McMullan Arts Leadership Intern, Ryan Learning Center–Creative Spaces

About the role

The Art Institute of Chicago’s Ryan Learning Center is excited to offer a McMullan Arts Leadership intern position to work with their team. This internship offers an aspiring museum professional the opportunity to explore and contribute to a range of activities within the area of Creative Spaces, a division of the Ryan Learning Center.

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center is a platform for culturally responsive experiences that bring young people and the adults around them into dynamic and inspiring encounters with art. The department serves children, teens, families, students, and educators through a diverse array of programs, partnerships, and resources.

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.

Internship Outcomes

In this position, the intern will have the opportunity to:

• Learn about Ryan Learning Center’s guiding pedagogy and teaching strategies for multigenerational audiences
• Become familiar with the tools and processes for designing large-scale art-making programs at a museum
• Practice facilitating creative engagements that center the interests and needs of children and family audiences
• Develop professional skills in a collaborative, creative, and supportive environment

Responsibilities

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

• Contribute to the development of art-making programs for multigenerational audiences; attend design and planning meetings
• Support monthly family events, assisting teaching artists and interacting with family visitors
• Work regular shifts in the Art Exchange during public hours; welcome and assist children and their caregivers with art-making and play-based learning
• Prepare art supplies for programs and large-scale events
• Assist with the installation, care, and maintenance of interactive learning displays in the Art Exchange
• Support with administration of evaluation tools to audiences, collect and analyze data
• Participate in department meetings and museum-wide intern programming to expand their understanding of other departments and work across the museum

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
• Major or focus in art education, studio art, museum studies, or a related field
• Experience teaching, assistant teaching, tutoring, or mentoring children in informal or formal education settings
• Familiarity with art-making materials and techniques
• Strong communication, creative thinking, and collaborative skills
• Spanish-language fluency is an asset in this position

Compensation & Benefits

Hiring Range: $17.50/hour (Maximum 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 hours over the course of the internship.) This position is not benefits eligible.

Schedule

This is a part-time, 32-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated undergraduate or graduate student. The intern will work 14 hours per week, for a total of up to 448 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.