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…