McDermott Intern Contemporary Art

The Dallas Museum of Art is a space of wonder and discovery where art comes alive.

• Place art and our diverse communities at the center around which all activities radiate.
• Pursue excellence in collecting and programming, present works of art across cultures and time, and be a driving force in contemporary art.
• Strengthen our position as a prominent, innovative institution, expanding the meaning and possibilities of learning and creativity.

The intern will research Contemporary Art subjects, assisting with exhibition preparation, acquisition proposals, and collection management, with an eye towards the collection’s strengths in postwar art of East Asia, the Americas, and the African diaspora, the work of emerging artists and time‑based media. The intern will draft didactic texts for use in gallery and online, and compile documentation on works in the Museum’s permanent collection.

The intern will support curatorial projects by attending interdepartmental meetings and working collaboratively with staff across the Museum as needed.

The Contemporary Department seeks an intern to aid in the implementation and development of upcoming exhibitions and collection gallery rotations. Intern projects could include research assistance for upcoming exhibitions and installations of time‑based media, photography, and contemporary textiles. With the initial planning of the new permanent collection gallery for Contemporary Art as part of the future building project at the DMA, the intern will also conduct extensive research on the Contemporary Art collection to support that installation.

• Learn art historical and object‑based research skills, including the use of TMS.
• Learn the ability to work within a team and under a deadline.
• Gain experience with writing in a museum context, including exhibition didactic texts, labels, and acquisition proposals.
• Understand the museum exhibitions process from research to logistics to installation.
• Develop professional communication and interpersonal skills through collaboration with museum colleagues.
• Gain familiarity with the Dallas arts community through visits to galleries, area museums, local fairs, and artist studios.
• Ascertain professional goals and interests through the support of mentorship.

• Completion of at least an undergraduate degree in art history or a related field prior to the start of the internship.
• Demonstrated research and writing skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple assignments.
• Ability to work successfully within deadlines.

• Knowledge about or interest in one or more of the following areas is desirable: postwar and contemporary art of East Asia, the Americas, and the African diaspora, the work of emerging artists and time‑based media.
• Fluency in Japanese, Portuguese, or Spanish desired.

The intern will be responsible for defining their own capstone project in conversation with the supervisor depending on their interests that coincide with the current projects undertaken by the contemporary curators. Past interns have contributed to publications and collection rotations, driven website content, proposed acquisitions, and spearheaded new initiatives in data‑collection.

McDermott Internship Program applications must include all of the below items in order to be complete. Please ensure you have reviewed the list below closely and all files are included with your application.…