Black History Program/Visual Arts Summer Internship 2026- 27
OBJECTIVE
Artist interns, ages 16-19, will be commissioned to collaborate and create an original artwork for the 2027 Black History Month Poster, from idea and design development through creative production and the final product. Interns will learn about African American history on both, the local and national levels, through a variety of in-person and virtual lessons and experiences, including lectures, workshops, and films. Emphasis will also be given to the visual art component for the poster through similar in person art museum field trips, workshops or guest speakers. Interns will receive 90+ hours of instruction and compensation of up to $500. They will be led by a professional teaching artist. All supplies necessary for the project will be provided by the program.
The final art image will be scanned and photographed for M-NCPPC to produce the large-scale print run of posters for free distribution to the public.
QUALIFICATIONS
This summer internship is open to all young artists, ages 16 through 19, that attend High School in Prince George's County, Maryland and/or reside in the County.
Prospective interns should have a passion for African American history and the visual arts. This internship is open to age qualifying participants of any ethnicity or background.
INTERNSHIP DETAILS
The internship will start on Monday, July 13, 2026 and take place at Harmony Hall Arts Center, 105 Livingston Road in Fort Washington, MD 20774. Internship days will be Mondays through Thursdays, 10 am-3 pm each day. The last day of the internship will be Thursday, August 13, 2026. Transportation to and from Harmony Hall Arts Center and lunch will be the sole responsibility of the participating intern, their parent or guardian.
Program participants will each receive monetary compensation of up to $500.00, based on attendance and successful completion of the internship.
Interns selected to participate will receive the benefit of hands on experience with different creative mediums. They should be willing to engage in the "messiness" of potentially working with art materials including, but not limited to acrylics, oil pastels, ink, glue, gouache, watercolor or other materials and should consider the nature endemic to this process, particularly if there may be any possibility of sensitivity or allergy to the materials.
Cell phone use will be limited during the time of the internship sessions due to the professional demands of the art-making processes with which the intern artists will be engaged. In addition, participating interns will be asked not to share any details about the art design ideas for the poster’s development. The final poster design will be formally unveiled to the public in February 2027 at the start of the Black History Month celebration. The presence of the interns and instructor is expected on the day of the unveiling of the poster to be determined in February 2027.
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
Applicant artists must submit three examples of their artwork as well as a paragraph or two about themselves, their passion for art, for African American History and their interest in participating in the summer internship. The art samples submitted must demonstrate the hand of the artist and the level of technical ability in drawing and painting on a variety of media. Go to https://m-ncppc.submittable.com/submit to register for a free account and submit the application for the 2026- 27 Black History Month Program/Visual Arts Summer Internship.
EVALUATION
The program will be offered to a maximum of 6 participants. Chosen intern artists will be notified by Wednesday, June 29, 2026 at the latest. Selections will be made both by representatives of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division and by the Black History Program of the M-NCPPC.
TIMELINE
· Friday, June 19, 2026: Deadline to apply to the internship through Submittable online by 11:59 pm.
· Monday, June 22 - Friday, June 26, 2026: Applications reviewed.
· Monday, June 29, 2026: Selected interns are notified.
· Monday, July 13, 2026: Internship starts at Harmony Hall Arts Center, 10701 Livingston Rd, Fort Washington, MD 20744
· Thursday, August 13, 2026: Internship concludes.
· February 2027 Date TBD: Black History Month Poster unveiled to the public.
· February 2027: Distribution of copies of posters to community
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If there are any questions If there are any questions regarding the facility, please contact Stuart Diekmeyer, Facility Director, Harmony Hall Arts Center, at stuart.diekmeyer@pgparks.com. For internship program questions, contact Visual Arts Specialist, Sandra Perez-Ramos at sandra.perezramos@pgparks.com. By submitting to this call for entry, applicants to the internship agree to comply with all rules and requirements of the program Black History Program/Visual Arts Summer Internship 2026- 27.