Introduction to AI for campaigns
May 20, 2026
Online
Arena Academy
Arena Academy is a virtual training designed to equip new and seasoned campaign staff with the practical skills needed to run effective, modern campaigns. Whether you’re looking to break into politics or build on your experience, this training will help you take the next step in your career.
Participants choose from concurrent sessions across organizing, campaign management, and fundraising, while building core skills to navigate the AI landscape and modern digital practices. You’ll learn from experienced practitioners, gain hands-on experience, and join a national community of campaign staff you can lean on throughout the cycle.
We concluded our most recent Arena Academy in may 2026. Stay tuned for the next Arena Academy.
Your Arena Academy Journey
Learn more about your Arena Academy journey from application to career support.
How to Apply
Ready to attend Arena Academy? The first step is to apply! The application provides space to tell us about your passions and professional goals. We want to hear about what makes you unique, what you hope to gain from Arena Academy, and your aspirations as a change agent. Heads up: You’ll need to submit a pdf of your resume as part of the application. Read our application guide for more tips!
Cost and Scholarships
Tuition for Arena Academy is $300, but we never let cost be a barrier to entry. Arena offers a wide range of scholarships to ensure that anyone who is accepted to Arena Academy can attend. The majority of past participants have received a full or partial scholarship, and in our commitment to build an inclusive community, we also offer childcare grants. Scholarship need does not impact acceptance. We’ll ask you to apply for scholarships as a part of your registration process.
We also encourage you to ask your employer to cover the cost of tuition as part of a professional development fund.
Before the Training
Prior to Arena Academy, you’ll start to get to know the Arena team, our trainers, and your cohort via email and Slack. We’ll provide opportunities for you to request accessibility accommodations and tips for a successful training, including reminders to block your calendar and request time off from work, if needed. We’ll also prompt you to complete some short pre-work and attend optional pre-training sessions, such as Campaigns 101, our intro course for campaign novices.
Plenary Sessions
During Arena Academy you will attend a mix of small group sessions with your track and plenary sessions with the entire cohort of 200-300 people. Plenary sessions cover the topics that all good campaigners need to know, and offer the opportunity to learn and collaborate with a broad range of participants across tracks. Past plenary sessions have included: Beyond Unconscious Bias, Finding Your People, Combating Disinformation, Cyber Security, and Management in an Electoral Environment. This year’s plenary sessions will ensure campaign staff are ready to navigate the digital and AI landscape.
small Group Sessions
Small group sessions are where you dig deep into a particular set of campaign skills. The tools and strategies you’ll learn will differ depending on the session. At Arena Academy: Campaign Catalyst there will be a range of sessions to select from that will level up your skills on organizing, campaign management, fundraising, and digital skills.t
After the Training
After graduating from Arena Academy, our Arena Careers team is there to help you navigate your career in politics. Whether you’re working to land your first-ever role or score that big job you’ve been dreaming of, we’re here to help. Learn more about our career services.
Upcoming Events
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Arena Trainers
Arena trainers are a diverse, creative, and strategic group of practitioners who’ve led winning campaigns up and down the ballot. You’ll learn from and connect with leaders who understand and support your passions, aspirations, and values.
INTERESTED IN TRAINING WITH ARENA? FILL OUT THIS INTEREST FORMAJ Kahle
Co-Founder/CEO, Winnable & Blueshift Technologies
Alejandra G Ramirez
Civic Engagement Program Manager, The Center for Cultural Power
Alexandria Coburn
National Radical Education Field Manager, Working Families Party
Ashlee Bruner
State Director, Georgia, Vote Run Lead Action
Brionté McCorkle
Executive Director, Georgia Conservation Voters
Carli Stevenson
Assistant Director of Communications, Politics, SEIU
Catherine Kahle
Deputy Chief Technology Officer, DNC
Canaan McCaslin
Former Campaign Manager
Cayana Mackey Nance
Digital Strategist
Dom Kelly
Co-Founder, President and CEO, New Disabled South Rising
Gabriel Cabán Cubero
Campaign Director, People’s Budget Birmingham
Jade Tacka
Head of Development, Swing Left
Jocelyne soto
Civic Engagement Director, Mi Familia Vota
Jose Nuñez
National Organizing Director, DNC
Dr. Kira Banks
Professor of Psychology and co-founder of the Institute for Healing Justice and Equity, Saint Louis University
Kayci Moodie
National States and Organizing Director, NextGen
Luis Ávila
President, Iconico
Paul Kim Bradfield
Southern Regional Director, Run For Something
Phi Nguyen
Director of Democracy, Demos
Regina Monge
Former Campaign Manager, Jessica Cisneros for Congress
Ruby Sarron
Training Director, ActBlue
Ryanne Brown
Digital Paid Media Director, Priorities USA
Sarah Blahovec
Co-Founder and President, Disability Victory Fund
Sean Ward
Executive Director, New Mexico Democratic Party
Shripal Shah
IE Director, House Majority PAC
Stephanie Medina
Deputy Director, Partner Engagement, ZINC Collective
Tarah Marshall
Chief of Staff, Democratic Data ExchangeTrainer
Terry Bermea
Executive Director, Battleground Texas
The Arena Academy Impact
“I cannot overstate how much attending Arena Academy has impacted my career. Previous to attending Arena I had data experience but no connections to the political space. By networking during Arena Academy in 2019 I got connected to someone on the Cory Booker campaign. Through that connection I landed my first job in the Democratic data space. Since then I’ve worked on data teams for two campaigns, city government, the DNC, and the White House.”
