Deadline: December 16, 2016

Curatorial skills development internship

Centre A is a leading public art gallery located in Vancouver’s Chinatown with a purpose to be an engaged participant in the ongoing production of a pluralistic and democratic society. We strive to activate contemporary art’s vital role in building and understanding the long and dynamic Asia-Canada relationship, while tackling questions of broader concern from Asian and Asian-diasporic perspectives. While we play an active role in community enlivenment and conviviality, we are a means for broader cultural productivity; a local and trans-national community building apparatus that acts as a conduit for contesting the ideas that define Asian as “other” and “elsewhere”, and as a site for the contemplation of issues of contemporary concern.

The Curatorial Skills Development Internship is intended for recent graduates and/or graduating students in the 3rd or 4th year of their studies related to art history, visual art, design, liberal arts, humanities and critical and curatorial studies to work at Centre A as the Exhibitions Intern. Within the contexts of daily gallery operations and exhibition making, the Exhibitions Intern will learn to balance and integrate diverse roles and tasks in a stimulating and professional environment.

Length of internship
24 weeks at 24 hours per week
January 2017 – June 2017

The Exhibitions Intern will assist with the following tasks:
• Gallery and exhibition maintenance
• Visitor management
• Exhibitions-related office administration
• Research and writing exhibition-related texts
• Website and social media updates
• Designing print material
• Logistics of exhibition install
– Drafting install schedules
– Corresponding with artists
– Small installation jobs, such as wall prep, painting, or lifting and positioning artworks
– Assisting with framing artwork
– Assisting with lighting
– Deinstallation, packing and shipping artwork
• Assisting with events and programs (talks, screenings, exhibition openings)

The Exhibition Intern may also be invited to participate in artist meetings and studio visits. As well, the intern will be given the opportunity to curate Centre A’s annual recent graduates exhibition, opening June 2017.

Learning objectives

Centre A’s Curatorial Skills Development Internship was established with the intention to provide young and emerging artists and curators with experiences that exist only outside of the classroom setting, immersing them in a locally and internationally engaged arts organization. Centre A will provide the intern with the invaluable experience of working in a non-profit art gallery that can help develop their artistic, curatorial and academic practices, equipping them with the skills required to pursue a career in the arts. By the end of the placement term, the intern will gain a sense of what it means to engage an audience in a community and neighbourhood rich in educational, economic, and cultural diversity, and be capable of taking on independent curatorial, logistic, and administration work.

Qualifications

• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, highly organized and able to work independently and with others.
• Strong interpersonal and written and oral communication skills.
• Capacity to problem solve and take ownership of tasks.
• Strong time management and multi-tasking skills.
• The ability to stay focused in high-pressure and fast-paced situations.
• Interested in engaging with the local arts community and Chinatown neighbourhood.
• A demonstrable interest in gallery operations and exhibition making (research, production and execution).
• Basic knowledge of social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) is a must.
• Experience beyond personal use with social media platforms is an asset.
• Basic skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), and Adobe Suite (Photoshop, InDesign). Design experience is not necessary, but an asset.
• Skills in photography are an asset.
• Knowledge of languages other than English, particularly Asian languages is a strong asset.

How to apply

To apply, please send a letter of intent, a CV containing both work experience and exhibition history, a writing sample and/or a short statement on your artistic and curatorial interests, a sample of any previous graphic design work (optional) and two letters of reference from professors or previous/current employers to Natalie at info@centrea.org by December 16, 2016 (11:59 PST). Applications without reference letters will be considered incomplete. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information please visit: http://centrea.org/support/opportunities/