ArtBound Initiative - Creative Internships in Berlin

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to intern with Art Bound Initiative and gain hands-on experience in a real office environment. I was welcomed warmly by everyone at the firm and given meaningful time, tasks, and guidance that allowed me to learn, grow, and actively contribute. I appreciated being trusted to share ideas, support senior designers, and take part in real projects, which made the experience both valuable and rewarding. Coming from Australia, this internship was also a life-changing opportunity to live and work in another country for the first time. Beyond developing my graphic design skills, I learned a great deal about myself, professional responsibility, and the art and design culture of another country. This experience has greatly enriched my knowledge, confidence, and perspective.

The program helped me to get an internship in an animation studio, the environment was fantastic and I didn't feel overwhelmed or overloaded with work; the tasks assigned to me where appropiated for my skills and helped me to improve further. It also helped me to improve my insights to get into the creative industry by the coaching sessions regarding portfolio and resume, as well as understanding how could we integrate into different working cultures. Although, I think the program should consider other housing partners that are more "open" into international bank accounts or could have better contact with bank institutions among the world given that I had problems with one of the housing partners regarding payments. Except from the last paragraph, it was an amazing experience!

Hi, I'm Sol and I studied Animation at Swinburne. I loved interning at The Mill in Berlin. Escaping the Australian summer to experience real winter with snow was so worth it. Though the cold was unbearable sometimes too... Without ABI equipping me for work beforehand I would never be prepared for real work. From coaching tailored for me specifically, giving me advice on how to improve my portfolio and CV, how to prepare for the interview, how to set up future goals, etc. The only con was, this was done while I was studying full-time at uni, so handling both at the same time was a bit hard. It is a long process and there is time pressure to get things done. But all the preparation landed me an internship with The Mill in Berlin. Interning with them was awesome, their team is so nice and they made me feel included and part of the team. I got to work on so many projects and also do a lot of different things, from motion design, concept art, graphic design, presentation decks, R&D, and more! Berlin has really good food around! And groceries are very cheap too! The accommodation was a bit expensive, but it was nice to have Berlin Central Station so close by! Berlin's public transport is soooo good, I could get to work in 30 minutes! The art scene is so good too, I only went to Museum Island, but that was enough for me! My favorite museum amongst them was definitely Alte Nationalagalerie. If you're into paintings, this one is for you too! I was able to make some friends in my time in Berlin too, not only cause I went to a Chinese church and they made me feel welcome, but our Aussie Crew (all through ABI) also hang out pretty often. We went to Sanssouci Palace with ABI! It was awesome! I wish I had more time or spared more time for traveling around Germany or Europe, but I'm already satisfied with all I've seen, also definitely want to go back to Berlin! Good luck to anyone who's going abroad! Have a blast!

I was fully supported in the run up to my internship by Laura, Nicole, Shaunda, Ginda and Zulfa. Their combined knowledge and support ensured I was fully prepped with a strong resume, online presence and portfolio, and within the interview with my potential placement! Thank you ABI!

The support I received from the ArtBound Initiative team has been superb, especially regarding bureaucracy and navigating a new city. My whole experience was incredibly rewarding and I've come away with invaluable experience!

I had a great time in Berlin through the Artbound Initiative program. ABI arranged a lot of great events where I met some amazing people. They also helped me find accommodation. My internship was hard work but really good experience. Berlin is an amazing city where people are really welcoming.

I loved so much the opportunity to go abroad that Artbound Initiative gave me. It helped me get a clearer sense of where I wanted to go on my career, and made the integration into the workplace seamless. The connections are made here are truly invaluable and I wouldn't change everything I got to do for the world. It's very much something that you need to put in the necessary effort to take advantage of everything that could be, but it lovely the support you get from the very beginning up until being in the new city. I always felt like Europe was unattainable, being from South America, but it really wasn't!

ABI supported whole process of my application for my internship and start new life in Berlin. Since ABI provided me a lot of information before the internship, I was able to prepare my mindset in advance. I would say I couldn't have such a great opportunity without their support.

I was fully supported throughout the process of interning overseas and the Artbound team helped to place me where they believed the work space would complement my skills and grow them. The process of applying to Artbound and then doing the internship helped me in all professional areas for future work.

I would have to say this program was the best experience I've ever had. Incredibly simple procedure, informative preparation, and an amazing team that has answers to any questions or issues you encounter. Not only do you gain experience in the field you're interested in but you gain connections along the entire journey!

