The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s Department of Contemporary Art is actively looking to hire a talented current undergraduate with interest in a museum career for a fall internship.
This internship is housed within the Department of Contemporary Art, which is responsible for the acquisition, study and display of art created from 1955 to today. Contemporary art at the MFA encompasses many media including film and video art, sculpture, installation, photography, paintings, design, craft, decorative arts, and performance. In September 2011, the Museum opened its renovated Linde Family Wing as a space dedicated to contemporary art, vastly expanding the department’s capacity for exhibition.
While the position will interface with all Department staff, supervisory mentorship will be provided by the Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts for the Collections and Curatorial Management Intern.
The intern conduct research, support special projects and events within the department, and assist with the administrative functioning of the department. Over the internship period, the selected candidate will learn about the curatorial process and museum administration while gaining practical museum experience. This will include learning about and participating in the development of texts to describe collection objects, participating in organizing the imaging of collection objects, and researching existing collection objects in order to write and edit web texts, as well as helping to install an exhibition; writing exhibition labels. Additionally, the intern will work on general research related to artwork acquisition and collection advancement, and other special projects related to the Curator’s and Department’s varied activities and interests in the overlapping fields of contemporary art, crafts, and design.
For this role, we encourage applications from candidates who are strongly interested in curatorial work in a museum setting, but who may not yet have had the opportunity to experience it much or at all. The internship will suit someone with a love of and true facility in reading, writing, and research, and who wants to learn how to direct these skills as part of museum work.
The intern must commit to 14-21 hours per week (within the 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri parameters) for 12 weeks between Sept 15 through Dec 8, including attendance at the Museum Pathways & Practices professional development course from 12-2pm on the following Fridays: Sept 22, Sept 29, Oct 27, Nov 3, Nov 17, Dec 1, and Dec 8.
The intern will be paid at a rate of $16.00 per hour.
As we amplify our efforts toward becoming a truly inclusive institution, ensuring that diversity, equity, and access are lived values, we actively encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to apply to the program.
Responsibilities:
The Curatorial Intern will provide general curatorial support by fulfilling many of the following functions:
- Assist in researching collection objects for the purpose of writing web texts to enable the Contemporary collection to have a more visible and research-friendly public-facing digital platform
- Assist in installing an exhibition at the Museum, and assist in writing exhibition labels
- Assist in the imaging of collection objects by helping to arrange for their transfer to the MFA Photo Studio
- Obtain permissions and copyright clearance for images and maintain accurate credit lines for newly-imaged works, and help to ensure accuracy of information on publications, in print and online
- Assist in curatorial research in conjunction with collection-related activities, exhibitions, and publications, including gathering library and archive materials
- Assist with the digital and physical maintenance of checklists, image files, lenders, and other logistical details related to the curatorial care of a museum collection
- Assist curators in working with artists, collectors, and other colleagues
- As/if needed, occasionally work with the Curator in conjunction with Learning and Community Engagement, Development, and Marketing and Communications staff to prepare programs and materials to promote, publicize, and interpret the collection and exhibitions
- Assist with coordination of logistical needs for artists/curators visits including arranging honoraria, travel, lodging, meals, and any event-related logistics
- Work with the Curator and Registrars in updating and maintaining exhibitions and loans database
Qualifications:
- Enrolled in an undergraduate program in art history, history of decorative arts, museum studies, arts administration or art program concurrent with the internship period
- An interest in museums
- Strong interest in and at least some knowledge of contemporary art
- Excellent organizational skills with keen attention to detail and ability to multitask
- Previous successful office experience, preferably in an arts organization, and proficiency in Microsoft office (experience with art database programs such as the museum system helpful)
- Demonstrated strong written and communication skills; strong research skills
- Ability to commit about 14-21 hours per week (within the 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri parameters) for 12 weeks between Sept 15 and Dec 8, including two hours on Fridays to participate in the Museum Pathways & Practices professional development course.
- Ability to attend orientation on Fri, Sept 15, 10am to 3:30pm.
How to Apply
- Combine your cover letter and resume into a single document, (Word or PDF)
- Upload the single document as your resume via the ADP portal Internships | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston ASAP before August 18, 2023.
- Any letters of recommendation must be included in your single document unless otherwise specified in the description.
*Applications not conforming to these guidelines will not be accepted nor considered.
