Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internships

Overview

A successful creative career requires more than artistic talent. Employers and clients increasingly look for designers, photographers, and artists who can demonstrate real-world experience, collaborate effectively and present a strong professional portfolio.

Our International Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internships connect students, graduates and aspiring creatives with carefully selected host organizations around the world. Every internship placement is tailored to your interests, experience and career aspirations, giving you the opportunity to contribute to real creative projects while learning from experienced industry professionals.

Graphic design internships

Embark on a journey of creativity with our internships for graphic design. Whether your passion lies in magazines, fashion, or marketing, we connect you with outstanding roles worldwide. These internships provide the perfect platform to build an impressive professional portfolio, forge valuable connections, and kickstart your successful career in the dynamic realm of design.

Photography internships

Capture your career goals with our photography internships, available in leading galleries and photo studios. Immerse yourself in a hands-on experience that allows you to refine your skills and unleash your artistic vision. Take the first step toward a future where your passion for photography meets real-world opportunities.

Art internships

Ignite your artistic journey with our art internships, offered in collaboration with leading galleries and photo studios. Dive into immersive opportunities that enable you to collaborate with top professionals in the industry, gaining invaluable experience that sets you apart. Elevate your artistry and carve your path in the world of creativity.

Why choose this industry

The creative industries bring ideas to life through visual communication, design and artistic expression. From branding and advertising to publishing, photography and digital media, creative professionals help businesses, organizations and individuals tell compelling stories through engaging visual experiences.

An internship provides the opportunity to move beyond classroom projects by contributing to real creative work while developing practical skills in collaboration, communication and creative problem-solving. Working alongside experienced professionals allows you to gain valuable insight into creative workflows, client projects and industry best practices.

Whether your ambition is to become a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, art director or creative professional, practical experience can help you build the confidence, portfolio and professional network needed to launch your career.

Responsibilities

Many of our Art, Photography & Graphic Design interns contribute to projects such as:

• Creating digital and print design assets for a variety of projects

• Assisting with branding, visual identity and creative campaigns

• Producing graphics for websites, social media and marketing materials

• Supporting photography shoots and creative production

• Editing and preparing visual content for publication

• Assisting with concept development and creative brainstorming

• Researching design trends, creative inspiration and industry best practices

• Organizing creative assets, project files and production materials

• Collaborating with designers, photographers and creative teams

• Preparing presentations and client-ready design materials

• Supporting gallery exhibitions, studio projects or creative events

• Assisting with project coordination and creative administration

Throughout your internship, you'll work alongside experienced creative professionals while developing the technical, artistic and collaborative skills valued across the creative industries.

Typical roles

Previous interns have contributed to projects across graphic design, branding, digital content, cultural heritage and creative production in roles such as:

Graphic Design & Creative Development

• Graphic Design Intern
• Creative Design Intern
• Branding & Design Intern
• Digital Content Designer
• Creative Design Innovation Intern

Art, Photography & Creative Production

• Art Gallery Design Intern
• Gallery Operations & Digital Design Intern
• Cultural Heritage Experience Intern
• Creative Video Production Intern
• Digital Storytelling & Video Production Intern
• Content Production Intern

These roles provide opportunities to apply your creative skills to real projects while developing professional experience and building a portfolio.

Explore more example Art, Photography & Graphic Design internship roles >

Why choose The Intern Group

Choosing the right internship is about more than finding a placement, it's about finding an experience that helps you achieve your long-term career goals. When you join The Intern Group's award-winning internship program, you'll benefit from:

A personalised internship matching process
One-to-one career coaching
Professional development workshops
Ongoing support throughout your program
Access to our 15,000+ global alumni community

From your first conversation with our team through to completing your internship, we're here to support your personal and professional development.

Learn more about why The Intern Group is the best choice for a creative internship >

Hear from our art, photography & graphic design alumni

Hear directly from previous creative interns about the projects they worked on, the responsibilities they took on and how their internships helped them develop their creative careers.

