​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Phoenix Office of Arts and Cultur​​​​e

Intent and Expectations

Inspired by programs like the Los Angeles County Arts Internship Program and Public Allies Arizona, the Phoenix ArtCorps is a student employment program from the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Through a combination of independent research, hands-on tasks, guided training, and collaborative work, students are provided with the comprehensive skills, mentorship, and experience ​they need to launch their arts and culture careers. 

As a student worker, this program is an educational experience. While your work will contribute to the organization in a meaningful and impactful manner, it is primarily a means for you to gain practical knowledge, develop new skills, and acquire valuable professional experience. Your supervisor is a manager and a mentor, here to help you achieve your goals, invest in you as an emerging professional, and genuinely support you as a human being. You are not expected to come into the position knowing what you are supposed to do or how to do it. Instead, you are expected to learn.

Hours, Compensation, and Other Benefits

Each student worker will work 400 hours over the 2023-2024 semester (from Ocotber 9, 2023 to May 3, 2024) in-person, remote, or hybrid settings. Schedules are expected to accommodate​​ the student’s academic and personal responsibilities such as school or other part-time employment. This averages to around 15 to 20 hours a week. 

For their work, each student worker will receive a wage of $17 an hour (before taxes) for a total amount of $6,800. To enrich and enhance the employment experience, each student will be given an additional $500 stipend at the end of their term, which can be used to register for conferences, attend training, or other professional development opportunities. Each student worker can also expect to receive a letter of reference from their supervisor pending satisfactory completion of their tasks.

​​​Credit​

As this is a student employment program (rather than an internship), credit is not a part of the program. If you would like to receive credit for your work, please contact an internship coordinator or other staff person at your institution to discuss accordingly.

Commitments

​Each week, you'll spend 15 to 20 hours working closely with your supervisor as a member of the team: answering emails, attending meetings, conducting research, collaborating with other staff, and completing independent projects​ 

Beyond this, each student worker is required to participate in additional professional development and learning opportunities, including:

• Student Worker Welcome October 6: A two-hour welcome and general orientation on Friday morning, October 6, 2023, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  
• Site Visits: ​Special learning opportunities with local arts and culture organizations.
• ​POAC Staff Check-Ins: Informal check-ins with the Office of Arts and Culture Community Programs and Engagement Manger.
• Celebration May 3: A two-hour informal celebration on May 3, 2024, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
  

Beyond gatherings, students are also expected to complete entrance and exit surveys for the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and participate in formal performance reviews with their supervisor at the middle and end of the school year. 

Student Eligibility

To apply for a position, students must fulfill a combination of residency and/or enrollment requirements:

• Currently enrolled or recently graduated: Students must be currently enrolled in a degree program at an institution of higher education OR have graduated within the last 12 months.
• Institutional or individual residency: Students must be attending an institution of higher education with a physical location in Phoenix OR the student must live and reside in Phoenix. 
  
• ​Arizona State University: If you do not live in Phoenix and are attending Arizona State University, you must be taking a class or have your major based at ASU Downtown or ASU West. 
  
• Maricopa Community College System: If you do not live in Phoenix and are attending a Maricopa Community College, you must be taking a class or be registered at Phoenix Community College, Gateway Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, or South Mountain Community College.  
  
  

​Beyond this, you must also be ​at least 18 years old to apply. Beyond that, there are no other requirements. You do not need to be taking a minimum number of classes. You do not need to be majoring in an arts discipline or similar field. Degree programs can be in-person or online.​ All undergraduate students are welcome ​and encouraged to apply.

Please note: graduate students are ineligible to apply. 

Finding and applying for positions

To find and apply for student worker positions, all you need to do is view our listings of student worker positions, find a position you like, and follow the directions in each post to apply. Feel free to apply for as many positions as you'd like.

While instructions and requirements vary according to each position, applications generally consist of a resume and cover letter. ​References or writing samples may be required, too. More details are provided in each student worker position.

Writing your cover letter

Think of your cover letter as providing a context or story for your resume: as a way of introducing yourself to the organization and giving them a general sense of who you are, why you're interested in and applying for this position, what makes you a good candidate, and how it fits into your larger life goals.

When it comes to tone, we think the cover letter should be relatively professional and formal, speaking directly to the job description and using language that is concise and clear. At the same time, feel free to let your personality or voice shine through. For the greeting, you can address the cover letter directly to the supervisor or the organization as a whole. For the document itself, try to keep it under one page, and make sure it's formatted with single spacing in a legible, 11 or 12 pt font with standard margins. 

Just remember: people are busy--they're reading lots of different cover letters for a single position, not to mention all of the other work and responsibilities they have, too. Think about how you can make yourself distinctive, play to your strengths, and above all, be honest and truthful. 

If you have any questions about writing a cover letter, reach out to a writing tutor, academic success advisor, or other staff person at your institution. 

Formatting your resume

Your resume is a selective record or history of your experience that's relevant to the position you're applying for. While resumes almost always have sections for educational and professional experience, they can also have additional sections for volunteer commitments, clubs, or other relevant experience as you see fit. 

For educational experience, make sure you identify the schools you've gone to or are currently attending, the degree you're working towards, your major or areas of study, any honors or distinctions, and your GPA. For professional experience, make sure to include the name of the organization, the title of your position, and one to three bullet points explaining what you did. If you're including other sections such as clubs or volunteer experience, we suggest keeping it to a single line for each entry. Whatever you're listing, make sure to include locations and dates ​for each entry. 

Oftentimes, resumes will list specific, concrete skills you've acquired--languages you may speak besides English, technologies you may be comfortable with, and even art. Some resumes will also include an objective at the top: a statement that characterizes who you are and what your general goals are for your professional life or career. While both of these sections can be useful, they're completely optional. Whatever you choose to include, don't forget your contact information.

For the document itself, try to keep your resume to one to two pages. For the formatting, use headers and subheaders ​for each major section and each position within. If you have any questions about writing your resume, reach out to a writing tutor, academic success advisor, or other staff person at your institution. 

Interviewing for positions

Once you've submitted an application for a position, individual supervisors and organizations will contact selected applicants for interviews. While each process will vary according to the position, we generally expect interviews to take place in August 10 - Septemeber 15, 2023. All positions will be filled by September 20, 2023.

Verifying your eligibility

In the event that you receive an offer from an organization, you'll need to verify your eligibility. To verify your eligibility, all you need to do is find your eligibility requirement in the following table and submit the appropriate documentation through an online form.

Please note: If you meet the eligibility as a current student and don't have an enrollment verification, you can submit a simple screenshot or confirmation form of your course registration for the upcoming semester. If you meet the eligibility as an individual and don't have a driver's license, you can submit a utility bill, voter registration card, or other official document with your current address. Either way, you do not need to verify your eligibility to apply for a position. You will only need to verify your eligibility if you receive an offer from an organization.

Once you submit your eligibility verification, you should receive an email from your supervisor with more information about onboarding and hiring for your student worker position. 

Questions?

For general questions about the program, reach out to the Community Programs and Engagment Manager, Elida Acosta, at 602.495.0191​ or elida.acosta@phoenix.gov​. For more specific questions about individual positions, reach out to the supervisor or organization listed. ​​​

You can find more information on the ArtCorps Student Worker Program applicaiton guidelines for organizations here​.