About the Louisville Visual Art Association

The Louisville Visual Art Association (LVAA) internship program welcomes college juniors, seniors, and recent graduates who wish to supplement their education and professional experience by working in a not-for-profit arts organization. LVAA internships offer experiential education in a challenging, hands-on environment in exchange for a substantive contribution from gifted and interested individuals.

LVAA is a nonprofit organization that provides art education, art enrichment, and advocacy to a broad spectrum of people, attracting more than 45,000 participants annually to its exhibitions, art classes and special events. LVAA interns have the unique opportunity to participate in the development and expansion of these programs and operations.

There are three application deadlines and selection periods per year. Internships require a minimum commitment of fifteen hours per week for three months, during which time interns complete a specific project as well as daily assignments. Interns also participate in departmental meetings and various educational programs, as well as attend LVAA events.

LVAA does not offer paid internships but does participate in some cooperative education programs. Students interested in academic credit should contact their college counselor for more information. The Louisville Visual Art Association seeks diversity in its intern staff and provides equal opportunity to its applicants.

Read what some of our former interns have said about their time at LVAA!

Kelsey Mattingly, Summer 2012 Education Intern

Tommy Graven, Summer 2012 Curatorial Intern

The Application Process

Candidates for interviews will be notified by e-mail. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered.

Click here to download the Internship Application!

Submitting By Email:

Applications may be submitted electronically by emailing Jackie Pallesen at  and attaching your application form, resume, two letters of recommendation, and any additional materials by the appropriate deadline (see below). Letters of recommendation may be submitted separately by email or mail with the applicant’s name in the subject line or address. If applicable, include your school’s credit requirements in the e-mail.

Submitting By Mail:

When submitting an application by mail, send one copy of your application form, resume, two letters of recommendation, and any additional materials by the appropriate deadline. If applicable, include your school’s requirements for credit with your application.

Please address all application materials (including letters of recommendation) to:

Jackie Pallesen

Education Programs Manager
Louisville Visual Art Association
3005 River Road
Louisville, KY 40207

Application Deadlines (three yearly)

Internships are offered in the following areas:

-Education and Arts Administration Joint Internship

-Executive Assistant and Design Joint Internship

-Community Arts

Art Education and Arts Administration Joint Internship
Interns provide organizational and on-site support for numerous education programs, including the Children’s Fine Art Classes (CFAC) program the internship recruitment process, and adult education classes. Duties may include general departmental duties, such as preparation of program packets, educational materials, research, correspondence, and scheduling. Candidates must have excellent organizational and basic computer skills, and should be comfortable interacting with the public. In addition, interns will work to increase visibility of LVAA programs by assisting with mailings, sociall media, database management, and drafting media releases. Skills required: familiarity with Microsoft Office, ability to work independently, strong writing and organizational skills, flexibility, and familiarity with social media outlets.

Executive Assistant and Design Joint Internship

Intern will work side by side with LVAA’s Executive Director to help coordinate projects relating to: the capital campaign, community outreach; marketing and public relations, financial management, fundraising, grant writing, communications, community relations, and advocacy. Strong design background required for helping complete various projects such as brochures, one-sheets, sponsorships packets, etc. Furthermore, this intern will be responsible for daily tasks as requested by the Executive Director. Skills required: strong organizational skills, proficient writing and communication skills, and familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator.

Community Arts
The Community Arts Intern will provide assistance in initiating and managing ongoing OPEN DOORS projects. Duties include assisting in drafting grant proposals and reports, documenting projects through photography/video/blog as well as through the organized filing of completed project forms, continued organization of the program (i.e. drafting forms, refining filing methods, and developing program-specific website and branding), and participating in community oriented art-making projects next to professional artists and participants from various organizations around the city. Skills required: copy writing skills, Microsoft Office, some photography/Photoshop/graphic design/ web design experience, positive and effective people skills, art-making experience.

If you have questions about applying for an internship, please email Jackie Pallesen at or call at 502-896-2146 x104.