McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Arts of Africa, Islamic Art (Summer 2025)

McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Arts of Africa, Islamic Art (Summer 2025)

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Arts of Africa is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with their Islamic art collection. 

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

This role is not eligible for benefits or PTO.  

Arts of Africa’s curatorial purview encompasses intricate masks, statuary, jewelry, beadwork, textiles, carved reliefs, and stone and ceramic vessels, reflecting over 5,000 years of the continent’s great diversity and complexity. The works in the collection attest to the creativity and aesthetic sensibilities of African artists and their patrons, showcasing the cultural, geographical, and historical expanse of Africa. The collection includes over 120 Islamic objects produced in North Africa.

In collaboration with departmental staff, the intern will document and research artworks—such as ceramic vessels and tiles and wood architectural fragments—produced in Egypt and Morocco between the 10 and 19 centuries, preparing them for publication on the museum’s website. This may include handling objects, updating information in the museum’s database, and working with archival and library resources. The intern will also gain experience with object-focused writing for museum audiences.

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 Arts of Africa. 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:

●      Become familiar with the inner workings of a curatorial department and a curator’s responsibilities and duties;

●      Gain experience with object handling and cataloguing;

●      Learn collection management software;

●      Conduct object-based research;

●      Practice writing for a public audience;

●      Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;

●      Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

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

●      Verify “tombstone” data (such as measurements and materials) for select artworks in collaboration with departmental staff;

●      Update object records in database and physical object files;

●      Research and write original content about select artworks in the Department of Arts of Africa’s Islamic collection under the guidance of the curator;

●      Participate in regular meetings with members of the department and the mentor of this position: the associate curator of ancient Egyptian art;

●      Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

●      Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation upon applying) will also be considered

●      Applicants must be based or attending school in the Chicagoland area and eligible