GUIDELINES FOR APPRENTICE APPLICANTS ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD STUDIOS Neighborhood Studios, the Greater Hartford Arts Council s award-winning summer arts apprenticeship program, offers an immersive learning experience in the arts, providing Greater Hartford teens with paid employment, hands-on training in different art forms and valuable career skills essential to today s workforce. For six weeks each summer, the program links participating teens with cultural institutions throughout Hartford, introducing both parents and students to the city in ways they may never have experienced before. Each organization provides specific training in a different artistic discipline and field, and students work as paid apprentices in daily workshops with Master Teaching Artists. In addition to their arts training, apprentices participate in weekly career skills seminars to prepare them for the workplace. Apprentices receive a weekly stipend of $100 each week for six weeks. This program takes place between June 30 and August 8, 2014. Not all applicants will be accepted due to Studio size limitations. Since this is a competitive process, applicants are encouraged to fully complete the application and provide a personal statement a student resume and a letter of recommendation. Studios may require interviews, samples of creative or visual art work or an audition (See the specific Studio requirements and next steps on page 5). Incomplete, illegible and/or late applications will not be accepted. 2013 NEIGHBORHOOD STUDIOS PARTNERS The Amistad Center for Art & Culture Snap! Photography Artists Collective Youth Jazz Orchestra Hartford Stage Breakdancing Shakespeare The Mark Twain House & Museum Write to the Point! Creative Nonfiction Real Art Ways Eye on Video: Film Studies & Video Production For more information about Neighborhood Studio Partners, please go to www.letsgoarts.org/neighborhoodstudios and review the Studio Descriptions page for a brief summary and link to each Studio s website. 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 1 of 6]
TIMELINE May 1, 2014: May 2014: June 1, 2014: Apprentice Applications deadline. Applications can be downloaded at www.letsgoarts.org/neighborhoodstudios. Please send completed applications and required materials to each Studio where you would like to be considered for apprenticeship (See Studio contact information on page 4). Interviews and Auditions. Studios may require interviews, samples of creative or visual art work or an audition. (See Studio requirements and next steps on page 5). Notification. Studios will offer apprenticeships directly to applicants no later than this date. ELIGIBILITY Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements: No younger than 14 (as of June 30, 2014) and no older than 19 (as of August 8, 2014). Live in one of the 34 towns served by the Greater Hartford Arts Council (see map on page 5). Provide a completed application and required materials to each Studio where you would like to be considered for apprenticeship on or before May 1, 2014. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS To submit via email: Download the application from www.letsgoarts.org/neighborhoodstudios and save to your desktop. Fully complete the application, using the TAB key to move to each field to type in answers, and re-save. Required materials should be sent as additional email attachments. Required materials are: 1. A personal statement (unless included within the application) 2. A student resume 3. A letter of recommendation For information about personal statements, student resumes and letters of recommendation, see page 3. Applicants may apply to more than one Studio. Applicants are required to rank Studio choice within the application. To apply to more than one Studio, send a separate, completed application to each Studio where you would like to be considered for apprenticeship. Studio email addresses are listed on page 4. Do not send applications to the Greater Hartford Arts Council. The completed application and required materials are due to your Studio(s) of choice on or before May 1, 2014. 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 2 of 6]
