Internships

Internships at LACMA

Getty Foundation's Multicultural Undergraduate Internship

Marketing Internship

Communications Internship 

Collections Management Internship

Registrar & Collection Information Internships  

Getty Foundation's Multicultural Undergraduate Internship
Summer 2014
Education & Latin American Art

With more than 115,000 objects dating from ancient times to the present, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is the largest art museum in the western United States. A museum of international stature as well as a vital part of Southern California, LACMA shares its vast collections through exhibitions, public programs and research facilities that attract nearly a million visitors annually. LACMA’s eight building complex is located on twenty acres in the heart of Los Angeles, halfway between the ocean and downtown. The campus is undergoing a ten-year expansion and renovation known as the Transformation and designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

For the 20th consecutive year, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is offering two paid, full-time ten-week summer multicultural internships sponsored by The Getty Foundation. Internships are available in the following departments: Education and Latin American Art. According to the Getty Foundation’s guidelines, these internships are “intended for members of groups underrepresented in the professions related to museums and the visual arts, particularly individuals of African American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, and Pacific Islander descent.” 

REQUIREMENTS:  Eligible applicants must be currently enrolled undergraduates who either reside or attend college in Los Angeles County and will have completed at least one semester of college by June 2014. Applicants must beU.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students who have already served as Getty interns at LACMA are not eligible.  

STIPEND:  Each intern will receive a gross salary of $4,000 for a consecutive ten-week period, beginning no sooner than June 2, 2014 and ending no later than August 22, 2014. Interns are subjectto LACMA’s hiring and payroll procedures.

There are three events at which intern attendance is mandatory:

1. Monday, June 30, 2014, all day (Arts Summit at the Getty Center)
2. Dates & Times TBD (2 Learning Community Events)

HOW TO APPLY:   

Education 
The Education Department intern will experience a broad range of the museum’s education programs for multiple audiences including children and adults. Major responsibilities will focus on assisting administrators in the coordination and implementation of the following education programs:

1.            Art + Film Institute—an intensive professional development program for K–12 teachers that emphasizes interdisciplinary teaching approaches using works of art and technology.

2.            Art Camp—summer art classes for children ages 6–13. Daily workshops are led by teaching artists and include both gallery and studio experiences. 

The intern will also have opportunities to assist with other programs, including but not limited to Andell Family Sundays and Evenings for Educators.  Dependent upon interest and experience, the intern may also assist with focused observations of programs. Other projects may be developed to support the intern’s areas of interest and expertise. 

The tentative ten-week schedule for the internship will include a thorough introduction to the museum, its operations, and the Education Department.

The intern will work directly with selected program staff and be supervised by the Content Specialist for Teacher Programs. The intern will work in the Education Department office with his or her own desk, computer, and phone. Excellent computer and communication skills are required and an art history, studio art, or arts education background is preferred.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Jennifer Reid, Content Specialist for Teacher Programs, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036, jreid@lacma.org 

Latin American Art 
This internship in LACMA’s Latin American Department will focus on the Ancient Americas collection. The Ancient Americas collection has grown exponentially in the last several years and the intern will assist the curator in updating and integrating recent acquisitions into the broader collection. The internship provides an opportunity to conduct object-based research as well as updating collection records and compiling materials for an upcoming rotation on northern Mexico and the American Southwest. 

These projects will involve research within the Ancient Americas department, LACMA’s Balch Art Research library, and potentially university libraries in the LA area (e.g., UCLA).

The ten-week internship will include a thorough introduction to the museum as well as to the Ancient Americas field. 

The intern will work in the Ancient Americas department with his or her own desk, computer, and phone. Background in pre-Columbian art or archaeology preferred. Reading knowledge of Spanish required.

Please submit a cover letter & resume to Victoria Lyall, Associate Curator, 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036; vlyall@lacma.org

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION FOR ALL INTERNSHIPS:  Friday, May 2, 2014

Marketing Internship
Year-Round
Public Engagement

Description
The Marketing Intern will professionally and efficiently coordinate LACMA’s marketing projects while providing support for members of LACMA’s Marketing staff. The Marketing Intern is responsible for the coordination of key marketing projects including advertising, outreach and community relations, online marketing, copywriting, and execution of other marketing initiatives. This internship requires excellent project management, organizational, written, and verbal skills. This is a part-time, unpaid internship set to begin as soon as possible.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate marketing initiatives that drive attendance to LACMA’s exhibitions and programs
• Plan and execute outreach initiatives including communication with schools, cultural institutions, community organizations, online communities and bloggers, retail businesses, and other local and national audiences
• Help with production of daily ‘Today at LACMA’ documents
• Post all exhibitions and programs to various online calendars
• Coordinate communications with hotel and tourist organizations
• Assist in market research as needed (implementation of surveys, data collection, etc.)
• Keep up-to-date and complete archives of all marketing initiatives
• Create and maintain community outreach lists
• Provide administrative support to department as needed
• Handle special projects as assigned
• Communicate on a daily basis with manager regarding projects and priorities
• Update the department with weekly status reports of projects

