(Internship) Curatorial and Learning & Engagement at the St. Louis Museum of Art

Job Status: Full-time Internship

Position Summary

The paid internships at the Saint Louis Art Museum offer opportunities to gain first-hand experience working in a major art museum. Interns will work one-on-one with a staff member from the Curatorial or Learning and Engagement divisions of the Museum to contribute to a specific project. In 2022, projects include:

Project 1: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Internship

  • The Intern will work with curators in the department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas to conduct research and catalog historic Native American art, focusing on the Donald Danforth Jr. Collection of Plains and Plateau art. Intern will also assist with special exhibition projects for African art.


Project 2: American Art in the Early Cold War (1939-1963)

  • The Intern will work with curators in the department of American Art to assist with research for a Cold War exhibition that will bring a socio-political perspective on a wide range of American art produced between 1939 (Hitler-Stalin pact) and 1963 (assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy). The project will entail research on individual objects, on social/political contexts and artist groups as well as compiling gallery and exhibition histories and contemporaneous reviews. Intern will also assist with exhibition databases and checklists.  

Project 3: Contemporary Ceramics and Craft in St. Louis

  • The Intern will work with curators in the department of Decorative Arts and Design to conduct research on contemporary ceramics and other craft media in the collection and the community. The intern will strengthen research on artists represented in the collection by compiling annotated bibliographies and artist and exhibition histories and identifying comparative objects and collections.

Project 4: Research and Planning for the 100th anniversary of education at the Saint Louis Art Museum 

  • The Intern will collaborate with Learning and Engagement staff to research and develop ideas for public programs and activities to mark 2023, the 100th anniversary of SLAM’s education department (now called Learning and Engagement). Tasks may include reviewing materials in the museum archives, helping to create an updated narrative of the history of SLAM’s education department, and assisting in the research for a video or social media campaign celebrating the 100th anniversary of the department.  

 

The Saint Louis Art Museum is home to a collection of over 37,000 works of art from six continents, dating from ancient times to the present. Curators, together with museum educators, designers, registrars, and many others, work to interpret and present the collection and develop programs that enrich visitor experiences. Over the course of the summer program, interns will have opportunities to learn more about SLAM’s collections through curatorial tours. In addition, they will participate in tours of the conservation facilities, brownbag lunches with department and division heads, and a meeting with the museum’s director.

 

Key Information:

  • Mandatory start date is Monday, June 13, 2022
  • Internship concludes when intern completes 300 hours; duration to be eight or nine weeks
  • Work schedule is Monday through Friday, roughly 37.5 hours per week
  • Biweekly pay will be $12.50/hour worked, no benefits or holiday pay
  • The Saint Louis Art Museum adheres to protocols based on current guidelines from the City’s Department of Health. All potential new hires will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.
  • The internship will most likely take place on-site, though there may be a potential for remote work.
  • Candidates will be considered for specific projects based on interest, qualifications, and project needs.

 

A complete application requires the following documents:

  • Cover letter to indicate professional goals, reason you seek this internship, and how your training and experience have prepared you for any of the projects cited above.
  • Resume or CV to indicate work experience (volunteer and paid work) and academic background
  • Transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)
  • Language skills list to specify language(s) and reading, writing, speaking levels of fluency
  • 3 References: name, title, affiliation and full contact information (letters of reference not required; at least 2 references must be a professor or academic advisor; 1 can be a personal or nonacademic professional reference)
  • Academic writing sample, such as a research paper (minimum 5 pages in length, with source citations and bibliography)

 

Click here to apply. *Please only upload two documents: (1) a PDF that combines the cover letter, resume/CV, transcripts, language skills and reference list; (2) the writing sample.*

 

Deadline to submit complete applications: 11:59 pm CST on Sunday, February 20, 2022
Selections will be completed by April 8, 2022.

 

Please direct any questions to Meagan McKay, Sr. Administrative Assistant for Curatorial Affairs, at meagan.mckay@slam.org

 

The Saint Louis Art Museum is committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourages applications from candidates of color. The Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all applicants and employees fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience, without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.