Opportunity Guide I Summer, Enrichment & Activities Guide

If your child loves singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, composing music or painting and designing, she will find a plethora of outstanding fun and instructional programs where she can develop her talents and meet people who love what she does. Check out extracurricular arts activities, including performance opportunities, at your child’s school or at local community centers. Specialized private weekend classes and summer programs for students of all levels are sponsored by various art institutes, music festivals, universities and professional music and dance companies.

To perform at the highest levels, many arts, especially music and dance, require private lessons and enrichment. If your child likes to perform, look for audition opportunities at local fairs, festivals, community orchestras and theaters. Many professional theaters and ballet companies sponsor summer intensive programs from talented youth. A child who enjoys competing may be interested in participating in arts contests where her work can earn recognition and win awards. The best students compete, at national arts contests that offer scholarship prizes.



  1. Try out college life and take college-level courses in special programs for high school students. High school students with a B or better grade point average may enroll as non-degree students in… Read more
  2. ArtWorks is an internship program in the arts for high school (9th – 12th grade) students. Each year, Arts for Learning hires student interns to work in co-ops to flex their creative muscles and… Read more
  3. The Asian Art Museum’s Art Speak internship offers on-the-job training and monthly stipends to seven public high school students in grades 10–12. Interns discover Asian art and cultural traditions,… Read more
  4. Teen volunteer positions (for ages 16+) available at the Carnegie Museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Science Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center and Andy Warhol Museum. Link… Read more
  5. Calling all artists, writers, thinkers, and designers! Interested in finding out about careers in museums? Apply for a high school internship at The Met to meet experts, find mentors, make friends,… Read more
  6. Artslife is a paid summer internship program for rising sophomores and juniors in high school that combines art and design with leadership training, museum studies, and community engagement.… Read more
  7. The MFA is a vibrant and engaging environment for teens! Teens develop leadership skills and learn about museum professions through the Teen Arts Council, provide valuable assistance to Museum… Read more
  8. The New Victory is New York City's premier nonprofit performing arts theater devoted year-round to kids and their families and classmates The New Victory Usher Corps, created to address the urgent… Read more
  9. POWERHOUSE YOUTH ARTS PROJECT PYAP is a stipended arts program for San Francisco students aged 14-17. PYAP's goal is to cultivate youth development and career exposure through community-relevant… Read more
  10. Exposure to a dynamic industry can be a game changing experience for a student. TIP provides an opportunity for students to grow, and for businesses to build a diverse pipeline of future talent and… Read more
  11. Teen Council is a group of 12 creative and dedicated high school students who help make our museums more welcoming and engaging for young people. The Teen Council plans and hosts events that invite D… Read more
  12. Teen Museum Council is an intensive year-long program for D.C. Metro area teens who would like a role making teen programs at the Portrait Gallery! Throughout the academic year, TMC members work on… Read more
  13. The Smithsonian Latino Center’s Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a national program for graduating high school seniors, fostering the next generation of Latino leaders in the arts, sciences, and… Read more
  14. The Clark Scholar Program is an intensive seven week summer research program for highly qualified high school juniors and seniors. The Clark Scholars Program is designed to attract gifted students… Read more
  15. During the summer you can: accelerate progress towards your degree; enroll in courses that are difficult to enroll in during the fall, winter or spring quarters; enhance your career prospects; enrich… Read more
  16. This program is open to high school students in the greater Washington, D.C. area who are interested in exploring the professional world of opera. Whether your interest is in performing onstage or in… Read more