To submit via US Postal Service: Download the application from www.letsgoarts.org/neighborhoodstudios and save to your desktop. Fully complete the application, using the TAB key to move to each field to type in answers, resave and print. Typed applications are preferred. Applicants that are unable to type the application may print the document and legibly handwrite information. Required materials should be sent in the same envelope as the completed application. Required materials are: 1. A personal statement (unless included within the application) 2. A student resume 3. A letter of recommendation For information about personal statements, student resumes and letters of recommendation, see page 3. Applicants may apply to more than one Studio. Applicants are required to rank Studio choice within the application. To apply to more than one Studio, send a separate, completed application to each Studio where you would like to be considered for apprenticeship. Studio mailing addresses are listed on page 4. Do not send applications to the Greater Hartford Arts Council. The completed application and required materials are due to your Studio(s) of choice on or before May 1, 2014. This is a due date, not a postmark date. STUDENT RESUMES AND PERSONAL STATEMENTS A personal statement is a short summary of life events, experiences, accomplishments and challenges that have shaped and influenced you. In this case, the statement should underscore why being a Neighborhood Studios apprentice is important to you and how it fits into your personal goals. A resume is a summary of your experiences that highlights your accomplishments to show a potential employer that you are qualified for the work you want. Resumes reflect education, paid work experience, extracurricular, volunteer and leadership experiences. If you do not have a current resume, you can use a template resume available at www.letsgoarts.org/neighborhoodstudios and click on Student Resume Template. A letter of recommendation is a business letter written by a trusted adult to endorse a student s skills, characters and/or achievements. A letter of recommendation should be written by a teacher, guidance counselor, employer, youth leader or other trusted adult. A letter of recommendation cannot be written by a parent, guardian or any other family member. 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 3 of 6]
STUDIO CONTACT INFORMATION Please send completed application and required materials to each Studio you would like to be considered for apprenticeship: Studio Title Email Address USPS Mailing Address Snap! Photography Youth Jazz Orchestra amistadcenter@wadsworthatheneum.org The Amistad Center for Art & Culture Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art 600 Main Street Hartford, CT 06103 info@artistscollective.org Artists Collective 1200 Albany Avenue Hartford, CT 06112 Breakdancing Shakespeare Write to the Point! Creative Nonfiction Eye on Video: Film Studies & Video Production rreader@hartfordstage.org julia.pistell@marktwainhouse.org lfyfe@realartways.org Hartford Stage 50 Church Street Hartford, CT 06105 The Mark Twain House & Museum 351 Farmington Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 Real Art Ways 56 Arbor Street Hartford, CT 06106 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 4 of 6]
STUDIO REQUIREMENTS AND NEXT STEPS Each Studio may require interviews, samples of creative or visual art work or an audition. Please see the specific Studio requirements and next steps below. Studio Title Organization Requirements and Next Steps Snap! Photography Youth Jazz Orchestra Breakdancing Shakespeare Write to the Point! Creative Nonfiction Eye on Video: Film Studies & Video Production The Amistad Center for Art & Culture Artists Collective Hartford Stage The Mark Twain House & Museum Real Art Ways You will receive a confirmation via email that we have received your application. If you are selected to move forward in the application process you will be contacted by telephone or email to come to the museum for an interview. You will be asked to bring at least two samples of your original creative work in the visual arts to the interview. (Paintings, sculpture, drawings and graphic designs are acceptable. At least one example of your photography is required). Select applicants will be contacted to schedule an audition at Artists Collective during May 2014. Those applicants must participate in an audition that will measure proficiency with their instrument as well as their ability to read music. Auditions are required. Each applicant will be notified of the audition requirement. Auditions are on Wednesday, May 21 from 3:30-7:30 pm at Hartford Stage s rehearsal studios at 942 Main Street. Select applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview at the Mark Twain House & Museum during May 2014. Those applicants may be asked to provide a brief writing sample. Select applicants will be contacted by Real Art Ways to schedule an interview in May 2014. These candidates will be required to complete a "paper bag" sculpture assignment. Details of this assignment will be provided in advance of the interview. Although not required, candidates are welcome to bring in other examples of completed artwork (for example, an art portfolio or video reel) to the interview. 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 5 of 6]
SERVICE AREA MAP CONTACT INFORMATION Questions should be directed to: Ashley Sklar, Community Programs Manager, Greater Hartford Arts Council 860-525-8629 x252, asklar@letsgoarts.org. 2014 Neighborhood Studios Guidelines for Apprentice Applicants [Page 6 of 6]