We welcome undergraduate and postgraduate students to do voluntary placements with us year-round.
Open: 12/08/2026 – 30/11/2026
Posted: 12/08/2026
Working with LEAN is a unique opportunity to learn about the arts education sector and connect with the local creative network. Responsibilities range from administrative tasks to event organisation and general operations. For the past few years, we have been partnering with Goldsmiths’ MA Arts Administration & Cultural Policy to provide placement opportunities to their students. We wholeheartedly appreciate them sharing their time, efforts and knowledge with us.
Our work is mostly office-based, while remote work is possible occasionally. Due to limited resources, these placements are on a voluntary basis, though LEAN is committed to providing a daily allowance covering basic costs. If you are interested in working with us, please email our Director Sharon Trotter at sharon@leanarts.org.uk with a brief introduction to your current education/job and intended placement period.
Read the reflection from our recent intern Annie An Wei:
“My two-month placement at LEAN passed by incredibly quickly.
Before joining LEAN, the aim of fostering creative opportunities for children and young people felt rather abstract to me. Over the past two months, I had the opportunity to contribute to Cultural Connectors events for teachers, the Freelancer Forum and Lewisham Cultural Education Partnership meetings. I represented LEAN at the Keystone event at Blue Garage and attended the wonderful summer performances presented by Lewisham Youth Theatre.
Through these experiences, I gained a deeper understanding of how a local cultural network is built and sustained. I learned that developing trust takes time and is strengthened through collaboration, information sharing, training and ongoing support.
Working in the arts and creative industries can be challenging. I saw how organisations and creative practitioners work hard to secure funding, resources and opportunities, and I came to appreciate the amount of work that happens behind the scenes to make projects possible.
At the same time, it is an exciting and inspiring field. There is a real sense of achievement when creative ideas are brought to life and shared with audiences. I was also struck by the supportive nature of the local arts community, where organisations collaborate, share resources and respond to one another with empathy and generosity.
As an international student, this placement helped me build confidence in professional communication and develop a better understanding of how a UK arts organisation operates. It has confirmed that this is the world in which I would like to continue developing my career.
I am extremely grateful to LEAN for this valuable learning opportunity, and especially to Sharon, Julia and Stephanie for their patience, guidance and encouragement throughout my placement.”
