McMullan Arts Leadership Internship — Provenance Research (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 provenance research team is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership internship to collaborate on research projects concerning the history of the collections.

The intern will join the provenance research team in an initiative to uncover and document the journey of artworks and to research the stories of art dealers and collectors who shaped the collections.

This internship comprises two parts: first, transferring provenance information from archival documents into the collection database; and second, conducting focused research on a less well-known dealer or collector whose history will be shared in a web article.

By reviewing archival records and adding provenance information to the database, the intern’s contributions will enable researchers and visitors to connect with the stories behind the objects in our collection. In so doing, the intern will develop a deep understanding of the dealers and collectors who shaped the Art Institute’s collections, enabling them to select a suitable topic for their research project and article.

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 the provenance research team. 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:

• Gain familiarity with provenance-related archival documentation
• Experience with museum collection management systems
• Garner a better understanding of the Art Institute’s history of collecting
• Exercise provenance and archival research skills
• Experience communicating provenance research to the public
• Develop mentor relationships with field practitioners;
• Build peer-to-peer relationships with other interns through museum-wide internship activities.
  
  

Duties And Responsibilities

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

• Reviewing archival documentation pertaining to the provenance of the Art Institute’s collections;
• Facilitating database record updates;
• Identifying an underresearched collector or art dealer whose history can be researched through archival documentation and publications in the museum’s Research Center and across Chicago;
• Writing a blog post about the research placement and an art dealer or collector of the intern’s choosing;
• Networking with and fostering professional relationships with curatorial staff;
• Participating in regular meetings with the mentors of this position: the executive director, provenance research, and the senior research associate, provenance research;
• Attending 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 to work in the US during the summer internship term;
• Willingness to connect with others;
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills;
• Detail-oriented mindset and demonstrated organizational skills; ability to multitask and be flexibly prioritize when appropriate;
• Possesses an interest in research and knowledge-sharing, which may include:
• learning about the Art Institute’s collection and how art dealers and collectors contributed to its creation;
• reviewing archival documents, such as receipts or ledgers;
• learning about museum documentation practices;
• researching a specific dealer or collector, using resources available in the archives and library;
• sharing this research with the Art Institute’s audiences through online publications.
  

Application

You must upload all of the requested materials below (résumé and essay responses) into only ONE pdf document and list your last name and “Summer 2025” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_SUMMER2025.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application.

PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.

To Apply For This Internship, Tell Us Your Story. We Want To Understand Who You Are, What Motivates You, How You Think, And Where You’re Coming From. Please Submit The Following Materials

• Résumé
• Instead of a traditional cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per answer.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:
• What about this opportunity interests you the most?
• With the goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership intern program in mind, what unique values, experiences, or perspectives would you bring to this role?
• How do you envision this opportunity helping you towards your professional goals?
  

Deadline

This application will close on Friday, March 7th at 11:59 pm CDT. Selected applicants will be asked to interview via video call approximately two weeks after the deadline passes.

Internship Information

Duration of Position: 10 weeks / June 2025 (start date anytime during the week of June 2–6) through August 2025 (end date anytime during the week of August 4–8)

Compensation: Paid – $16.73/hr – 28 hrs/week – Temporary

Schedule: This is a part-time, 10-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 28 hours per week, for a total of up to 280 hours over the course of the internship. Work days will occur between Monday–Friday; the start date and schedule will be determined upon agreement with the candidate and the host department.

Hourlong virtual and in-person intern professional development programs will be scheduled throughout the internship term that the student is strongly encouraged to attend. These programs will occur during the week; we ask that the intern make this part of their internship schedule.

Format: The internship will occur fully onsite. Due to onsite necessity, applicants based or attending school in the Chicagoland area during the internship timeframe will be prioritized. Internet access and appropriate technology will be necessary to complete this internship, but technological accommodations will be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago.

Number of openings: 1

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources at apply_help@artic.edu.