rate of pay: $15/hour for a 40-hour work week; overtime ($22.50/hr.) as needed up to 55 hours per week.

Schedule: To be determined – GLCFA events on evenings and weekends (some late nights a events require), weekday business hours. Housing, food, and necessities to be paid by the

Special Events Internship - filled

This position has been filled. 

Duration: 12 weeks, mid-May through mid-August (flexible)

Primary tasks will include assisting with:

Events

  • Working events to include weekdays, weekends, Sundays and evenings
  • Training and upholding GLCFA standards, especially when providing services to patrons, donors, and special guests
  • Running errands
  • Set up, tear down, and executing weekly Sunday church service at GLCFA
  • Set up, tear down, and executing other venue rental events for GLCFA
  • Responsible for overall cleanliness of event spaces
  • Supervise Special Events to ensure needs are met with the Contact
  • “Advance” work to prepare for special events

Secondary tasks will include assisting with:

Box Office, House, and Production

  • Taking and printing ticket orders
  • Greeting patrons
  • Concessions
  • Qualifying contacts
  • Answering Phones
  • Assisting the Tech Team with GLCFA Presented event set up

Supervisor: Venue Rentals Manager

Rate of pay: $15/hour, overtime ($22.50/hour) as needed up to 55 hours per week.

Schedule: TBD, primarily Sundays, weekday business hours, weeknights and weekends as needed; weekend work will include late nights as events require

GLCFA staff will complete evaluations per university requirements. Housing, food, transportation, and necessities to be paid by the intern.

Fill out my online form.
Rachel Sytsma-Reed Headshot

Questions?

For details about the Center, the internship opportunities, or other questions, please: