Civitella seeks candidates for our paid internship program for the 2025 residency season. Located in a 15th-century castle in Umbria, Italy, Civitella is a residency program for international writers, composers, and visual artists. Over the last thirty years, we have hosted more than 1,000 Fellows and Director’s Guests.
Interns are a treasured and integral part of our community and daily life. They live and work at the Castle for roughly twelve weeks between April and November. The Civitella internship is a formative experience that emphasizes public speaking, teamwork, event planning, and problem solving. Interns provide valuable support with the library, meals, excursions, and presentations during each fellowship session. An ideal candidate for this role will demonstrate an interest in cultural and linguistic exchange, as well as in nonprofit arts programming. In addition to daily responsibilities, it is often also possible for interns to work on projects structured around their individual interests and experience. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2025.
“Art and beauty are everywhere the Castle and every day brings a new challenge that leads to cultural, linguistic, and personal enrichment. Civitella is a multicultural place that encourages cooperation and teamwork with Fellows and Staff.” – Federica Machelli, Civitella Intern in 2023 & 2024 (pictured here, standing far left with Staff)
“My time working at Civitella was as engaging as it was beautiful. The Castle facilitates a warm and enriching space to learn under the leadership of the office Staff. The cooking, housekeeping, and groundskeeping Staff take excellent care of the Castle and welcome anyone who walks through its gates. I learned so much from both the Civitella team and the Fellows, and gained new perspectives on working in an international arts environment.” -Anna Sofia Neil, Civitella Intern in 2024
Roles and Responsibilities
Interns provide general assistance to the Executive Director, Residency Director, Program Coordinator, Program Assistant, Kitchen Staff, and the Fellows. They:
- Prepare for Fellows’ arrivals; provide transportation for Fellows and Guests; distribute orientation information and give tours of the facilities.
- Assist Fellows in their work as requested, run errands, greet guests, provide assistance in the office and in the on-site gallery.
- Accompany Staff and Fellows on excursions to nearby cultural sites, providing transportation, materials, and tour assistance.
- Provide interpretation as able and necessary.
- Help organize weekly events, including communications, technical assistance, and set up.
- Attend weeknight communal dinners with the Fellows, including setting and clearing tables at meal times, coordinating between Kitchen and Fellows, making announcements, and helping to maintain a lively and inclusive environment for conversation and exchange.
- Catalog new acquisitions for the library and re-shelve materials after use.
- Help track and maintain the inventory of the Foundation’s art collection.
- Attend staff meetings.
- Engage in special projects if interested and applicable.
Schedule
Civitella typically hosts one to three interns annually, between the months April and November, for twelve weeks each. Please note your availability in your cover letter.
The structure of the Civitella internship varies based on the projects, events, and needs of a given group of Fellows. Many intern responsibilities will happen Monday-Friday from 11AM-5PM, but these hours are subject to change. Dinner with the Fellows each weeknight is required. Flexibility is crucial and the intern should be available for events in the mornings, evenings, and on the weekends, as needed. As the main staff contact living at the Castle, the intern will be Fellows’ first call should an emergency arise.
Interns are encouraged to travel in their free time with advance notice given to Staff.
Skills and Requirements
Strong English proficiency is necessary, as is a valid driver’s license. We give preference to individuals with Italian language skills, experience in the arts or study/work abroad, and the ability to drive stick shift.
Applicants should be self-motivated, independent, collaborative, and adaptable. Each day interns encounter unpredictable and varying tasks; they should be comfortable working within an intensely motivated community in an idyllic but somewhat isolated location. An ideal intern maintains a confident, positive, and helpful attitude and must be open and diplomatic with people of diverse backgrounds and widely varying lived experiences.
Compensation
We offer selected candidates round trip airfare and transportation (from place of residence to Civitella), lodging, and meals (lunch and dinner six days per week) for the period of the internship and a stipend for incidental expenses of $200 per week.
Application Process
Applications must include a cover letter and an up-to-date CV. Please list two references with their relationship to you and contact information (phone, email). Your cover letter should explain why the internship would be meaningful to you, how you might best contribute to the Civitella community, and how past experiences have prepared you for the work described above. Please send as a single PDF and use the subject line INTERN APPLICATION: [YOUR NAME]. Your application must be emailed to diego@civitella.org by January 15th at 11:59PM EST. We will conduct virtual interviews in February. Notification is sent to candidates by early March.