{"id":75,"date":"2024-01-25T18:32:54","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T18:32:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/cas-experiential-learning\/?page_id=75"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:10:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T17:10:29","slug":"arts-in-action","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/cas-experiential-learning\/?page_id=75","title":{"rendered":"Arts in Action | New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A semester-long, socially engaged experience in New York City with a focus on community, art and activism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students will spend a semester in New York gaining firsthand knowledge of the art world and arts in community via two courses and a 240-hour work-based learning experience at an arts organization. This program is for students that are interested in using the visual arts and the city of New York as a lens for exploring and understanding complex social issues and creative strategies for social justice. All majors welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program consists of two academic courses: the \u201cArt and Activism\u201d seminar, and a course focused on learning about various art institutions in New York called “City As Classroom\u201d. In addition, students will also participate in at least 20 hours per week of hands on, community-based internship work with an arts organization in the city. In small groups, students will interact with peers, identify and leverage their strengths, and share about their internship experiences. Throughout the program, students will build a portfolio that showcases what they\u2019ve learned and documents their professional journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through this program, students are set on a path to create opportunities for themselves and to take advantage of further opportunities presented to them through the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apply now!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Application deadline for Fall 2026 program:<\/strong>  April 8, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Did you miss the recent information sessions? You’re in luck!
Click here<\/a> to access the recording! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Program Components & Courses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Arts in Action is comprised of three components — each equally important — that will make up your typical week in the program:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Art & Activism Seminar (ARTH 2870)<\/summary>
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Taught by Mildred Beltr\u00e9<\/a>, Professor of Studio Art, “Art and Activism” focuses on developing an understanding of community and social justice struggle through the lens of artist interventions and the history of community activism through art. This course looks at art and activism in New York City in both a historical and contemporary context to help us develop frameworks to think about and discuss complex social issues. This focus on community arts methods and the history of community activism through art and will help place students’ internships within the thematic and political framework of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting with a grounding of the contexts each of us bring to the classroom and city, we will consider both the historical and current state of the city and how art institutions function within it. The coursework is structured in several nodes situated within intersectional constellations of issues, tactics, and artists. Through readings we will learn about international, national, and New York-based movements, artists, and collectives.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Learning by Doing: Community Engagement (CAS 2991)<\/summary>
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Students will work at a community organization for at least 20 hours a week (3 days) doing meaningful work in the arts world. Expect to work ~240 hours over the course of the semester. Students will be matched with one of several sites that have agreed to host UVM students. There may be several students working with each site, adding to the feeling of community this program thrives upon. While every effort will be made to match you with a site that aligns with your interests, it is essential to understand that any experience in a NYC arts organization will be helpful to you in your future career in the arts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Past locations have included: the Brooklyn Museum, BRIC, Creative Time, Daniel Arsham Studio, Lower East Side Printshop, Museum of the Moving Image, Queens Museum, Franklin Furnace, Weeksville Heritage Center, Brooklyn Children\u2019s Museum, International Studio and Curatorial Program, Whitney Museum, Creative Art Works, New York Studio School, Museum of the City of New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Artyard, and New York Edge, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students will gain first-hand exposure to the workings of arts institutions and various aspects of the arts. They will gain first hand knowledge of the diverse communities of New York and how communities access art through these institutions, as well as gaining a sense of how art and artists function in the world. What are the different audiences? How do artists get their work out?  What resources are available to artists and arts institutions?  What is their role in the city? <\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n

City as Classroom: Professional Development (CAS 1990)<\/summary>
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This class animates the coursework of the Art and Activism seminar. Students meet every Thursday to take a field trip to visit an arts institution or nonprofit. At each location we meet with staff who will share with us the mission of the institution, how that institution goes serves that mission and how they seem themselves in relation to the communities of New York city. Students will gain direct access to various professionals around the city to help them develop their professional identities and understand how to navigate the workplace as they get a feel for the vast array of career paths in the arts and other fields.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Perfect for any major!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

“As a linguistics and Spanish double major, I was a little concerned that I would feel out of place not only in this art oriented program, but also working in an arts institution.  I quickly learned that this was far from the case, and I am so so grateful for this insightful experience, and the new perspectives and tools I have acquired.  I cannot stress enough how beneficial this program is to everyone – especially those whose areas of expertise lay outside the realm of the arts.  Through having students from a myriad of backgrounds, our class was truly able to grapple with complex and multifaceted issues from a multitude of lenses.  I feel like a much more well-rounded, educated individual, with new passions and interests to explore further.”<\/em> — Ilana Goldstein (Linguistics, Spanish, ’21)<\/p>\n<\/div>

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How does it work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arts in Action is a UVM Travel Study program meaning that students will earn UVM credits and will remain enrolled at UVM as full-time students throughout the entire program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Housing:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Housing will be located in St. George Towers in Brooklyn Heights. Find more information and accessibility information on the Educational Housing Services (EHS) website<\/a>. Each student in the program is guaranteed a bed in a double room. Roommates will be randomly assigned with change of roommate requests being routed through the EHS team after program enrollment. Any concerns about the housing should be sent to Sophia Trigg, CAS Office of Experiential Learning & Discovery Director, who can get in touch with the EHS team prior to enrollment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no meal plan associated with this program, so students will have to coordinate with their classmates to grocery shop and cook using the community kitchens at EHS. Professor Beltre will also be able to recommend budget-friendly spots around the area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Credit:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You will receive 12 credits for this semester-long program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n