McMullan Arts Leadership Intern, Arts of Asia

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 Arts of Asia is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with them this upcoming academic year.

Formally established in 1921, Arts of Asia holds one of the largest Asian art collections in North America, consisting of nearly 30,000 objects that span five millennia and represent all artistic traditions of the entire continent. Distinguished artworks include Hindu and Buddhist sculpture;
Chinese jades, bronzes, ceramics, and paintings;
Japanese screens and woodblock prints- one of the finest assemblages in the world;
Korean celadon; and Indian and Persian miniature paintings.

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 Arts of Asia. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience, and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

Duration of Position: 32 weeks / September 2026 (start date anytime during the week of September 21-25) through April 2027 (end date anytime during the week of April 26-April 30).

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:

• Receive museum project management training;
• Gain exposure to art and art history of Asia;
• Gain hands-on experience working on new acquisitions and deaccessions;
• Develop strong communication and organizational skills;
• 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:

• Assist with researching and updating collection records for online publishing;
• Support the department by creating, organizing, and maintaining curatorial files;
• Assist with departmental deaccession processes, including provenance and donor research or record management;
• Work to support collection inventory for the department;
• Participate in regular meetings with members of the department and the mentors of this position: collection manager and curatorial assistant;
• 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;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite and Google Suite;
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills;
• Demonstrated interest in arts administration, art history, or an art museum curatorial profession;
• Ability to be open-minded and work collaboratively with colleagues across the museum;
• Detail-oriented mindset and demonstrated organizational skills; ability to multitask and prioritize when appropriate;
• Not required, but preferred:
  • Knowledge of Asian art history and/or Asian language(s)
  • Demonstrated ability in database management
  • Demonstrated ability in project management.

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:

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