If you’re interested in fine art, digital illustration, graphic design, or animation, summer can be a good time to explore creative work outside school assignments and personal projects. You may already be experimenting with drawing, editing, or digital tools on your own, but working in a more professional environment changes how you approach the creative process. Fine and digital art summer jobs for high school students make it possible to gain early exposure to how artistic work is planned, revised, and presented in real settings.

Imagine helping design visual content for a project, assisting with digital artwork, or contributing ideas during a creative collaboration. You might work with tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, or Procreate while learning how professionals organise creative workflows and communicate visual ideas. Some jobs focus more on traditional art spaces like galleries or studios, while others introduce students to digital media, branding, animation, or content creation.

What can high school students learn from fine and digital art summer jobs?

These jobs help students develop both creative and professional skills at the same time. Beyond improving technical abilities, students also learn how to manage deadlines, respond to feedback, collaborate with teams, and adapt creative work for different audiences or projects.

Many opportunities are hosted by studios, museums, media organisations, startups, or educational institutions. Depending on the role, students may assist with exhibitions, digital campaigns, design work, photography, illustration, or multimedia projects. Some positions are highly structured, while others are more flexible and project-based.

One of the biggest advantages is the portfolio-building experience. Students leave with stronger creative samples, practical exposure, and a clearer understanding of what studying or working in art-related fields might actually involve.

To help you make an informed choice, we’ve curated a list of 15 fine and digital art summer jobs for high school students!

For adjacent opportunities, consider the design program.

15 Fine and Digital Art Summer Jobs for High School Students

1. Immerse Education’s Fine & Digital Art Summer School

Location: University College London, London
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students around the world aged 15-18

The Career Insights Programme lets high school students explore careers in major global industry hubs, including London. The Fine and Digital Art track is designed to give students direct exposure to real-world creative workflows and professional environments in some of the world’s most culturally significant cities. You will engage in project-based learning with established organizations, attend interactive workshops, and visit studios, galleries, and creative company headquarters.

The program includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions and personalized feedback on your resume and overall profile. You’ll present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here.

Why it stands out: You’ll gain direct industry exposure across four global creative hubs, build a professional network, and receive a certificate you can include in your college applications and work profile.

2. Bloomberg Arts Internship (BAI)

Location: Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C.
Cost: Free; paid stipend (amount varies by city; transit and lunch provided on program days)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; city-level selection
Dates: Approximately June 29th – August 21st (NYC); June 22nd – August 8th (DC); varies by city
Application Deadline: Varies by city
Eligibility: Rising local public high school seniors in participating cities; must be available for the entire program duration

BAI places you inside a real arts or cultural organization for most of the summer, where you spend three days each week working directly with the institution and two days in professional development workshops. Your placement depends on the city and organization, but interns often assist with communications, programming, events, or visitor-facing projects connected to museums and arts spaces.

Alongside the internship itself, the program includes sessions on college preparation, financial literacy, resumes, and creative careers. Transportation and meals are covered during program days, which makes the structure much more accessible than many unpaid arts internships. Since Bloomberg runs the program across multiple U.S. cities, the organizations and projects vary widely depending on location.

Why it stands out: You spend the summer working inside an actual arts organization while also receiving structured career and college support through a fully funded program.

3. Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) – Artslife Summer Internship

Location: Museum of Arts and Design, 2 Columbus Circle, New York, NY
Cost: Free; $17/hour stipend + unlimited MetroCard for the internship duration
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort (10 students per cycle)
Dates: July 7th – August 14th
Application Deadline: May 17th
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors enrolled in NYC public or charter high schools; no prior art experience required

MAD’s Artslife internship gives you one of the broadest introductions to museum operations available to high school students. Over six weeks, you rotate through departments like Curatorial, Communications, Visitor Services, Education, and Registrar work instead of staying in one fixed role. The first week focuses on orientation and team-building before you begin collaborative projects with museum staff, designers, and arts professionals.

