Paid Internships at Aperture

Job description

Aperture is a nonprofit publisher that leads conversations around photography worldwide. From our base in New York, Aperture connects global audiences and supports artists through our acclaimed quarterly magazine, books, exhibitions, digital platforms, public programs, limited-edition prints, and awards. Established in 1952 to advance “creative thinking, significantly expressed in words and photographs,” Aperture champions photography’s vital role in nurturing curiosity and encouraging a more just, tolerant society. With a capital campaign and development of a strategic plan underway, Aperture is preparing to move from Chelsea to a new, permanent home on 380 Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side of New York City in early 2026.

Aperture is seeking to hire three (3) individuals to join our Spring 2026 Work Scholar program in the following departments: Editorial Magazine, Book Publishing, and Publicity & Communications. Work Scholars serve on a paid part-time basis (24 hours per week) for which they receive $18 per hour. The program will start January 21, 2026, and end on June 26. 

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, December 31, at 11:59PM. If you have any questions, please reach out to workscholars@aperture.org.

What You Can Expect to Learn - Editorial (Magazines)

Work Scholars will be immersed in a handful of publications. By the end of your time with Aperture, you can expect to know more than one publication inside and out and feel proud of your important contribution to the research, organization, and assistance on the project. Our goal is for you to learn how a magazine is produced from the inception process to publication. Along the way, it is our hope that this opportunity sharpens your attention to detail and professional communication skills--both experiences that will serve you in whatever field you choose to pursue. This program is designed so that each Work Scholar works with a senior staff member one-on-one. In the beginning of each term, the department welcomes the interns and discusses the structure and organization while also asking for specific tasks that each intern wishes to refine. Midway through the session, staff and interns meet again to review the past month’s projects and discuss the overall program, examine ways to improve, and provide feedback. There is also an exit meeting in which interns are invited to share what they learned and evaluate the program overall.

What You Can Expect to Learn - Book Publishing

Interns have the opportunity to be immersed in a handful of publications and understand how a not-for-profit publisher operates. Our goal is for you to learn how a book is made from the inception process to the final production. You can expect to learn about the business and management side of publishing and what it means to be an art publisher today. This opportunity will sharpen your attention to detail and professional communication skills, as well as provide an understanding of editorial and production schedules, distribution cycles, and project management. This program is designed so that each Work Scholar works with a senior staff member one-on-one. In the beginning of each term, the department welcomes the interns and discusses the structure and organization while also asking for specific tasks that each intern wishes to refine. Midway through the session, staff and interns meet again to review the past month’s projects and discuss the overall program, examine ways to improve, and provide feedback. There is also an exit meeting in which interns are invited to share what they learned and evaluate the program overall.

What You Can Expect to Learn - Publicity and Communications

The Communications department ensures maximum public awareness of Aperture’s work as a nonprofit publisher, with recognition for all elements of programming: two annual seasons of books, the quarterly Aperture magazine, educational events, and touring exhibitions. Outreach and visibility are generated through earned media and editorial press coverage, social and digital content and campaigns, cross-promotional efforts with other organizations, and a range of programs including artist lectures and book signings in New York and around the world. The Communications department collaborates with all teams at Aperture to strategize and prioritize the promotion of key initiatives and programs.

How to Apply:

Please send a resume and professional cover letter in one PDF attachment and describe how your skills and experience meet the qualifications, using the Google Form links below specific to the position you’d like to apply for. The file name should be “application_LASTNAME.pdf”
 

Editorial Magazine Application Link: https://forms.gle/c3RoVbb5ZfmzGSXt6

Book Publishing Application Link: https://forms.gle/vFgnWt8qXBXq3Y6T7

Publicity & Communications Application Link: https://forms.gle/cd5KhVChxrZvApM49

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. NO CALLS, PLEASE. Only applicants who meet our requirements for this position will be contacted. Aperture will be offering a salary of $18 per hour to start for this position. These internships will start in January 2026 and end in December. This position is part-time at 24 hours a week.

Aperture seeks to build a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes all applications, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, cultural background, disability, age, or religion. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of our strategic thinking, and reflected in the selection of artists and writers that we publish, the engagement programs we present, and our ongoing work to diversify our staff and board.