PUBLIC ART INTERN — May 2025
Location: Boston | Part-time | Stipend
New England-based artist Mary Lacy and her team are seeking two part-time (or one full-time) interns for the month of May to support the launch of a month-long public art performance titled Where Does It Hurt?
Project Summary:
Where Does it Hurt? is a national public art program creating thoughtful spaces for medical professionals and their communities to come together outside the clinical setting and reimagine US healthcare. It operates at the intersection of narrative medicine, community art, and public discourse. We are particularly focused on the following issues: time constraints, provider agency, access, trust erosion, and professional burnout.
Setting up outside major medical centers, artist Mary Lacy will attempt to mimic the schedule of a clinician. But instead of ‘seeing patients,’ she will create portraits. Fifteen minutes each, one after another, all day every day. A public experiment in exhaustion, connection, and trading places. Participants will book an ‘appointment’ in advance and be asked to arrive 10 minutes early to answer the singular intake question: “Where does it hurt?”
The project draws parallels between the role of the artist and that of the clinician and explores the many nuances of the provider–patient relationship. It asks questions about the nature of care, positioning the humanities to be an integral part of public health and its overall workforce. There will be exhibitions, events, and adjacent programming for providers and their communities to connect, build trust, and organize outside the clinical setting.
Where Does It Hurt? is co-created by Mary Lacy and Hugo Hernandez, and supported by a world-class advisory board of doctors, scientists, and two UN bioethicists.
Intern Responsibilities:
15-20 hours/week from May 1–31st, 2025
- Becoming part of the performance: You’ll act as the “front desk” for this live public performance, guiding participants through the intake process and managing the flow of appointments.
- Timekeeping and coordination: Notify participants of delays, help the artist stay on schedule, and manage breaks as needed.
- Public engagement: Familiarize yourself with the project’s language, goals, and strategy so you can confidently speak with passersby on site.
- Documentation support: Take photos and short videos using a phone or camera, and assist in collecting narrative responses by inviting participants to call into the Storyline.
Intern Benefits:
-$500 stipend for the month of May (if we had more money we would offer it, but you will be a part of something really cool and we are working towards funding capacity)
-Direct access to an interdisciplinary network of artists, doctors, scientists, and bioethicists working at the intersection of art and healthcare.
-Professional mentorship: Receive one-on-one guidance from Mary Lacy and other team members, including career advice for working in public art, community organizing, and the health humanities.
-Participation in weekly team meetings, with the opportunity to contribute to big-picture strategy and creative decision-making.
-Letter of recommendation or internship credit (if applicable through your school/program).
-Exposure to the emerging field of narrative medicine and an opportunity to explore innovative forms of community care and artistic practice.
-Portfolio development: You will leave with photo/video materials documenting your involvement and contributions to a nationally recognized project.
-Learning how to run a live, complex public art installation from start to finish—including logistics, public interaction, team communication, and performance strategy.
-Post-internship networking support: We’ll connect you with future opportunities in the arts, public health, or advocacy based on your interests.
-Inclusion of your name in the credits of the Boston performance when appropriate.
Ideal for students or recent grads in art, public health, medicine, social practice, performance, sociology, psychology, or anyone interested in systems thinking, care work, or collaborative creation.
LEARN MORE:
Video of LA iteration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M044Ip5wFWo
Presentation Deck: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XDwEfKpv7hJLdsVk496ne8Es0ocCZNXJ3j3JGz2-tIY/edit#slide=id.g329af56ac450182
Please send a quick note of interest - replied to this CL posting - and either Mary or Hugo will set up a call shortly thereafter.
Mary Lacy
Artist and Co-Creator
www.marylacyart.com
Hugo Hernandez
Strategist and Co-Creator