Internships: Summer 2010
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| Internships: Graduate | Summer | Volunteer |
| Fellowships: CASVA | Conservation | Curatorial |
| Volunteer: Docents | Art Information | Library | High School | Copyist | Horticulture |
| Employment: Current Job Announcements |
National Gallery of Art Announces Summer Interns for 2009
Since 1964, the National Gallery of Art has offered professional museum training to candidates from all backgrounds through a variety of internship programs. Nine-week summer internships provide opportunities to work on projects directed by a Gallery curator or department head. Biweekly museum seminars introduce interns to the broad spectrum of museum work, and to Gallery staff, departments, programs, and functions.
Eligibility
Eligibility varies according to internship. Several opportunities are geared to undergraduates graduating in spring 2010. The majority of slots are for currently enrolled graduate students of all levels and those graduating in spring 2010 with a relevant degree (such as MA, MBA, MFA, M Arch, M Ed, JD, or MLS). Please check prerequisites carefully. Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. This is an international program.
Terms
Summer interns are in residence at the Gallery from June 14 to August 13, 2010, and work full time. Interns receive a stipend of approximately $4,500 that is subject to all applicable taxes.
- Deadlines
- January 14, 2010
- Deadline for application packets. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
- January 22, 2010
- Semifinalists will be notified of their status. Recommenders listed on the application will be contacted directly by the Gallery's academic programs staff.
- January 29, 2010
- Deadline for recommendations.
- March 23, 2010
- Finalists will be selected.
Application Materials
Summer Internship Application (PDF 28K)
(Download Acrobat Reader)
Complete application packets must include:
- Six copies of completed application form.
- Six copies of full résumé or CV.
- Six copies of a writing sample. The sample should be approximately 20 pages, including footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, and images. If the sample is an excerpt from a longer paper, please include a short paragraph indicating what portion you are submitting and what the paper goes on to address.
- Transcripts (for applicants at institutions that issue transcripts): send us six copies of transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate
institution you have attended. This can be done in either of the following ways:
- open a copy of an official transcript and make five copies of the original and send all six to the mailing address below;
or - make six copies of unofficial transcripts and send all six to the mailing address below.
- open a copy of an official transcript and make five copies of the original and send all six to the mailing address below;
- Note: If you choose the second option and are accepted into the program, you will need to provide us with one official transcript from
each institution you have attended. Should you have difficulty in securing transcripts, a third option is to request that the records officer or
registrar from each institution send the transcripts directly to the National Gallery via fax or e-mail. The fax number is (202) 842-6935, attn:
Department of Academic Programs; the e-mail address is intern@nga.gov.
- For applicants at institutions that do not issue transcripts: send us six copies of comparable documents. If you have a question about what might be considered a comparable document, please contact intern@nga.gov.
Please collate and send application materials in a total of six packets. Each packet should be collated in the following order: 1) completed application form, 2) full résumé or CV, 3) writing sample, and 4) transcripts (arranged chronologically, with most recent first, if you are sending them to the Gallery directly).
Review Process
All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of Gallery staff and outside specialists.
Mailing Address
Department of Academic
Programs
Division of Education
National Gallery of Art
2000B
South Club Drive
Landover, MD 20785
Archives
The intern will work with materials relating to the history of the Gallery, including files, photographs, and architectural drawings. He or she will assist in organizing, preserving, and describing a group of documents or photographs and undertaking related digital preservation and database development activities. The intern will be introduced to archival principles and the work of museum archives as well as practical issues associated with the transition to the digital environment. Current art history, history, or archival studies graduate students with an interest in the digital imaging of archival materials or 2010 graduates of such programs are invited to apply.
Conservation: Photographs
The intern will assist the conservator in organizing, cataloguing, and identifying photographic processes of works in the study collection. He or she will also aid in micro-fade testing on a representative selection to characterize the light-fastness of various photographic processes. Current students and 2010 graduates of a relevant conservation program are invited to apply.
Curatorial: American and British Paintings
The intern will assist in researching for a retrospective exhibition devoted to the career of George Bellows. Current advanced art history graduate students with a special interest in early 20th-century American art, working knowledge of pertinent bibliographical and historical sources, and demonstrated excellent writing and research skills are invited to apply.
Curatorial: Photographs–19th-Century French Photography
The intern will assist in the research and organization for an exhibition on the 19th-century French photographer Charles Marville. The intern will assemble reference materials, compile bibliographies, establish a chronology, and conduct research on selected topics relating to the exhibition. He or she may also conduct research on objects in the permanent collection and will participate in the daily functions of the department. Current advanced art history, 19th-century French studies, or French history graduate students, and 2010 graduates of such programs, are invited to apply. Knowledge or coursework in the history of 19th-century photography is preferred and an advanced knowledge of French is required.
Development: Fundraising and Stewardship
The intern will assist with the Gallery's development department fundraising and administration. He or she will assist in identifying new donor prospects and major gifts; help prepare stewardship documents and communications; coordinate departmental mailings for upcoming events; and perform research, secure image permissions, and copy-edit for upcoming departmental publications. Current graduate students and 2010 graduates in arts administration, arts management, or other relevant programs are invited to apply. Strong research and editing skills are essential.
Education: Art Information for the Public
The intern will present three spotlight talks for adults in the galleries on pre-modern European and/or American works of art. Mentoring will be provided by professional Gallery lecturing staff. The intern will also work with the art information program by attending the information desks, assisting with the volunteers, and researching and preparing responses to written requests about art from the general public. Current advanced art history graduate students are invited to apply. A demonstrated interest in working directly with the public is essential. Advanced English speaking and writing skills, and advanced skills in a language other than English, are required.
