Learning and Public Engagement Summer Internship
The Learning and Public Engagement department develops content, designs pedagogy, collaborates with artists and community members, and facilitates experiences involving the museum's collections and exhibitions in order to:
- champion the role of art and culture in people’s lives,
- promote access and equitable participation in art and the museum,
- foster critical and creative thinking,
- and strengthen the fabric of communities and the life of our city.
As a result, museum visitors and participants of varied ages, backgrounds, and abilities engage with each other and with works of art from across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, making the museum a place for learning, insight, inspiration, and community. They leave museum experiences feeling more connected and with greater confidence in their capacity to imagine, create, and make sense of art and their world.
The LPESI Internship is open to all qualified candidates, with priority to those who demonstrate commitment to the goal of promoting inclusive, pluralistic museums. Individuals from groups historically underrepresented in the arts museum field are particularly encouraged to apply.
Position Summary
The Department of Learning and Public Engagement (LPE) invites students to apply for an immersive eight-week experience in museum teaching. Interns will engage in intensive training in museum education practice and pedagogy, with a focus on getting hands-on learning designing and facilitating tours and art experiences for a variety of constituencies.
Some activities might include:
- designing and facilitating opportunities for multiple audiences to engage with the collection, virtually and/or in person, including leading thematic tours for youth groups, intergenerational family groups, and adult audiences
- designing and facilitating gallery activities
- supporting hands-on learning in the museum’s Ryan Learning Center
- participating in research and writing projects
- attending weekly museum career seminar
- active reflection through writing and conversation
Benefits include:
- working with professional LPE staff to understand the field of museum learning and developing a teaching practice
- gaining behind-the-scenes insight into the operations of a world-class global museum
- building a network of peers and mentors
- accessing the cultural landscape of Chicago, including free admission to museums in Chicago and other cities, and discounts at the Art Institute shops and restaurants
- compensation, with an additional housing stipend available on a limited basis—see the essay questions below
Qualifications
Qualified applicants will be senior undergraduate, graduated senior, or Master’s Degree candidate students (undergraduate applicants must have completed their junior year by May 2021 and will not have graduated before May 2020; graduate applicants will not have graduated before December 2020). In addition to these requirements, applicants should possess:
- Interest in the arts and/or museums, demonstrated through academic study, work experience, or by other means
- Experience teaching, assisting teaching, tutoring, or mentoring in informal or formal education settings (in-person and virtual) such as a school, camp, college, after-school program, community center, or museum
- Strong communication, creative thinking, and research skills
- Strong preference will be given to candidates who speak Spanish fluently
The Learning and Public Engagement Summer Internship program is open to all qualified candidates, with priority to those who demonstrate commitment to the goal of promoting inclusive, pluralistic museums. Individuals from groups historically underrepresented in the art museum field are particularly encouraged to apply.
To apply
Send a resume and your responses to the questions below. No additional cover letter is required. Combine all materials into one document and upload it in your online application on or before February 20, 2021.
Selected applicants will be asked to interview, either in-person if conditions allow (for local candidates) or via video conference (non-local candidates or for all candidates depending on safety precautions).
***Apply on our website to view the full description***
www.artic.edu/careers
The Museum Education Summer Internship is funded in part through a generous donation from the James and Madeleine McMullan Family Foundation, whose mission is to support economically and educationally underserved communities.
The Art Institute of Chicago is an equal opportunity, equal access employer fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Apply at:
https://www.artic.edu/careers