Graphic Design Internships in Austin: Launching Your Creative Career

Austin, TX, a vibrant hub for art and innovation, offers a range of graphic design internship opportunities. These internships provide invaluable hands-on experience, allowing students and emerging professionals to hone their skills and build a strong portfolio. Whether you're passionate about visual storytelling, museum work, or contributing to community engagement, Austin has an internship to match your ambitions.

The Value of Graphic Design Internships

Internships serve as a bridge between academic studies and professional careers. They offer a chance to apply theoretical knowledge in a real-world setting, develop practical skills, and gain exposure to industry practices. For aspiring graphic designers, internships are particularly crucial for building a competitive portfolio and establishing professional networks. Moreover, internships allow students to experiment with different roles and company environments, helping them to refine their career goals.

Mexic-Arte Museum Internship Program

Mexic-Arte Museum, located in Austin, stands out as a significant institution for Latinx art and culture. It offers a comprehensive internship program designed to cultivate the next generation of museum professionals. The program, supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) initiative: Latino Museum Initiative Expansion Project, provides internships and fellowships for students enrolled in Institutions of Higher Education, including Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The museum has served as a pipeline for the professional development of emerging Latinx artists and arts administrators, as well as given a spotlight to established artists.

Hands-on Experience and Skill Development

Interns at Mexic-Arte Museum gain valuable skills through projects in various departments, working under the mentorship of museum professionals. This program provides the chance to build professional networks, enhance creativity and critical thinking, and apply practical knowledge in a real-world setting.

Internship Structure and Requirements

The internships are available during the spring, summer, and fall semesters, each running for ten weeks with a commitment of 10 hours per week during office hours (Monday-Thursday 9 am-6 pm and Friday 9 am-5 pm). The pay rate is $22/hour.

Read also: Breaking into Motion Graphics

Requirements:

Current Undergraduate student in the Austin, TX area.
Qualifications and requirements will vary based on the position. Please read the Google Application form thoroughly to see if you are qualified for your desired position.

Program Cycle (Spring 2026 as an example):

Program Dates: March 6 - May 15
Application Open: January 9, 2026
Application Deadline: February 8, 2026

Application Process:

Apply by clicking which department you want to apply to and complete the corresponding Google Form.
The application requires:
- Resume
- Letter of interest
- Unofficial transcript
- Optional (but encouraged): Academic or professional letters of recommendation. Please send the letters directly to
If you need an access accommodation or have a question regarding available accommodations, or if you need this application in an alternative format to successfully submit your candidacy, please contact the Internship Coordinator

Internship Departments at Mexic-Arte Museum

Mexic-Arte Museum offers internships in various departments, each providing unique experiences and skill-building opportunities.

Graphic Design Internship

The Graphic Design intern will assist in designing signage, editorial, illustration, social media graphics, programs, photography, exhibition design, merchandise for the store and invitations for the Museum’s educational programs, events, and more. Learning to implement graphic projects, and procedures at Mexic-Arte, interns will work under the Museum’s Visual Communicator to develop all designs and text-oriented content.

Curatorial Internship

Interns will gain an international, national, and local perspective of traditional and contemporary Mexican and Latinx/a/o/e art through researching artists, helping with exhibition proposals, assisting with exhibition archives, writing for exhibition didactics, writing for various exhibitions and programs, and general departmental support. The position may require travel with the curator for artist’s visits, gallery and museum visits, art discussion panels, etc. Students will need to work in person.

In Spring 2026, Mexic-Arte Museum will prepare for projects such as Cinco de Mayo Luncheon and Heritage Festival, as well as the Rosas y Revelaciones exhibition, the Curatorial intern will assist with the preparation of this exhibit (research, exhibit text, exhibit layout, other).

Development Internship

The Development Intern will prepare for three major projects: Cinco de Mayo Luncheon and Heritage Festival, the Rosas y Revelaciones exhibition, and Capital Campaign. The development intern will support this stewardship at various points in the giving lifecycle: researching, soliciting, applying, documenting, processing, and thanking. Other tasks include archiving past exhibitions and events and working with the Collections team to learn how to photograph, categorize, and archive high-quality images and put them into Mexic-Arte’s Past Perfect database and the Culture Connect platform.

Education Internship

The Education Intern will assist with in-house educational programs, which include: creating gallery guides, leading tours, hands-on activities during tours, preparing for and facilitating creative projects, family days, workshops, as well as exhibition/art history related planning/execution and activities. They will also assist with educational activities and outreach during large-scale events and scheduled programming. The intern will learn how to manage and connect with partnered schools and community groups to run art education programs efficiently.

Other opportunities include touring youth and adult groups through exhibitions, developing curriculum, assisting with education outreach, shadowing teaching artists or MAM staff, and helping with program evaluation.

