Graduate Intern - Photography and Media

About the Art Institute of Chicago

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.

About the Department

Spanning the history of photography from the 1830s to the present, the Art Institute's Photography and Media collection holds approximately 25,000 objects by celebrated practitioners from across the globe. Photographs have been exhibited regularly at the Art Institute of Chicago for well over a century; the museum’s photography collection originated in 1949, when Georgia O'Keeffe donated the Alfred Stieglitz Collection. That collection, along with the Julien Levy Collection, give the museum a core strength in early 20th-century photography from the United States and Western Europe. The department's collection also includes important groups of work by pioneer photographers of the 19th century, Japanese postwar photography, African photography, South American photography, work made in Chicago, and a range of contemporary art—making it wide-ranging in scope.

Position Summary

The Art Institute of Chicago’s department of Photography and Media seeks an enthusiastic and organized intern interested in collection management. The intern will learn about the Art Institute’s collection by assisting the department’s collection manager with cataloging and object research, and publishing original web-based content on objects in the collection. The intern will also gain experience transferring provenance information from archival documents into the collection database. Through mentorship in the department, the intern will gain insight into the work of a photography and media collection manager and museum careers more broadly. 

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 Photography and Media. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

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

• Develop a foundational knowledge of the inner workings of a curatorial department and the work of a collection manager and curator;
• Gain familiarity with provenance-related archival documentation;
• Experience with museum collection management systems;
• Develop a knowledge of current scholarship on photography and media;
• Engage and work with museum professionals in various fields and departments;
• Experience conducting collection, exhibition, provenance, and archival research;
• Experience writing and publishing web-based content;
• 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:

• Research provenance for select objects in the collection;
• Assist with research for objects and forthcoming exhibitions;
• Pursue independent research to develop web-based content for one or more collection objects;
• Attend weekly check-ins with the position’s mentor: collection manager for Photography and Media;
• Attend intern cohort professional development programs and museum practice seminars.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an art history doctoral program or holds a masters degree in art history
• Has evidence of previous art history coursework emphasizing the medium of photography
• Has previous paid or volunteer experience in other art museums
• Possesses the ability to carry out independent library research
• Possesses excellent writing and communication skills
• Maintains strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Familiarity with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat Creative Suite, and Google Professional Suite

Compensation & Benefits

Hiring Range: $17.50 per hour. Maximum of 32 hours per week. (320 hours over the course of the internship). 

• Job Classification: Hourly
• Employment Category: Intern (temporary)

This position is not benefits eligible.

If you are accessing this listing from a third party, not all links to salary and benefits information may work. Please visit our career page at saic/artic.edu/employment for complete information.

Internship Information

Duration of Position: 10 weeks / June 2026 (start date anytime during the week of June 1–5) through August 2026 (end date anytime during the week of August 3–7).

Schedule: This is a part-time, 10-week position for a currently enrolled or recently graduated graduate student. The intern will work 32 hours per week, for a total of up to 320 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.

Hour long 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.

Application Instructions

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 2026” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_SUMMER2026.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.

Application must include the following materials:

• Resume / CV
• Cover letter that addresses the following:
  • What attracted you to this specific internship at the Art Institute of Chicago?
  • What qualities do you have that you think museums need more of?

Accessibility

If you are a job seeker with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply for one of our jobs, you will find the contact information to request the appropriate accommodation by visiting the following page:

Accessibility Accommodation for Applicants

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals compliant with federal and state laws. 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.

Salary : $18