Internships
The UMFA’s internship program provides hands-on museum experience with guidance and mentorship from staff across departments. Interns receive training, engage in direct work experience, and participate in professional development opportunities.
Fall 2026 applications are now open. Please review all frequently asked questions before submitting an application below.
Internship FAQs
Who can apply for an internship?
The program is open to current students who are declared majors in the University of Utah Department of Art & Art History.
How long do internships typically last and how many hours per week are they?
Internships last for one semester and require 120 hours of on-site work. Interns must be available for 8 hours per week throughout the 15-week internship, within Museum operational hours (M–F, 9 AM–5 PM).
Are internships at UMFA paid?
Yes. Interns are paid $12.50 per hour.
Can I get course credit for participating in an internship?
You may receive credit for participating in the internship; however, it is the intern’s responsibility to initiate the process with their academic advisor or professor, and shepherd any required administrative materials between the Department of Art & Art History and the UMFA.
How many interns do you accept into the program?
One student per term.
What types of projects will I be working on?
The fall 2026 internship will be within the Museum’s curatorial department.
What if I still have questions?
For all other questions regarding internships, please email Quetzal Martinez, UMFA Manager of University Student Programs: quetzal.martinez@umfa.utah.edu
Fall 2026 Application Timeline
Application opens: Monday, April 13
Application deadline: Friday, May 8 at 5 PM
Virtual Interviews (select applicants): June
Notifications: Monday, July 6
Internship start/end dates: August 24 – December 10, 2026
Fall 2026 Curatorial Internship
Description
The UMFA’s Curatorial Department is responsible for the stewardship, interpretation, and research of the Museum’s collection of over 22,000 works of art, in addition to special exhibitions, artistic and scholarly engagement, presentations and publications, and public outreach. The department seeks an intern for Fall 2026 to kickstart a major, long-term project that will consolidate and refine information about artistic media and their classification in the UMFA collection, improving the accuracy and usefulness of the collection database as well as the integrity and significance of interpretive materials now and in the future. Because the department will continue this project after the internship period has concluded, this intern will make instrumental contributions to the UMFA. In working closely with curators, the intern will use a sample group of significant artworks to define the project’s approaches and methods. By focusing on media and techniques, the intern will learn about essential curatorial practices, including firsthand study of artworks, collaboration with other museum professionals, developing a comprehensive understanding of an art collection, and communicating specialized knowledge about artistic practices and art history to various audiences.
Tasks
- Researching collection media and identifying areas for future research
- Authoring collection media guidelines and compiling a media lexicon for standard use
- Cataloging and recataloging collection media
- Reclassifying collection categories
Objectives
- Learning essential skills in collection stewardship, assessment, and research
- Contribute to the improvement of the Museum’s collection data, including enhancing the database, a central, public access point for information about the collection
- Apply theoretical concepts about best museum practices to practical, hands-on applications of information management and interpretation
- Develop skills that will be applicable in multiple educational and career paths
Qualifications
- Available for 8 hours per week throughout the 15-week internship, within Museum operational hours (M–F, 9 AM–5 PM)
- Interest in the materiality of art, willingness to learn, attention to detail, ability to work with Excel with some preliminary guidance.
Required Application Materials
- Résumé or CV
- Cover letter of around 300–500 words addressing the following:
- Your academic and professional experience in art, art history, and/or museum studies
- Your interests in museum work and this internship at the UMFA
- Your goals for the internship
- How this internship will support your academic and professional aspirations
- One letter of recommendation from an academic or professional source, submitted by the recommender directly to Quetzal Martinez, UMFA Manager of University Student Programs: quetzal.martinez@umfa.utah.edu. Letter must be received by application deadline.