Arts Intern – Research & Metrics

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 22,730 - 32,373; Part time

Job summary

A philanthropic organization is seeking an Arts Intern for Summer 2026 in Miami, Florida. This internship offers a hands-on experience in arts research, strategy, and evaluation. The ideal candidate is an undergraduate student with strong research and writing skills, and proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets. Responsibilities include conducting research, data organization, and producing reports. This role provides an opportunity to contribute to impactful work and gain insights into arts grantmaking and community impact.

Qualifications

• Open to local and non‑local students with legal right to work in the USA.
• Strong research and writing skills are preferred.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and stay organized.

Responsibilities

• Support research and data organization efforts related to arts funding.
• Gather, organize, and clean data using Excel or Google Sheets.
• Assist with short research summaries, briefs or slide decks.

Skills

Research skills

Organization

Data analysis

Excel proficiency

Writing skills

Education

Undergraduate student

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Job description

Knight Foundation is seeking an Arts Intern – Research & Metrics Intern to support the Knight Arts Team during Summer 2026. This internship offers a hands‑on opportunity to explore how a national foundation approaches research, strategy and evaluation in arts and culture, while contributing to meaningful work that advances the foundation’s goals.

This internship is ideal for an undergraduate student who is curious about arts and culture, enjoys research and organization and is interested in how data and metrics can support stronger grantmaking and impact.

About Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation supports a more effective democracy by funding free expression and journalism, arts and culture in community, research in areas of media and democracy, and the success of American cities and towns where the Knight brothers once published newspapers. Our approach is inclusive and nonpartisan. We value freedom of speech and the press, and we often embrace new and innovative technology to achieve our goals. Our drive to create positive change is amplified by our ability to collaborate internally and with our partners. We look for authenticity, agility, and accountability, knowing we are at our best when we leverage our collective strengths and experiences. We proactively approach our work with a sense of pride and responsibility–adapting, as needed, to the changing realities in our communities.

About Knight Foundation’s Internship Program

Internships are 10 weeks, running from early June through mid‑August.

• Pay: $20.00 per hour
• Eligibility: Open to local and non‑local students with the legal right to work in the United States.
• Relocation: Interns are responsible for their own travel and housing costs.

In addition to project work, interns participate in organization‑wide programming, including professional development sessions, networking with staff and partners, exposure to philanthropy and social activities with fellow interns.

What You’ll Do

Working closely with the Vice President for Arts and the Knight Arts Team, the intern will support early‑stage research and data organization efforts related to arts funding and impact measurement.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching how peer arts funders and organizations track impact using publicly available reports and resources
• Gathering, organizing and cleaning data using Excel or Google Sheets
• Assisting with short research summaries, briefs or slide decks
• Supporting the development of simple templates or reference tools for metrics and reporting
• Attending internal meetings to observe and document discussions related to arts strategy and metrics

What You’ll Produce

By the end of the internship, the intern will have contributed to:

• A short research brief on arts metrics and data practices
• Organized and cleaned data sets to support analysis by the Arts Team
• Draft templates or simple visual tools to support future metrics development
• A brief end‑of‑summer presentation summarizing learning and project outcomes

What You’ll Learn

This internship is designed as a reciprocal learning experience. By the end of the summer, the intern will gain experience in:

• How a national foundation approaches arts research, strategy and evaluation
• Conducting landscape research and synthesizing findings clearly
• Introductory data organization, basic analysis and visualization
• The role of arts grantmaking in community vibrancy, economic mobility and local ecosystems
• Professional skills such as note‑taking, synthesizing information and presenting insights

Who Should Apply

We welcome applicants from a wide range of academic backgrounds. The ideal candidate is curious, organized and interested in arts and social impact.

Preferred Qualifications Include

• Undergraduate student (rising junior or senior preferred)
• Interest in arts administration, sociology, urban studies, public policy, cultural studies, nonprofit management, economics, communications or related fields (all majors welcome)
• Strong research and writing skills
• Comfort using Excel or Google Sheets at a beginner or intermediate level
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and stay organized

This is an in‑office position located in Miami, Florida.

For more on Knight Foundation, visitkf.org

Knight Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.