The UMFA Internship Program builds the skills of college juniors and seniors, recent graduates, graduate students, and beginning museum professionals. UMFA interns are provided with the opportunity to build their resumes, gain valuable behind-the-scenes experience, and work with professional staff members to complete museum projects and initiatives.
The Museum offers two or three sessions of internships per year that follow the University of Utah's semester-based calendar: Spring, Summer, or Fall. Summer Semester internships last 12 weeks, while Fall or Spring Semester internships last 15 weeks. Internships are available in numerous Museum departments, including collections, curatorial, programming, education, marketing, and more. Unless otherwise indicated, internships DO NOT include a stipend.
Once accepted, each intern is placed in a specific museum department and assigned a museum mentor. They are expected to work an average of six to ten hours per week, and are required to attend a series of enrichments that allow them to interact with the UMFA's Director, department heads, and professional staff, gaining comprehensive exposure to the Museum's operations. UMFA interns are also invited to attend the UMFA's general staff meetings and their assigned department's staff meetings.
UMFA interns who are also current University of Utah students may apply for a $500 scholarship during the semester they serve as an intern.
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUMMER / FALL 2013
Application deadlines:
Summer / May 6, 2013
Fall / August 1, 2013
Development Research Intern
The development research intern will assist the UMFA with a list-building project for prospective funders, researching donor database and online tools. Must be familiar with Excel, and accurate data entry and attention to detail is a must. The intern will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and will work on Thursdays and Fridays when a computer work station is available.
Communications Intern
Summer and Fall 2013
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) seeks a communications intern with expertise in still photography, videography, and video editing to produce a variety of short multimedia pieces promoting the museum's exhibitions, programs, and collections. Candidates should be proficient in Photoshop and Final Cut Pro and preferably have your own equipment. Finalists will be asked to submit samples of completed work.
The intern will report to the public relations and marketing manager in the UMFA's development and external relations department and will also work with the campus outreach coordinator in the education department. Twenty hours a week, summer and fall semesters. This is a great opportunity to gain experience and build your portfolio in a fun and creative professional environment.
Curatorial Intern: Modern and Contemporary Art
Summer and Fall 2013
The UMFA seeks an exceptional upper-level undergraduate or, preferably, graduate student to participate in and contribute to the museum's modern and contemporary curatorial initiatives. The curatorial intern will gather comprehensive artist research and provide support for exhibition development and ongoing curatorial projects. In addition to exhibitions-related research and support, the intern will also perform departmental tasks such as supporting administrative duties, researching the permanent collection, writing gallery labels, organizing files and libraries, and preparing correspondence, presentations and checklists
Candidates should be detail-oriented and self-motivated. The ideal candidate will have a strong knowledge of and interest in modern and contemporary art and artists, excellent oral and written communication skills, and competence in general research and office duties. Preference will be given to candidates with a background in contemporary art and individuals pursuing a Master's degree in studio art, art history, curatorial studies, museum studies, or arts administration. Writing samples are required for all applicants. Interns must commit to a minimum of 16 hours a week for a full semester. Work-study and/or school credit can be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
Collections Intern: Assistant
Summer 2013 and Fall 2013
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts Collections Department is looking for an intern to fill the position of Collections Assistant. This position will require the student to conduct weekly gallery maintenance and object cleanings on a variety of materials on exhibition. Maintenance includes dusting and vacuuming of museum galleries, dusting of art objects, cleaning of plexi-glass cases and other miscellaneous tasks throughout the galleries as needed. Outside of maintenance, the student will facilitate integrated pest management and environmental monitoring, as well as assisting with the ongoing condition survey of the museum's collection. In addition to this work, the student will be required to do readings on the materials they will be working with to gain a better understanding of museum best practices for collections care and exhibition maintenance. This position is ideal for students looking for an opportunity to learn more about museum collections care and preservation, students who are interested in exhibition preparation, and/or students who may be looking into graduate programs in museum studies, preservation studies, art history, or conservation. The student will have had prior museum/art gallery experience and will be able to commit at least ten hours to the museum weekly. In addition, the student must be able to lift 35 pounds from floor to chest and have moderate manual dexterity.
Collections Intern: Objects Conservation
Fall 2013
The Utah Museum of Fine Arts Collections Department is offering an internship in Objects Conservation to begin Fall 2013. The intern will work with the Conservator on a variety of tasks including routine preventive conservation duties, documentation, research, and object treatments. The intern would also participate in preparing objects for exhibition. This position is ideal for students who are interested in pursuing a career in art conservation and are looking to gain pre-program experience. Previous museum experience is desirable, and the student must be able to commit to a schedule of no less than 10 hours a week. This internship requires attention to detail and manual dexterity as well as the ability to lift 35 pounds from floor to chest.
Curatorial Intern: Art of Utah and the West
Fall 2013
The curatorial department proposes, plans and interprets art exhibitions in cooperation with other UMFA departments. Curator of the Art of Utah and the West, Donna Poulton, Ph.D., curates exhibitions that focus specifically on Utah and Western American identity. Art of the West often considers humankind's relationship to the land, its reliance on industrial technology, and the diversity of groups that have historically inhabited the area. The Curatorial Intern for Art of Utah and West would help the curator to prepare for exhibitions such as Creation and Erasure: The Bingham Copper Mine, and Alfred Lambourne: Views of the Great Salt Lake. Previous college coursework in art history or other relevant humanities discipline is required, and special preference will be given to applicants with a research interest in land and identity in the American West.
Teacher Resource Center Collections Internship
Fall 2013
The UMFA's education department oversees a collection of objects that are utilized by volunteers, teachers and museum educators. This fall we will be focusing on best practices in collections management. The intern's primary tasks will be to improve space utilization, evaluate organization of storage, and implement proper storage methods with a focus on archival housing and safe stacking. The internship would be a valuable experience for anyone interested in becoming a registrar, collections manager, or conservator. Individuals with collections experience preferred.
HOW TO BECOME AN INTERN
- Download the Internship Application HERE.
- Complete and submit the application via email or mail* and include:
- The Intern Coordinator will contact potential interns to arrange an interview.
- After successfully completing the interview with the Intern Coordinator you may be contacted by a potential mentor/supervisor for a second interview.
*if you choose to mail your application, please be sure to mail it several days in advance of the deadline to allow it to arrive in time. Late applications will not be accepted. We strongly suggest that students utilize the resume and interview resources available from their campus career services office before applying.
Use the online form below—OR—call 801.581.4405
