Arts Career Toolkit – Your Stanford Journey

What is an "arts curious" student?

• You're intrigued by the arts
• You want to take advantage of the breadth of arts offerings at Stanford
• You're figuring out and clarifying your interests and goals

Attend events that foster connections with other arts-interested students; and explore the art-making resources available on campus:

• Make sure you’re signed up for the ArtsUpdate to learn about career exploration workshops, internships, and other campus arts events.
• Get involved with one of the 100+ arts-related student clubs to explore your interests
• Start building your peer support network
  • Visit Roble Arts Gym (RAG), a creative space just for students. 
  • Attend an IDA First Friday to meet other arts-interested students.
• Take advantage of opportunities to hear directly from professional artists and arts administrators
  • Participate in a Stanford Live masterclass.
  • Attend an artist or curator talk at the Cantor or Anderson Collection.

Apply for entry-level campus opportunities to begin building your resume/CV:

• Submit your artwork for the Spring Arts Fair and learn about the process of participating in a group exhibition.
• Consider on campus jobs in the arts. Learn new skills while contributing to the vibrant campus arts scene in these entry-level roles.

What is an "arts engaged" student?

• You've explored the foundational opportunities for "arts curious" students
• You're considering a career in the arts. This could be as an artist, performer, writer, arts administrator, etc.
• You want to form connections between your academic, professional, and co-curricular interests and activities

Build a network of alumni and peers:

• Join the Arts Alumni Group on SAM (Stanford Alumni Mentoring).
• Conduct informational interviews with arts organizations to expand your knowledge of the field.

Participate in experiential learning opportunities to refine your career interests:

• Participate in a full-time summer internship in the arts through the Stanford Internship Program in the Arts (SIPA) or Lyric McHenry Community Arts Fellowship (CAF)
  • Interested in interning abroad? Check out the Global Studies Internship Program which features arts-related opportunities.
  • Join the Museum Student Guides program to develop your public speaking and visual literacy skills and learn about public engagement and museum education.

Explore campus opportunities that contribute to the development of your artistic portfolio: 

• Produce original, interdisciplinary creative work through an arts honors or a minor:
  • Honors in the Arts
  • Inter-Arts Minor
  • IDA Concentration
• Develop the skills and artistic craft necessary to sustain a long-term community-based arts practice through the IDA Undergraduate Fellows program.