Founded in 1996, the Meridian Interns Program (MIP) is a paid internship for low-income teens from all over San Francisco in which Artist Instructors integrate art-making workshops with training in job-related skills. The Society for Art Publications of the Americas applies for support to sustain its Meridian Interns Program which uses a designated studio in its non-profit Meridian Gallery as a base for experiential work in the arts. Youth are taught by a team of five or six artists. Conceived as a natural offshoot of the programming of Meridian Gallery, MIP transforms the knowledge and energy of the people and resources associated with Meridian Gallery into a unique educational experience, providing approximately 34 youth each year the chance to work with and learn from professional interdisciplinary artists.