McMullan Arts Leadership Internship, Interpretation

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.

Position Summary

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Interpretation is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with them.

The intern in Interpretation will work with both live gallery interpretation and museum didactics. The intern will lead art making programs, tours, and other gallery experiences for adults; research innovative written interpretation being undertaken at other cultural institutions; and evaluate the visitor experience within our galleries. The internship will provide a balance between learning about the interpretive process and hands-on experience guiding interactions with, and conversations about, art.

The department of Interpretation develops, advises on, and evaluates narratives and frameworks across our galleries and digital spaces, generating engagement, prompting discovery and exploration, and presenting new perspectives. Interpretation is artwork- and audience-centered: we aim to illuminate the significance of artworks, ensure that our choices for presentation have a positive impact on visitors’ experiences, and create dialogue with visitors, inviting them to bring their whole selves to conversations in our galleries. We are committed to developing accessible interpretive approaches and strategies that celebrate the uniqueness and importance of the Art Institute’s collection.

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 Interpretation. 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:

• Gain hands-on experience developing and facilitating museum tours and other live programs;
• Learn about and participate in the production of museum didactics such as artwork labels and other materials;
• Contribute to the development and implementation of museum Interpretation and programming strategy;
• Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;
• Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

Responsibilities

With guidance from the position’s mentors, the intern will:

• Research, plan, support, and facilitate public gallery tours and other programs as needed;
• Attend meetings to discuss programming and pedagogical initiatives across Gallery Activation and Interpretation;
• Conduct evaluation by observing and interviewing visitors; analyze these findings and write actionable reports;
• Learn about the interpretive review process and exhibition planning process;
• Participate in regular meetings with members of the department and the mentors of this position: Director of Interpretation and Director of Gallery Activation;
• Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered;
• Applicants must be based in the Chicagoland area and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area over the course of the internship term;
• Ability to comfortably facilitate conversations with art, preferably with adults;
• Enthusiasm for community building and connecting with groups through teaching and conversation;
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to be open-minded and work collaboratively with colleagues across the museum;
• Willingness to interact with visitors of all ages, dispositions, and backgrounds;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite and Google Suite;
• Detail-oriented mindset and demonstrated organizational skills; ability to multitask and be flexible when appropriate;
• Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative data;
• Awareness of and/or curiosity about art museum culture and current events in the field.

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.

• Job Classification: Hourly
• Employment Category: Intern 

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:

• Resume
• Short Essays: Instead of a cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per essay.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:
• What about this job description interests you the most?
• With the mission of the McMullan Arts Leadership intern program in mind, what perspectives might you bring to this role that you think museums need more of?
• How do you envision this opportunity helping you towards your professional goals?
• Digital Portfolio: A website, Dropbox, or Google Drive hyperlink made accessible on your résumé showing examples of design work

DEADLINE: The deadline to submit an application to this position is Monday, July 27 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.