London Borough of Culture Interns Celebrate Their Final Day
On 15 September 2025, a group of nine young people took their first steps into creative careers by starting paid internships at arts and culture organisations.
The London Borough of Culture internship scheme supported them to gain skills in areas like project support and communications while opening access to creative careers and contributing to Wandsworth’s London Borough of Culture year. Each of the nine host organisations offered an interactive experience day for the full intern cohort ensuring a broad understanding of the sector.
Six months later, as the internships draw to a close, the interns and their managers reflect on what they've gained from the experience...
“My favourite part of the internship was getting to be creative every day. I enjoyed so many aspects of the internship but the underlying one was finally being in a position to be paid and encouraged to be creative- whether that was designing/painting sets, or making props, impromptu fixing of props or discussing costumes and logistics. I loved it!” - Libby (Intern, Putney Arts Theatre)
“I think the London Borough of Culture internship will be helpful for future roles, because the things I have learnt during my time here has opened me up to another field that I hadn't considered before and it's set me up for the next step. I have been trained on how to use MailChimp, Eventbrite, Wagtail CMS, shorthand, Basecamp, Event management. All these different skills I've obtained plus I have learnt what it means to work in an office environment and the culture around it.” - Iman (Intern, Royal College of Art)
"I found the experience days incredibly useful but also refreshing. One of the reasons I wanted this internship was to get more familiarised with other creative practices and this allowed me to get a small amount of insight in many creative industries; what considerations they had for practicality, audiences, and artistry. Additionally it felt more like I was a part of a community as it meant I could get to know the other interns more and feel like there were others going through similar things as me." – Joshua (Intern, Chocolate Films)
“My favourite part of the London Borough of Culture internship was the opportunity to work within a professional arts organisation, Royal Academy of Dance, while also connecting with other interns across the London Borough of Culture programme. It created a really supportive environment where we could learn from each other while gaining real experience in the sector. I developed skills through day-to-day work, such as communication, event coordination, and working within a professional team environment. I also really enjoyed the experience days. It was inspiring to visit different organisations and hear directly from professionals about their work and career paths. Each organisation offered a slightly different perspective on the arts sector, which made the experience both informative and motivating. Overall, the London Borough of Culture Internship programme was very well structured and I always felt supported by the team. Everything was clearly communicated, which made it easy to follow and participate fully.” - Yuanye (Intern, Royal Academy of Dance)
"I have gained real-life experience working in a charity that is centred in the cultural arts sector, which I hope will enable me to work with charities in the future. I now have a better understanding of the inner workings of how non-profit organisations function. I have also developed administrative skills and the confidence to apply them in different environments; for example, I now feel confident answering the phone and responding to queries. My company has given me a wide range of experiences, including helping with outreach programmes, social media, website design, creating a digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, running a craft session, and assisting with tours. Overall, the internship has helped prepare me for future roles, especially as I will be continuing to work three days a week at the same company for the next few months." - Niamh (Intern, London Children's Ballet)
"My personal creative practice has always been just me and art, but it's highlighted how important groups and collaborations are. There are so many teams within Battersea Arts Centre and so much going on behind the scenes. I illustrate. I do acrylics on canvas, ink drawings, poetry and thought‑stream writing. I’m currently working on digitising everything and building a website and making a little online space for creatives." - Shanti (Intern, Battersea Arts Centre)
What do the host organisations say?
"Our favourite part of hosting our London Borough of Culture Intern was seeing their confidence grow throughout. Jarrod was able to get stuck into a variety of tasks at Theatre503 including marketing and media creation, script reading and programming, set building and painting and general administration. It’s a great programme that I hope returns in the future." - Emily Carewe, Theatre503 Executive Director and Co-CEO (Intern Host)
"We’ve loved hosting a London Borough of Culture intern. At the Royal Academy of Dance, we’re deeply committed to creating meaningful opportunities for young people, so it was an absolute pleasure to take part. It was wonderful to give our intern end‑to‑end experience within an international, world‑leading dance organisation—from organising and delivering a range of in‑person and online events to supporting the coordination of commercial hires.” Sarah-Jane, Head of Events and Special Projects Development and Fundraising Department (Intern Host)
“It has been brilliant to see our London Borough of Culture intern, Niamh, develop skills throughout the internship at London Children’s Ballet. She has expanded her knowledge of ballet and the Arts, increased her confidence speaking to external stakeholders and made good use of the extra training opportunities provided by Wandsworth Council. She’s been chaperoning our LCB Touring Company in care home and SEN Schools, managing tour rehearsals, communicating with parents and our young dancers aged 9 -15. The tour visited a deaf school and Niamh taught our dancers some sign language to communicate with the students. She learnt sign language through a course offered by Wandsworth Council while doing the internship and it was lovely to see her put it into practice. ” - Lara Waterfield, Programme and Outreach Manager (Intern Host)
Thank you to the fantastic London Borough of Culture intern host organisations:
- Battersea Arts Centre
- On Da Beat
- St George’s Hospital Charity
- Theatre503
- Putney Arts Theatre
- Royal Academy of Dance
- London Children's Ballet
- Royal College of Art
- Chocolate Films