I'm really grateful because taking part in ABI gave me the nudge I'd always needed to finally move abroad and start my life in a new country. I will always cherish the program for that. Laura is a real powerhouse and any conversation with her feels deeply empowering. Ginda is also very responsive, supportive and overall helpful. I never felt alone, I do still sense the presence of the ABI network around me and I will never stop thanking all the members of the staff for their outstanding patience and support. My internship was very intense! I had the opportunity to meet and work with a wide range of artists as well as the honour to hear their insights on their work, I helped set up and promote different exhibitions, took part in studio visits and even had a pretty fun work trip to Ansbach. You have to put in the work if you want to have an unforgettable, long lasting experience. What's certain is ABI really gives you all the tools and feedback you need to succeed.

I interned with ABI this summer 2021 season with artist duo Jeschkelanger. It was a great to have hands-on experience at an artist studio straight out of university. While I was there, they worked mostly with just commissioned pieces so I was able to learn the overall structure from customer to idea scheming to construction to delivery. The environment was very amicable and down to earth. Berlin is a great city for students and rising artists as wherever you go it is filled with both rich history but also a very vivid art scene. I can most definitely say I enjoyed my time there!

Artbound Initiative was a wonderful program that helped me find an internship in Berlin, as well as helped with the visa and housing process. The coaching was incredibly beneficial, and the service through which the visa process was taken care of as well as the assistance in finding housing made the whole process so much easier. I really liked the internship placement I got through ABI and I would recommend.

It was amazing experience that I will never forget and I feel so much more confident in the art world after working with Wolfgang. Also the program itself is willing to help and work out any problem with money, transport or housing.

I had a brilliant experience in Berlin with ABI. I was there for three months, interning as an administrative assistant with ikonoTV - a streaming platform dedicated to art, design, architecture and heritage content. My tasks and responsibilities in the internship were incredibly varied, from market research, to reorganising and restructuring company databases, to writing articles. My supervisor made sure throughout the period that I had a range of tasks and longer-term projects to work on, so that I could organise myself and vary what I was working on day-to-day. This internship has already impacted my career in a meaningful way because I will be continuing to do part-time paid work for IkonoTV now that the internship is over. I could not have asked for a better outcome – joining ABI has directly led me to future employment. ABI is incredibly well-connected, meaning they found me an internship which was perfectly tailored to my strengths and career goals. Without ABI, I would not know where to start finding the kind of role I wanted – they gave me a head-start which I could not have found anywhere else. Socially, the programme was excellent despite covid-19. I was living in an apartment building with many other interns on the programme, who I was able to form meaningful relationships with - my social schedule was always super busy and I had such a fun time.

Working with ABI allowed me to receive an internship at a leading art gallery in Berlin. They accommodated me every step of the way and I always had access to resources, both digital and in-person in Berlin. I think it is worth every penny since the connections I made in Berlin will reward me with opportunities after I graduate.

ABI is probably the best decision I made for my career. I choose to do this before Covid but was interrupted by the pandemic, and thought it would prove difficult to complete. However ABI managed to seamlessly help me move country, (with flight restrictions), start an internship which has eventually lead me to my first (proper) job and help kickstart my career. They do not only facilitate move and job search but also provide valuable training that I will have and use for the rest of my career. You also become part of a global network which is so useful in the ever changing landscape of creative jobs propelled by the increasing remote work culture brought on by the pandemic. To finish I just want to say how good ABI is and it is quite literally life changing!

ArtBound Initiative were very supportive throughout the whole journey. Initially, the preparatory work really set me up to obtain such a cool internship, and the CEO Laura was there to provide great mentorship, guidance and positive energy. When arriving in Berlin, the Program Coordinator Jana was quick to organise meet-ups, allowing me to somewhat establish myself comfortably in Berlin. Overall, ArtBound Initiative were great to have by my side.

A truly life-changing experience working with Jeschkelanger studios in the heart of Berlin's art scene for 8 week this summer. Through the help of ArtBound Initiative, I was placed with a female artist duo who shared in my philosophy of intuitive making, as well as put me in contact with a handful of incredible like-minded creative internationals, with whom we went on organised gallery trips. In terms of the internship itself, I experienced an induction into hands-on craftswomanship and self-marketing: a real apprenticeship of close-collaboration with artists which I would have never had the opportunity of experiencing in my theoretical degree. There is nothing better for a young creative wanting to be fully immersed into their practice through another ways of seeing than ABI.

I've always wanted to move to Berlin to build my career and it was nice to have ABI behind me every step of the way - from the preparation needed to move countries to advice and coaching sessions during and for my internship.