I’ve recruited a number of graduates into work placements. And on the other side of the fence, I’ve worked for free to gain experience. Both times, the gap between where you are and where you would like to go remained.
And yet, creative tension is exactly what is missing. If you can help a company, a talented and ideally connected individual, or a collective ship their work it might just be worth it.
The alternative is to try to keep your internship supervisor happy while they think they are doing you a favour.