Because the program rotates you across departments, you see how exhibitions, programming, and visitor experiences are managed together inside a museum environment. Interns are paid hourly and also receive an unlimited MetroCard during the internship period.

Why it stands out: You rotate through nearly every department inside the museum, which gives you a much fuller understanding of how arts institutions actually operate day to day.

4. Whitney Museum of American Art – Youth Insights Arts Careers (Summer)

Location: Whitney Museum of American Art, 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY (+ NYC cultural site visits)
Cost: Free (MetroCard and all supplies provided); paid stipend for YI Leaders track after graduation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: May 29th for summer programs (YI Introductions and YI Arts Careers)
Eligibility: NYC high school students entering grades 10-12; open to students from all five boroughs

This Whitney Museum program focuses less on studio art and more on understanding how careers inside arts institutions actually work. You meet curators, educators, and arts professionals across New York while visiting museums, galleries, and creative workplaces throughout the summer. The sessions also include collaborative projects and discussions around how exhibitions, programming, and arts organizations are managed behind the scenes.

Since transportation and supplies are covered, the program is structured to stay accessible for students across New York City. Students who complete the program can later apply for the paid Youth Insights Leaders internship, which involves leading tours and organizing museum events.

Why it stands out: The program is built around exploring real arts careers through direct access to museums, curators, and cultural institutions across New York City.

5. Museum of Fine Arts Boston – STEAM Team Fellowship

Location: Museum of Fine Arts Boston, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA
Cost: Free; paid fellowship ($15/hour confirmed in prior cycles)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; applications on a rolling basis; must be Boston residents and/or attend a Boston Public School
Dates: Varies by session
Application Deadline: Applications open in February
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are Boston residents and/or attend a Boston Public School; no prior art or STEAM experience specified

The STEAM Team Fellowship combines museum work with career exploration across science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. You work with MFA staff mentors across different departments while taking part in workforce development activities throughout the year. The program looks closely at how large museums rely on both creative and technical roles, including areas connected to conservation, digital systems, education, and exhibition design.

Instead of focusing only on art appreciation, the fellowship introduces how professional teams collaborate in a major museum environment. Fellows are paid hourly and also gain access to leadership and curatorial project tracks connected to the museum.

Why it stands out: The fellowship treats museum work as workforce training, connecting art directly with technical and professional careers inside a large institution.

6. Art Institute of Chicago – Summer Teen Internship

Location: The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Cost: Free; $16.20/hour stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; applications through After School Matters
Dates: June-August (summer internship; exact dates vary
Application Deadline: Applications open in spring through After School Matters
Eligibility: Chicago high school students aged 16+ at the start of the internship; must apply through After School Matters

This internship places you inside the Art Institute of Chicago, where you help plan festivals, workshops, and gallery activities for real museum visitors throughout the summer. You work alongside museum professionals and local artists while learning how public programming and visitor engagement are managed inside a large art institution.

Since interns are directly involved in organizing events and tours, the experience feels much more active than shadowing-based museum programs. The internship is run through After School Matters, which connects Chicago teens to paid work opportunities across the city. Most of the work happens around public-facing programming tied directly to the museum’s exhibitions and collections.

Why it stands out: You help run live museum events and visitor programming inside one of the country’s largest art museums while earning an hourly stipend.

7. ArtXpress Internship Program

Location: Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
Cost: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Application Deadline: May 22nd
Dates: July 7-31
Eligibility: Milwaukee-area high school students in grades 11-12 between the ages of 16 and 18

The ArtXpress Internship Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum is a paid summer opportunity for Milwaukee teens to work together on a public mural project that focuses on a social issue relevant to the city. You work with local practicing artists and other interns, using the museum’s exhibitions and permanent collection as reference points while you research, plan, and develop the mural.

Alongside studio-based work, you also take on a mentoring role with elementary students from Milwaukee Public Schools. This includes leading guided museum tours and facilitating art activities that help younger students engage with artworks in the collection. The program concludes with the installation of the completed mural on a Milwaukee County bus and a public launch event at the museum.

