Black Theatre United (BTU), a non-profit organization that helps protect Black people, Black talent, and Black lives in theatre, has launched a first-of-its-kind program providing eight paid summer internships for undergraduate students education students. The Broadway Marketing Internship Program is a collaboration between BTU and CUNY, along with four top live entertainment advertising and marketing agencies: Serino Coyne, AKA, RPM, and Situation Interactive.
Two students will be placed with each of the four participating agencies for the eight-week paid program, which runs June 27-August 19. Applications are available now at BlackTheatreUnited.com and are due by March 28.
The goal of the program is to create a learning space for Black students to develop an understanding of the inner workings of the Broadway industry, become familiar with the companies and organizations that keep Broadway moving, put their coursework into practice in a real work environment, and get close to industry jobs to see what might spark their interest and curiosity. The program is open to all students currently enrolled in undergraduate programs.
BTU and the four participating agencies believe the initiative will open doors to educate and inspire Broadway’s next generation as the industry reflects on how it can better serve communities of color and create access and pipelines in underrepresented fields. Students and their points of view will be fully integrated into every aspect of their internships to ensure a learning space that is safe, open, and filled with support.
“The amount of talented Black advertising candidates and other advertising candidates of color is staggering and untapped when it comes to the theatrical industry," shares BTU founding member Allyson Tucker. "Providing opportunities for intelligent and creative artists of color to authentically and holistically hone their abilities in fields where there has been no access will elevate and excite this industry in ways we can't imagine, but can't wait to see. The dream of a truly relevant, vibrant, thriving, inclusive industry begins by ensuring that opportunities exist in every corner of this community.”
The internship will begin with a special workshop from The Business of Broadway where students will learn how a show is produced, explore the timeline of a show's creative development, and begin to understand the business model that fuels the process. During their internships, students will receive hands-on experience across all departments and specialty areas at each agency, including strategic planning, research, creative development and art direction, media planning and buying, social media, content development, partnership marketing, and sales and data analytics.
In addition, the program will provide participants opportunities to receive professional and mentorship support through relationships with veteran Broadway industry leaders, including BTU founders. Students will attend two theatre-related events each week, including courses taught by creatives and thought leaders at each agency, and field trips to other New York theatre organizations led by industry experts. In addition to being paid, students will receive an unlimited Metrocard for the summer.