Exhibition Design: Design and Architectural Practices
The intern will assist designers and architects with upcoming exhibitions and other design projects. Primary duties will include organizing data for upcoming temporary exhibitions, working on architectural plans and details, and making scale models. Current advanced design or architecture graduate students and 2010 graduates of such programs are invited to apply. Experience with AutoCAD and Photoshop is essential.
Exhibition Design: Silkscreen Shop
The intern will assist the design staff with the production of graphics for exhibitions and signage throughout the Gallery. He or she will participate in a variety of projects, including preparing films for screen printing, mixing inks, assisting in printing, mounting signs and photographs, and producing proposals and mock-ups for various elements of exhibitions. Current studio art graduate students and 2010 graduates of an MFA or related degree program are invited to apply. Printmaking experience is helpful but not required.
Exhibition Programs: Documentary Films and Other Materials
The intern will assist with the production of documentary films, video podcasts, and/or other materials in conjunction with special exhibitions. Duties may include researching archival footage, images, music, and logging footage. The intern may also assist with departmental operations and conduct art historical research for other exhibition-related programs or materials. Current art history and filmmaking graduate students of all levels and 2010 graduates of such programs are invited to apply. Advanced knowledge of 18th- and 19th-century European painting, French or Italian language, and/or filmmaking techniques is required.
Facilities Management: Life-Cycle Analysis of Physical Plant Assets
The intern will perform a life-cycle timeline and cost analysis for the Gallery's physical plant assets. This internship comprises analyzing assets listed in Facilities Management's Computer Maintenance Management System (CMMS) database, field verification, implementing cost analysis using RS Means or other methods, and scheduling asset replacement over a 30-year period. Current graduate students and 2010 undergraduate recipients of facilities management or related programs are invited to apply. A basic familiarity with identifying equipment such as motors, fans, and pumps, and assets such as roofs, masonry, and concrete is required. The intern should be proficient in navigating database software, researching costs using RS Means or comparable costing guides, and using Microsoft Excel.
Horticultural Services
The intern will work in all areas of Horticultural Services and will be directly involved in its daily overall operations. He or she will work with the deputy chief of horticulture to expand on competency models for current horticulturist and gardener positions. The intern's time will be divided between overall horticulture operations and the competency models. Current graduate students enrolled in a horticulture program, as well as 2010 undergraduate recipients of such a relevant degree, are invited to apply.
Library: Rare Book Collection
The intern will spend the summer documenting many of the 9,000 volumes in the Rare Book Collection. Working with the head of reader services and the library technician for rare books, the intern will search the Library's collection of dealer catalogues for relevant information for incorporation into the Library's existing files. He or she will also meet with the executive librarian. Current library or information science graduate students, or recent graduates of such a program, are invited to apply. Advanced skills in a language other than English are essential; a background in art history is preferred.
Library: Rare Photographs Project
The intern will assist with cataloging, inventorying, and digitizing the Library's collection of rare photographs of works of art and architecture. The photographs, both individual and mounted in albums, date from the mid-19th century to early 20th century and represent all areas of Western art. Current graduate students in European or American art history (15th to 20th century) are eligible to apply. Advanced knowledge of at least one European language is required. Candidates should also have an understanding of photographic processes and familiarity with museum registration or archival procedures and methods.
Library: Reproductive Print Project
The intern will assist with cataloging, inventorying, and digitizing the Library's collection of reproductive prints of works of art. The prints represent a variety of print techniques and depict works by old master artists. Current graduate students in European art history (15th to 19th century) are eligible to apply. Advanced knowledge of French or another European language is required. Candidates should also have understanding of printmaking techniques and materials, as well as familiarity with museum registration or archival procedures and methods.
Personnel: Labor and Employment Law
The intern will assist attorneys in the Personnel Office with preparing cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the Federal Labor Relations Authority. He or she will perform legal research and analysis, develop case files, and assist in discovery, draft motions, and disciplinary actions. Only rising second-year law school students with legal research experience will be considered.
Publishing Office: Production Processes
The intern will assist in the preparation of exhibition-related publications, as well as materials for distribution and use at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. Projects may include developing exhibition catalogues, educational brochures, wall texts, an annual publications catalogue, fact sheets on forthcoming exhibition catalogues, and "dummy" books for forthcoming catalogues. He or she will participate in the publication process from beginning to end; assist editors, designers, and production staff; and work with curatorial departments and other Gallery departments as needed. Current graduate students in relevant disciplines and 2010 undergraduate recipients are invited to apply.
Special Events: Event Management
The intern will assist the department with event-related work ranging from archiving digital and film event photography to assisting with the execution of daily special events. He or she will compile a presentation album of file photographs, including creative and logistical details of recent events. The intern will also catalogue event records by collecting and organizing invitation and menu card samples, examples of calligraphy styles, event photographs, linen samples, and design layouts. Spring 2010 graduates with a relevant undergraduate degree and current graduate students enrolled in a program such as arts administration, event management, tourism administration, or hotel management are invited to apply. Basic knowledge of Photoshop or other photo editing software is preferred.
Inquiries
Additional information about National Gallery of Art internships and curatorial fellowships is available from the Department of Academic Programs: telephone (202) 842-6257 or email intern@nga.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The present announcement supersedes all previous information about the Summer Internships.