Sarah Gill

Graphic Design Intern | Interned in Melbourne

"I was really eager to get some skills under my belt in terms of how to do graphic design, but what I realized is that…what you can't show when you've got the qualification of graphic design is that you can actually work within a company, understand how everything works together. so what I thought was really important was to get some practical experience and show that I could apply those skills in a workplace... My internship was at a fashion design Boutique in Melbourne, which gave me the opportunity to really put my mark on on the design work that they needed doing...Since the program, I've managed to secure two different jobs in design agencies, and show that I was able to apply my skills previously. I've also managed to pick up freelance work as a designer as well, which I would never have been able to do if I hadn't been able to add design work to my portfolio."

Lili'uokalani Hayashida-Knight

Content Intern | Interned in London, UK

"I felt like I got a really good opportunity to experience the business side of the art world, which is specifically what I was hoping to do. I'm an artist and a photographer, and I wanted to see the other side of that (art licensing and copyright) so this was a great opportunity for that. Specifically, my internship let me see the business side of the art world in a way I'd never gotten to see before as an artist, and I think that will help me so much as I continue to grow my artistic practice and build my photography business."

Available destinations

Creativity is influenced by culture, making international experience particularly valuable for aspiring artists, designers and photographers. Depending on your career goals, you can complete your internship in leading creative destinations including:

• London
• Dublin
• Madrid
• New York
• Melbourne
• Medellín
• Hong Kong
• Tokyo
• Bangkok
• Online

Program options

In-person International Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internship
Combine first-class professional experience and cultural immersion with an art, photography, or graphic design internship abroad in one of our destinations around the world. Every year, 2,000+ talented professionals advance their careers with us in exciting global cities through hands-on experience.

Remote Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internship
Make your portfolio shine and grow your creative network from anywhere in the world with a remote internship in art, photography, or graphic design. The greatest advantage of a remote internship is the flexibility to gain real-world creative industry experience on your own schedule.

Digital Nomad Art, Photography & Graphic Design Internship
Work remotely while exploring an exciting international destination through our digital nomad internship program. Gain experience in art, photography, or graphic design while traveling, immersing yourself in new cultures, and living like a local, making it the perfect blend of creativity, flexibility, and adventure.

Career advancement training

Art, photography, and graphic design interns on our programs benefit from career advancement tools before, during, and after their internship experience. These resources are designed to help you prepare for your creative internship, make the most of your experience while interning internationally (either in-person or remotely), and confidently showcase your work and experience to future employers or clients.

You’ll receive training through videos, podcasts, articles, quizzes, and creative projects, and will earn a certificate upon completion. Topics include critical thinking, visual communication, collaboration, digital creativity, leadership, professionalism, career management, and global and cultural fluency, all of which are highly transferable skills that will support your growth in the creative industries.

You’ll also gain access to our CV and portfolio improvement tools, along with exclusive workshops, including interview preparation sessions, portfolio review workshops, personal branding guidance, and LinkedIn optimization workshops.

Once you’ve completed your international art, photography, or graphic design internship with us, you’ll have the opportunity to receive guidance on your next career steps from experienced career coaches. We’re proud to work with industry experts who can help you navigate topics such as presenting your creative experience, building your personal brand, freelance and agency career paths, salary negotiations, interview strategies, and other career-related topics.

Example host organizations

Career outcomes

The impact of our creative internship programs extend well beyond the internship itself. According to our alumni outcomes survey, 82% of respondents secured their first full-time role in the same career field as their international internship, while 98% said the experience strengthened their CV or gave them a competitive advantage in job applications. Learn more about the value of our international internship programs by exploring our alumni stories page.

Ready to build your creative career?

An international Art, Photography & Graphic Design internship is more than just a valuable addition to your resume—it's an opportunity to strengthen your portfolio, contribute to real creative projects and develop the practical skills needed to succeed in today's creative industries.

Whether you're interested in graphic design, photography, illustration or visual communications, we'll help you find an internship that aligns with your interests and supports your long-term career goals.