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McMullan Arts Leadership Internship, Photography & Media (Summer 2021)

The Art Institute’s department of Photography and Media seeks an enthusiastic and organized undergraduate, graduate, or recently graduated student who is interested in learning about the curatorial field and collection management. The intern will assist the department’s curators with research and coordination of upcoming exhibitions and/or collection-based publishing projects. The intern will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Art Institute’s collection by assisting the department’s collection manager with cataloging and/or object research, and publishing original web-based content on objects in the collection. Through mentorship with curators in the department, the intern will gain insight into the work of a photography and media curator and museum careers more broadly. 
Spanning the history of photography from the 1830s to the present, the Art Institute's Photography and Media collection holds approximately 24,000 objects by celebrated practitioners from virtually across the globe. Photographs have been exhibited regularly at the Art Institute of Chicago for well over a century; the museum’s photography collection originated in 1949, when Georgia O'Keeffe donated the Alfred Stieglitz Collection. That collection, along with the Julien Levy Collection, give the museum a core strength in early-20th-century photography from the United States and Western Europe. The department's collection also includes important groups of work by pioneer photographers of the 19th century, Japanese postwar photography, work made in Chicago, and a range of contemporary art—making it wide-ranging in scope.
INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES:
  • Develop a foundational knowledge of the inner workings of a curatorial department and the work of a curator and collection manager
  • Mentorship on career opportunities and trajectories in museums
  • Develop a knowledge of current scholarship on photography and media
  • Engagement and work with museum professionals in various fields and departments
  • Experience conducting collection and exhibition research 
  • Experience writing and publishing web-based content
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Assist curators and collection manager with research on objects in the collection
  • Assist curators with research on forthcoming exhibitions and/or publishing projects
  • Pursue independent research and develop web-based content for one or more collection objects
About the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship:
The McMullan Arts Leadership Internship program is part of a museum-wide effort to provide students from diverse backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the museum field, the opportunity to gain experience, career awareness, networks, and skills that will together position them to succeed as future art museum leaders. Those selected join an intern cohort and have access to a range of programs to support their development in addition to their specific departmental placement. Mentorship is provided throughout the intern experience. Interns are also encouraged to remain connected to the museum and to other interns as part of an alumni network.




Qualifications

  • Undergraduate or graduate student in the Chicago metropolitan area; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered
  • Major in Art History, Media Studies, Cultural/Visual Studies, or Arts Administration. Museum, institutional, or art world experience will also be considered.
  • A basic knowledge of photographic history and technique is preferred
  • Familiarity with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Google Suite
  • Ability to work collaboratively and remotely/virtually
  • Ability to carry out independent research
  • Good writing skills
  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
APPLICATION:
Application must include the following materials:
  • Resume
  • Cover letter that also includes answers to the following questions: What you hope to gain from this internship experience
  •  What you will contribute to this internship
  • What challenge(s) or barrier(s) you face (personal, cultural, socioeconomic, educational, etc.) as you consider pursuing a career in the arts, and how this internship might play a role in helping to surmount those obstacles
To apply: Visit artic.edu/careers to find job posting and apply online. Upload all materials into one pdf document. The application will close on April 15, 2021 at 10:00 PM CDT. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is suggested. Selected applicants will be asked to interview via video call.

***Please view the full posting and apply on our website for full consideration: www.artic.edu/careers***
The Art Institute of Chicago is an equal opportunity, equal access employer fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace.