Public Works Intern (CLOSED)

SPRING 2020

Application Deadline: 7 February 2020

ABOUT PUBLIC WORKS

Public Works is a major initiative of The Public Theater that aims to restore and build community by connecting people through theater—both performing it and experiencing it—reminding us that we’re all in this together. Working with partner organizations in all five boroughs, Public Works invites community members to take classes, attend performances, and join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater. It deliberately blurs the line between professional artists and community members, creating theater that is not only for the people, but by and of the people as well. Public Works is animated by the idea that theater is a place of possibility, where the boundaries that separate us from each other in the rest of life can fall away.

Public Works is rooted in long-term relationships with its community partners. Public Works Partners include Brownsville Recreation Center (Brooklyn), Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education (Bronx), Center for Family Life in Sunset Park (Brooklyn), Children’s Aid (Manhattan), Domestic Workers United (all boroughs), DreamYard (Bronx), The Fortune Society (Queens), and Military Resilience Foundation (all boroughs). Website with more information on the organization/internships at the organization: www.publictheater.org

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

We are seeking a Public Works Intern to support the programming of the department for 150 hours in the 2020 Spring semester. Working with the Associate Director of Public Works, Emily Knapp, and the rest of the Public Works team, the intern will help the program assess whether it is delivering one of the Public Works core values: “360° engagement.”

One of the central tenants of Public Works, 360° engagement requires creating a program where community members participate in Public Works in multiple ways and throughout the entire year. At present, Public Works tracks participation in a number of disparate ways due to the many distinct aspects of our programming, which does not allow team members to see easily the depth and breadth of an individual’s participation. The intern will help design a system by which Public Works can look at trends in individual and group participation, so the team can better understand how individuals have tended to engage with Public Works and how changes in programming or strategies have or haven’t impacted participation. This includes compiling information on participation from classes, affinity groups, potlucks, productions, and other events from the first year of Public Works in 2012-2013 up to the present.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Public Works Intern will also be folded directly into the work of the Public Works department, supporting as needed with all programming.  Responsibilities might include:

  • Attending and helping to execute Public Works potlucks
  • Assisting teaching artists at class sharings
  • Supporting community member participation in casting sessions for the summer pageant
  • Creating support documents or providing logistical support for Public Works National
  • Collaborating with Public Works team members on Public Works programming and affinity groups

Community-based work is front-facing and hands on; it is about working directly with people.  It is also about making all the efforts necessary to deliver meaningful programming.  For that reason, the Public Works team collaborates closely on our projects; it is sometimes an all-hands-on-deck environment.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will have:

  • Ability to strategize and build systems for tracking participation
  • Interest and experience in community organizing and/or theater.
  • Ability to work with many people of many backgrounds.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • Interpersonal awareness and empathy.
  • Proficiency in MS word, Excel, Tessitura and database usage.
  • Ability to speak Spanish or Mandarin is a plus.

This internship is administered and funded through the PublicsLab at The Graduate Center, CUNY. The PublicsLab will compensate 150 hours of work with a $5000 stipend.

The application for this position is #4314 on GC Connect. For more information about GC Connect, please click here. Applications will be accepted until 7 February 2020.