“Arena Academy was a life-changing experience for me. I had worked in the data field for years, but after the events of January 6th, I was looking to get directly involved in defending our democracy. Arena Academy was my first step into the world of progressive data.”
“Arena Academy was a watershed moment in my life. It felt as though I was experiencing a revolution of self as I came to understand the power I possess as a change maker. Yes, they teach you the lingo, the tech, and the hard skills needed on a campaign. But more importantly, they demystify the political process. They abolish your imposter syndrome.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Arena Academy: Campaign Catalyst will be held online from April 29–May 2, 2025.
Arena has one scheduled Arena Academy in 2026, and while we may add one more if our calendar opens up, we suggest applying for the March Academy if you are interested in attending this year. You can expect to be in the company of 250+ current and aspiring campaign staffers who are excited about leveling up their skills.
If you already have some experience in political work and are looking to dive deep into best practices for managing teams of people and crafting intentional, people-centric programs, Academy 201 is a good fit. If you are looking to build skills related to specific areas of campaign work like fundraising, digital communications, etc. then consider Arena Academy Campaign Catalyst. You can always apply for both!
Arena Academy is for anyone who wants to learn how to work on a campaign. Past participants have come from a wide array of backgrounds including experienced campaign staffers, new graduates, and career-changers of all ages.
Click through the Arena Academy Journey to get a good sense of the full experience. Take a deeper dive by reading stories from our previous Arena Academies on our blog.
Yes, you can apply. We consider applicants at all levels of campaign experience, including those seeking to switch industries.
Arena Academy registration costs $300.
Yes! Arena ensures that financial need is never a barrier to participation, and two-thirds of Arena Academy participants receive some form of scholarship. If accepted, you’ll have an opportunity to apply for a scholarship during registration. If you have other questions as you consider your decision, just email training@arena.run.
We also recommend that you ask your employer to cover the cost of your tuition as part of a professional development fund.
For trainings held online, the scholarship will cover the $300 registration fee. In the past, we’ve also offered childcare and technology grants. Participants are eligible to apply for this additional support once they’ve been accepted into Arena Academy.
Past Arena Academies have sorted people into learning based on their roles on a campaign (Organizer, Organizing Director, Campaign Manager, etc.). For Arena Academy Campaign Catalyst, participants can choose from concurrent sessions based on their interest in the material, so you do not need to worry about picking a track this time.
Participants will have the opportunity to select sessions that level up their skills in organizing, campaign management, and fundraising. All participants will gain the skills to adapt campaigns to meet the moment—from the fundamentals of organizing, to advanced digital and data tactics, to AI, authentic social media strategy, and more.
We are not running the Arena Cup campaign simulation as part of Arena Academy: Campaign Catalyst to make room for additional training content, but we are excited to bring it back in the future.
Yes. Each day will have at least two short breaks, a lunch break, and optional workshops and social events in the evenings. However, Arena Academy will take up most of the day, and you should expect to take off work during this training.
Yes. Slides will be made available to participants, you will have an interactive workbook to use and reference, and a few select sessions may be recorded – we will let you know in advance which sessions we plan to record.
We are committed to supporting all participants in their learning experience. If you need a disability accommodation or support of any kind, please let us know on your application form or write to training@arena.run.
Yes! The 2026 Arena Academy: Campaign Catalyst is a completely reimagined take on our tried-and-true campaign staff training. While some sessions might be a refresher, this training is focused on preparing campaign staff to run modern campaigns and give them the skills they need to update and adapt campaigns to the digital and AI landscape.
Business as usual won’t cut it. In the fall of 2025, Arena merged with Zinc Collective to bring the two leading Democratic talent pipeline organizations under one roof. With shared resources, reach, and expertise, we’re building a powerful engine that will support campaign staff and fuel Democratic victories in 2026 and far beyond.
Our training this year will ensure campaign staff have the foundational and emerging skills to meet the moment and win–from the fundamentals of organizing, to advanced digital and data tactics, to AI, authentic social media strategy, and more.
Yes! We are always excited to support staff professional development. Please reach out to training@arena.run and we can discuss your needs, group rates, and more.
Please reach out to training@arena.run to learn more about Academy sponsorship opportunities. We welcome your support in providing scholarships to keep Arena Academy accessible to participants of all backgrounds.
Product demos fall into a sponsorship category – we would be excited to talk and encourage you to reach out to training@arena.run to discuss if your product is a good fit for our community’s needs.
If you have other questions as you consider your decision, just email training@arena.run. Alternatively, if you receive a text message from our team about your application, just text back. We’re a small team and will get back to you as soon as possible.
What People are Saying
Recap Of Arena Academy Houston
Watch this short video to get a behind the scenes look at an in-person Arena Academy.
Instagram Live About Arena Academy 201
Arena Academy 201 graduate Gabriel Cabán Cubero joins Arena Training Director Jess Weldon and Deputy Training Director Jessica Angima to reflect on how the training helped them as a manager.
Launch Your Political Career
Arena Academy has supercharged the political careers of thousands of people. You could be next.
