Summer in the City Student Fund

About the Fund

The Summer in the City Student Fund was created to assist Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students with their summer living expenses. The fund provides a one-time $2,500 grant to support the student while interning over the summer. The only requirements are that the student is majoring in Art History and/or Urban Design and Architecture Studies and obtains a summer internship in the field. The internship can be in any facet of the art world. With many summer internships offering little or no financial reimbursement, the intent of this fund is to help BIPOC students — including international students attending NYU — embrace these opportunities and to diversify the art community from the ground up.

Previous Recipient

(Image Alt Text: Inaugural Fund recipient, Serena Ponciano, speaking to visitor at the Affordable Art Fair as part of her internship with Fremin Gallery.)

"Last summer, I was the inaugural recipient of the Summer in the City Student Fund for my internship with Fremin Gallery, a contemporary art gallery located in Chelsea. The fund allowed me to pursue diverse experiences and build a wide array of marketable skills which have opened the door for my continued success in the art world. During my time at Fremin, I was mentored by the Director of the gallery and actively participated in the art market by connecting with artists and clients. I was able to build a professional community and network early on which has resulted in several career building opportunities. The following semester, I became a Museum Associate at Fotografiska, a contemporary photography museum, and an intern for the Heller Group, an art advisory organization that operates across three continents. Through these two opportunities, I was able to experience the modern art market from multiple perspectives which provided me with a competitive advantage when pursuing a full-time job. I am now a full-time Gallery Associate at JDJ Gallery and will continue to develop my career there after I graduate." - Serena Ponciano