The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.
The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Photography and Media seeks an enthusiastic and organized intern interested in collection management and curation. The intern will learn about the Art Institute’s collection by assisting the department’s collection manager with cataloging and object research, and publishing original web-based content on objects in the collection. Through mentorship with the collection manager and curators in the department, the intern will gain insight into the work of a photography and media curator and museum careers more broadly.
The intern will join a museum-wide intern cohort and have access to a range of programs to support their development in addition to their placement in Photography and Media. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience, and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.
McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program Goals
The McMullan Arts Leadership internship program is part of a museum-wide effort to provide students the opportunity to gain experience, career awareness, networks, and skills that will position them to thrive as future art museum leaders.
This program specifically aims to support students who encounter economic challenges when considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help shape a diverse group of leaders whose actions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, varying career paths, and values inspired by their own lived experiences.
Internship Outcomes
In this position, the intern will have the opportunity to:
Responsibilities
With guidance from the position’s mentors, the intern will:
Qualifications
Compensation & Benefits
Hiring Range: $17.50/hour (Maximum 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship.)
This position is not benefits eligible.
Schedule: This is a part-time, 32-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship. Work days will occur between Monday–Friday; the start date and schedule will be determined upon agreement with the candidate and the host department.
Hourlong virtual and in-person intern professional development programs will be scheduled throughout the internship term that the student is strongly encouraged to attend. These programs will occur during the week; we ask that the intern make this part of their internship schedule.
Format: The internship will be fully onsite. Due to onsite necessity, applicants based or attending school in the Chicagoland area during the internship timeframe will be prioritized. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship; technological accommodations will be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago based on necessity.
Application Instructions
You must upload all of the requested materials below (resume and essay responses) into only one pdf document and list your last name and “AY 26-27” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME] AY 26-27.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application.
PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.
To apply for this internship, tell us your story. We want to understand who you are, what motivates you, how you think, and where you’re coming from. Please submit the following materials:
DEADLINE: The deadline to submit an application to this position is Friday, August 7 at 11:59 pm CDT. We will not accept late applications.
Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a video interview approximately two weeks after the application deadline.
Accessibility
If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:
Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants
Equal Opportunity Statement
The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu
The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is a world-renowned art museum housing one of the largest permanent collections in the United States. An encyclopedic museum, the Art Institute collects, preserves, and interprets works in every medium from all cultures and historical periods. With a collection of approximately 300,000 art works and artifacts, the museum has particularly strong holdings in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting, contemporary art, early 20th century European painting and sculpture, Japanese prints, and photography. The museum’s 2009 addition, the Modern Wing, features the latest in green museum technology and 264,000 square feet dedicated to modern and contemporary art, photography, architecture and design, and new museum education facilities. In addition to displaying its permanent collection, the Art Institute mounts more than 30 special exhibitions per year and features lectures, gallery tours, and special performances on a daily basis.