Why it stands out: It combines collaborative mural-making with community engagement and teaching experience, resulting in a public artwork that is displayed beyond the museum space.

8. Getty Museum – Teen Gallery Guides (Summer Internship)

Location: The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA (Getty Villa in Malibu for Boyle Heights students)
Cost: Free; paid stipend + transportation provided to/from the Getty Center
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Typically April
Eligibility: High school teens; Teen Gallery Guides at the Getty Center – LA area high schoolers; Teen Gallery Guides at the Getty Villa – teens living in or attending high school in Boyle Heights specifically

The Getty’s Teen Gallery Guides program places you directly inside one of Los Angeles’ largest art museums, where you lead gallery activities and discussions for visiting student groups throughout the summer. You work in a public-facing role that revolves around explaining artworks, guiding conversations, and helping younger visitors engage with exhibitions.

The training focuses on art interpretation and audience engagement, so you gradually learn how museums communicate ideas to large and diverse groups of people. Transportation to and from the Getty is covered, and interns receive a stipend during the program. There’s also a separate Getty Villa track for students connected to Boyle Heights, which gives the internship a stronger local-community focus as well.

Why it stands out: You spend the summer leading real museum visitors through gallery experiences inside one of the world’s most visited art museums.

9. New York Historical Society – Student Historian Internship

Location: New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY
Cost: Free; stipend for Title I/free-reduced lunch eligible students; community service or school credit for others
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students selected annually; competitive
Dates: 6 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the NYC metropolitan area

This six-week internship is a strong fit within fine and digital art summer jobs for high school students because it combines historical research with digital storytelling through projects connected directly to New York City. You work with museum historians while researching local history, collecting material, and building a final digital history project based on your findings.

The process involves both archival work and digital production, so the internship sits somewhere between history research and media creation. Since only 25 students are selected each year, the cohort stays relatively small and project-focused throughout the summer. Students eligible for free or reduced lunch receive a stipend, while others can earn school or community-service credit instead.

Why it stands out: You finish the internship with a complete digital history project based on original research rather than a simulated classroom assignment.

10. Brooklyn Museum – Teen Programs (Art Education Internship)

Location: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free; stipend provided for select roles (varies by program track)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer and school year tracks available
Application Deadline: Typically May (summer); rolling for school-year programs
Eligibility: NYC high school students

Brooklyn Museum’s Art Education Internship places you inside the museum’s education department, where you work alongside teaching artists during public art programs and workshops. Your role can involve helping prepare studio materials, assisting with lesson planning, organizing supplies, and supporting live sessions with visitors and community groups.

Since the museum’s collection spans everything from Egyptian artifacts to contemporary and feminist art, the environment exposes you to a wide range of artistic traditions and audiences. The program runs both during the summer and the school year, depending on the track you apply for. Most of the experience revolves around understanding how museums use art education to engage the public directly.

Why it stands out: You work directly with teaching artists on live museum education programming instead of only observing from the sidelines.

11. The Metropolitan Museum of Art – High School Summer Internship

Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Cost: Free; $1,100 stipend upon completion (NY State minimum wage for 40 hours)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; selective admissions
Dates: July 7th – August 7th (40 hours total, 10-20 hours/week; Bootcamp July 1st; Family Reception June 27th)
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 10 and 11 (or obtaining High School Equivalency); must reside in and attend high school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut on the application deadline date

The Met’s summer internship places you inside one of the world’s largest museums, where you work directly with staff across departments like Conservation, Scientific Research, Editorial, Education, and Digital Media. The program shows how a major cultural institution actually functions behind the scenes. You complete around 40 hours of departmental work over the summer, beginning with a full-day bootcamp before moving into projects and mentorship sessions with museum professionals.

Depending on your placement, you might work around archives, exhibitions, media production, or research connected to the collection. Since the internship is paid, the structure feels much closer to a real workplace than a short enrichment program.

Why it stands out: You work inside a world-famous museum across departments ranging from conservation to digital media while being paid and mentored by full-time museum professionals.

12. Seattle Art Museum (SAM) – Teen Arts Group

Location: Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free; community service credit or stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: School year (not a summer-only program
Application Deadline: Typically September-October (school-year intake)
Eligibility: Seattle-area high school students

SAM’s Teen Arts Group focuses on arts administration and museum programming rather than studio art alone. You work with museum staff to organize gallery talks, select artists, and help coordinate community-facing arts events throughout the school year. The structure is collaborative, so students are involved in planning decisions instead of simply participating in pre-designed activities.

Alongside TAG, SAM also offers connected workshops focused on public design and art-making. Depending on the program track, students receive either community service credit or a stipend for their work. The overall experience feels much closer to learning how cultural organizations operate behind the scenes.

Why it stands out: Students help plan and run actual museum programming, which makes the experience feel more like arts management than a traditional teen art class.

13. Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery – Teen Internship

Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets NW, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free; stipend provided in some tracks (varies yearly)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer and school year programs
Application Deadline: Typically March-April
Eligibility: DC metropolitan area high school students

This internship introduces you to museum education, gallery interpretation, and curatorial work inside the Smithsonian system in Washington, D.C. Depending on your placement, you might assist with tours, educational activities, or collection-based projects tied specifically to American art and portraiture.

Since the Smithsonian operates on a national scale, the collections and departments are much larger than what most local museum internships can offer. You also gain exposure to how exhibitions, conservation work, and public engagement are managed inside a federally funded museum system. Some tracks include stipends depending on the department and year.

Why it stands out: You gain experience inside one of the world’s largest public museum systems, where curatorial and education work happens on a national institutional scale.

14. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) – Teen Creative Agency

Location: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL
Cost: Free; up to $1,600/year compensation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 members per cohort; selective
Dates: September-June (school year; applications open in spring)
Application Deadline: Typically April-May
Eligibility: Chicago youth ages 15-19

MCA’s Teen Creative Agency is a paid year-long program where you help shape how the museum works with young audiences and public programming. Members meet weekly at the museum, collaborate with contemporary artists, and visit arts organizations across Chicago while developing creative projects together.

Instead of only attending events, students actively help design teen-focused museum programming and contribute ideas that influence what the museum actually presents. The program also includes direct interaction with curatorial and education staff, which gives you a clearer sense of how contemporary art institutions operate internally. Members receive compensation throughout the year as well.

Why it stands out: You collaborate directly with museum staff and artists to shape real museum programming rather than simply participating in activities planned by adults.

15. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) – Digital Arts & Design Program

Location: American University, Washington D.C. (residential)
Cost: $3,295 (includes housing, meals, activities); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 10-day sessions in summer
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 14-18 who have completed at least one year of high school; open to all U.S. and international students

NSLC’s Digital Arts & Design program introduces you to game design, animation, and graphic design through studio-based workshops held at American University in Washington, D.C. Depending on your track, you work with professional tools like Unity, Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign while building portfolio-style creative projects throughout the session.

The program also includes career panels and discussions with professionals working across digital media industries, so the focus stays connected to real creative careers rather than software tutorials alone. Since the course is residential, students spend most of the 10 days working collaboratively inside a campus environment. The final projects combine technical skills with storytelling and visual communication.

Why it stands out: You work with the same creative software used professionally in game design, animation, and graphic design industries while building portfolio-ready projects.

See Where Your Creativity Can Lead

Creative confidence often grows when you see how ideas are shaped, edited, presented, and shared in real settings beyond school projects.

Fine and digital art summer jobs for high school students can help you build practical skills in design, visual storytelling, collaboration, and creative feedback.

By working around studios, museums, galleries, or digital teams, you start to understand which creative environments suit your strengths and interests.

Ready to turn creative experience into clearer direction? Browse our Career Exploration blogs to compare career paths, understand key skills, and plan your next move.