McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Publishing, Design and Production (Summer 2025)

McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Publishing, Design and Production (Summer 2025)

 

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, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

• Expected Range: $16.73 per hour
• Job Classification: Intern
• Grade Level: Not Applicable

This role is not eligible for benefits or PTO. 

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Publishing seeks a talented and motivated intern for a hands-on summer position collaborating with their design and production teams.

Publishing at the Art Institute of Chicago has a long history dating back to the founding of the museum and has been a leader in museum digital publishing efforts for the last ten years. Within the department, the design and production intern will gain experience and knowledge of the Art Institute’s publishing program, which encompasses print exhibition and collection catalogues as well as digital scholarly publications.

The intern will assist with the migration of our existing digital scholarly publications to a new platform, including the design and presentation of a migrated publication and the preparation of alt text to increase publication accessibility. They will also review the cataloging of our inventory and backlist, including identifying key publications for digitization. This intern will also support our production coordinators in color proofing and layout refinement for our summer print catalogues, including Bruce Goff: Material Worlds.

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 Publishing. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

 

Goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program

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.

The primary objective of this internship is to support students who will encounter economic challenges if considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to 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:

• Learn about museum publishing procedures at the Art Institute of Chicago, with an emphasis on inclusive publishing practices such as image alt texts and digital academic publishing, and develop a sense of our backlist and history;
• Prepare migrated files for publication, overseeing the translation of one design scheme to another, the generation of alt texts, and the compliance with library and website systems;
• Assist with color proofing and rights and reproduction processes;
• Support the museum in its commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution;
• Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;
• Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

With guidance from the position’s mentors, the intern will:

• Learn about museum publishing procedures at the Art Institute of Chicago, with an emphasis on inclusive publishing practices such as image alt texts and digital academic publishing, and develop a sense of our backlist and history;
• Prepare migrated files for publication, overseeing the translation of one design scheme to another, the generation of alt texts, and the compliance with library and website systems;
• Assist with color proof organization and color proofing for print catalogues;
• Meet and collaborate with colleagues in t