McMullan Arts Leadership Intern (Publishing)
Introduction
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, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.
Position Summary
McMullan Arts Leadership Internship, Publishing – Production and Editorial (Summer 2023)
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Art Institute of Chicago’s publishing department is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with their team production and editorial teams.
The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of publishing has a long history dating back to the founding of the museum and has been a leader in museum digital publishing efforts for the last ten years. The intern will gain experience and knowledge of the Art Institute’s publishing program, which encompasses gallery didactics to exhibition and collection catalogues and digital scholarly publications.
The intern will assist with the digitization of an out-of-print Art Institute of Chicago journal that ran almost for 50 years, Museum Studies. They will review digital files, organize and author metadata, work with librarians to increase interoperability with library systems, and generate alt texts to ensure that the PDFs are accessible to people using screen readers.
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 Publishing. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.
Goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program
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:
- Learn about museum publishing procedures at the Art Institute of Chicago, with an emphasis on inclusive publishing practices such as image alt texts and digital academic publishing;
- Develop strong communication and organizational skills;
- Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;
- Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assist with digitization of an out-of-print journal Museum Studies
- Prepare and review digitized files for publication on the museum’s website;
- Organize and author metadata for each issue;
- Write and edit alt texts (image descriptions), following best practices for accessibility;
- Work with librarians to increase interoperability with library systems and website systems.
- Provide editorial or production support on other projects as needed. Possible projects include: the implementation of a new layered image viewer for our digital catalogue platform, upcoming new digital scholarly catalogues, and active print publications.
- Attend weekly check-ins with the position’s mentors: the associate director of production and manager of digital initiatives and the department’s editorial director
- Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
- Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered
- Due to onsite necessity, applicants must be based in the Chicagoland area for the summer and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area
- Ability to read texts and synthesize a cogent summary
- Proficiency in Microsoft Suite and Google Suite
- Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Flexible when working in independently, with supervision, or as part of a team
- Detail-oriented mindset and demonstrated organizational skills; ability to multitask and be flexibly prioritize when appropriate
Preferred:
- Familiarity with art history
- Awareness of and/or curiosity about art museum culture and current events
APPLICATION
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:
- Résumé
- In lieu of a traditional cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per answer.) 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?
To apply: Visit artic.edu/careers to find job posting and apply online. Upload all materials into one pdf document and list your last name and “Summer 2023” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_Summer2023.pdf.) The application will close on February 28, 2023 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.
INTERNSHIP INFORMATION
Duration of Program: 10 weeks / June 2023 (start date anytime during the week of June 5–June 9) through August 2023 (end date anytime during the week of August 7–August 11)
Compensation: Paid / $16.32/hr / full-time / Temporary
Schedule: This is a full-time, 10-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work up to 30 hours per week, for a total of up to 300 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 on select Fridays mornings at 10:00 AM CDT unless otherwise noted; we ask that the intern make this part of their internship schedule.
Format: The internship will be a hybrid of onsite and remote work days. Due to onsite necessity, applicants based or attending school in the Chicagoland area during the internship timeframe will be prioritized. All museum staff, interns, and fellows are required to provide a COVID-19 vaccine attestation upon acceptance of the position. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship, but technological accommodations can be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago based on necessity.
Number of openings: 1