Collections Internship

Collections interns will work on standardizing existing records and digitizing new artworks and cultural materials, helping to make the collection accessible to the general public. They will work on enhancing metadata within PastPerfect and ensuring it is available to MAAS1848, a national portal for Mexican American art. Over the three year grant period, Mexic-Arte aims to fully digitize the permanent collection. This would allow the general public, scholars, and students access to more than 7,000 key Latinx artworks and advance digital equity at a time where it is more important than ever.

Preparator/Exhibit Preparation Internship

Exhibit Preparation interns will work on coordinating the logistics of new exhibits, as well as ensuring the permanent collection remains organized, accessible, and well-preserved. Museum Preparator works closely with the Curatorial staff in the planning and installation of Exhibitions. Preparator is also responsible for logistics and production during special events, routine gallery maintenance, and assisting the Museum Registrar with collections management and preservation.

During Spring 2026 the Preparator intern will be assisting with the deinstall and install of exhibits, as well as event support.

Special Events & Marketing Internship

The Special Events & Marketing intern will assist in managing the Museum’s external communications and executing special events. The intern will earn hands-on experience in coordinating the logistics of large scale events. The opening reception for the spring exhibitions, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Cinco de Mayo Luncheon, and other events will be coordinated simultaneously and require intern support to execute.

Examples of Past Internship Programs

Mexic-Arte Museum has a rich history of successful internship programs. Here are a few examples:

Fall 2025 Internship Program (Sep. 12, 2025 - Nov. 22, 2025): Students from The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University contributed to exhibits like En lo mas negro del verano and cultural events such as Viva la Vida and Mexic-Arte’s various Hispanic Heritage Month events.
Spring 2025 Internship Program (Feb. 17, 2025 - May. 7, 2025): Students from The University of Texas at Austin and St. Edward’s University contributed to exhibits like Beyond the Shape: El Arte de Chente Rodriguez and cultural events such as La Fete de 5 de Mayo and Mexic-Arte’s 3rd Annual 5 de Mayo Luncheon.
Fall 2024 Internship Program (Oct. 7, 2024 - Dec. 13, 2024): Students from Texas State University and the University of Texas at Austin contributed to outdoor exhibitions like Las Calaveras at Republic Square: Celebrating Our Shared History and major cultural events such as the Viva la Vida Parade and Festival.
Summer 2024 Internship Program (Jun. 7, 2024 - Aug. 16, 2024): Students from the University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University, and Emory University worked on projects like creating an interactive map of the Mexican American Culture Corridor, assisted the Nuestro Estilo summer camp at Austin Public Library, as well as developing press releases and marketing for a banner reveal event.
Spring 2024 Internship Program (Jan. 16, 2024 - Apr. 19, 2024): Students from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of London collaborated across departments such as Curatorial, Education, Preprator, Graphic Design, Development and Digital Media, contributing to exhibitions like Mix ‘n’ Mash and Creating Encuentros: Changarrito 2012-2024.

These examples highlight the diverse range of projects and experiences available to interns at Mexic-Arte Museum.

Additional Internship Opportunities

Beyond Mexic-Arte Museum, Austin offers numerous other graphic design internship opportunities across various industries.

Create Team Internships

As an Art Director/Graphic Designer Intern, you’ll be an integral part of the Create team, where storytelling comes to life through the fusion of visuals and words. If you see the world through a lens of “what if,” thrive on collaboration, embrace feedback as a tool for growth, and have a portfolio that reflects your passion, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. Here, you won’t just be refining skills-you’ll be creating real work with real impact. Partnering with copywriters and other creatives, you’ll play a key role in developing compelling, client-facing projects. From concept to execution, you’ll help shape high-level creative deliverables, not just production tasks. We’re looking for someone who’s eager to push ideas forward, think conceptually, and bring fresh perspectives to the table. You should be highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and inspired by all forms of visual media. If you’re ready to contribute to work that will elevate both your skills and your portfolio, we’d love to hear from you.

Industry Relations and Career Development

The Industry Relations team is dedicated to helping students channel their creative talents and ambitions into securing rewarding internships and landing that first big job after graduation. Their goal is to prepare students for the jobs of today and the future. Internships while in school are essential to building your credentials and gaining real-world experience. They're also a great opportunity to experiment with different roles and company environments before you leave campus.

Tips for Securing a Graphic Design Internship

Build a Strong Portfolio: Showcase your best work, highlighting your skills and creativity.
Tailor Your Resume and Cover Letter: Customize your application materials to match the specific requirements of each internship.
Network: Attend industry events, connect with professionals on LinkedIn, and reach out to companies of interest.
Practice Your Interview Skills: Prepare for common interview questions and be ready to discuss your portfolio and design process.
Be Proactive: Don't wait for opportunities to come to you. Actively search for internships and reach out to potential employers.

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