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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: This is a part-time, 32-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 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 during the week; we ask that the intern make this part of their internship schedule.
Format: The internship will be fully onsite. Due to onsite necessity, applicants based or attending school in the Chicagoland area during the internship timeframe will be prioritized. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship; technological accommodations will be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago based on necessity.
Application Instructions
You must upload all of the requested materials below (resume and essay responses) into only one pdf document and list your last name and "AY 26-27" in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_AY 26-27.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application.
PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.
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:

• Resume
• Short Essays: Instead of a cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per essay.) 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?

DEADLINE: The deadline to submit an application to this position is Monday, July 27 at 11:59 pm CDT. We will not accept late applications.
Selected applicants will be invited to participate in a video interview approximately two weeks after the application deadline.
Accessibility
If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:
Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants
Equal Opportunity Statement
The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.