McMullan Arts Leadership Intern, Revenue System Operations

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. We are a place of gathering and learning, committed to fostering an inclusive understanding of human creativity.

Position Summary

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Revenue Systems Operations is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with their ticket and admissions administration team.

The intern is responsible for the execution of essential tasks that maintain the Art Institute of Chicago’s ability to sell tickets and other forms of admissions passes and provide an efficient and effective admissions experience. This position is a temporary part of the Revenue System Operations team which oversees the administration of the museum’s revenue data ecosystem. The Revenue Systems Operations team works closely with the Visitor Engagement, Member Engagement, Advancement Operations, Information Systems, Analytics, and Retail teams to improve the efficiency and security of our data and to deliver the best possible experience for visitors, members, and supporters of the Art Institute.

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 Revenue Systems Operations. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience, and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

Duration of Position: 32 weeks / September 2026 (start date anytime during the week of September 21–25) through April 2027 (end date anytime during the week of April 26–April 30).

McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program Goals

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.

This program specifically aims to support students who encounter economic challenges when considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help 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

This internship will provide varied and meaningful opportunities to contribute to the maintenance of a ticketing and admissions system at a premier cultural institution. In this position, the intern will:

• Gain experience in the administration of Galaxy Gateway Ticketing System and associated hardware;
• Get insight into each phase of the design, publishing, and maintenance of admissions events;
• Acquire knowledge of the admissions process in a complex business environment;
• Understand effective data governance;
• Gain practical experience in vendor relations;
• Familiarize themselves with museum operations;
• Hone written and oral business communications skills as part of routine operations and interdepartmental projects;
• Participate in live troubleshooting, process-improvement and problem solving in a business setting;
• Develop strong communication and organizational skills;
• Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;
• Build peer-to-peer relationships with fellow interns.

Responsibilities

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

• Create admissions events in Gateway Galaxy and associate systems;
• Conduct routine maintenance of admissions hardware;
• Coordinate and compile agendas for interdepartmental meetings;
• Develop and maintain process documentation;
• Troubleshoot admissions-associated technical issues;
• Assist in the development and implementation of technical and process improvements.
• Attend weekly check-ins with the position’s mentors: the associate director of Revenue Systems and the Executive Director of Revenue Systems and Business Intelligence;
• Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered;
• Applicants must be based in the Chicagoland area and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area over the course of the internship term;
• Willingness to learn to effectively operate revenue applications, principally Galaxy Gateway Ticketing System;
• Detail-oriented and demonstrated organizational skills; ability to multitask and to flexibly prioritize when appropriate;
• Attention to professional self-presentation, including adhering to st