Qualifications:

• At least one year of internship experience in a marketing setting required
• Solid understanding of basic marketing concepts and processes including advertising, promotions, community relations, PR, outreach, and internet marketing
• Professional demeanor
• Excellent Microsoft Office and PC skills required
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Excellent organizational skills with great attention to detail
• Ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Must be able to problem-solve independently and collaborate with others
• Experience working with third party vendors to execute perfect projects under very tight deadlines

To Apply
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter describing your skills and interests, along with two references to Roberto Ayala at rayala@lacma.org. Please also include your school, year, major, and availability.

Deadlines for Application  

• December 1 for spring semester (January –May)
• April 1 for summer (June-August)
• July 1 for fall semester (September-December)

Communications Internship
Spring 2014
Communications

LACMA’s Communications Department develops and executes communications strategy for all areas of the museum, including exhibitions, the permanent collection, public programs, new and ongoing initiatives, and other news and events. All projects are supported with communications strategy that integrates traditional, digital, and new media campaigns. 

Communications Department interns work collaboratively with all members of the team, and most closely with the Communications Manager, Associate, and Coordinator. Interns work on numerous departmental projects varying in scope and timeline, including communications with journalists, development of press materials, tracking and monitoring media coverage, and research. 

Main Responsibilities:

• Handle requests from all types of media, including print, online, and broadcast
• Assist with creation of press kits related to museum’s exhibitions, public programs, special events, and announcements
• Track and monitor museum’s media coverage with clippings and coverage reports
• Assist with photography shoots that constitute news or editorial coverage of the museum  
• Maintain and organize media database
• Research prospects for media outreach

Requirements:

• Candidate must be enrolled in a college or university.
• Enrollment in art, art history, and/or communications or marketing classes is preferred.
• Candidate must be available for a total of at least 20 hours a week for a minimum of a 12 week period.
• This is a non-paid internship. LACMA can work with the university to provide course credit.
• Must be a flexible team-player who is excited to learn how a museum works!
• Candidate must understand that work tasks may change daily.

To Apply
Interested candidates should email cover letter and resume to press@lacma.org.

Collections Management Internship
Year-Round
Collections Management

Collections Management will be accepting applications for one or two student interns on an ongoing basis, following the university semester system.

Description
Collections Management ensures works of art in storage areas are accessible, housed under proper environmental conditions and are properly protected while in storage. The internship program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to work on projects related to preparation of archival materials for housing artwork, conduct inventories and relocation updates of artwork, and assist in maintaining and monitoring environmental conditions in all permanent collection storerooms. The internship will expose students to multiple facets of collections care and long term preservation goals.

Eligibility Requirements
The volunteer intern must be able to complete 240 hours within a fourteen-week period, be computer literate and be a college junior, senior or graduate-level status. This non-compensatory internship is appropriate for students from the following majors: museum studies, art history, anthropology, archaeology, history, library science or pre-program conservation studies. Academic credit can be arranged. Hours are flexible between 8am and 6 pm Monday through Friday.

The ideal candidate should have knowledge of basic museum collections management practices, collections care, documentation, information systems, and have the ability to work independently. Preference will be given to students with a serious interest in pursuing a museum career.

To Apply
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Samantha Forsko, Collections Management Technician,  Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., los Angeles, CA 90036; or email  sforsko@lacma.org.; or send a fax to (323) 857-4754.

Deadlines for Application
November 1 for spring semester (January-May)

April 1 for summer (June, July, August)

July 1 for fall semester (September-December)

Registrar & Collection Information Internships
Year-Round
Registrar's Office

The Registrar's Office will be accepting applications for student interns on an ongoing basis, following the university semester system.

Description
The Registrar's Office creates and maintains the official records for all of the objects in the LACMA collections or on loan to the museum.  The internship program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to work on projects related to documenting the permanent collection, inventorying and cataloguing objects, assisting with incoming and outgoing loans, exhibitions, database management, and special projects. The interns will be exposed to all phases of registration and receive additional assignments focusing on archiving and museum ethics.

Eligibility Requirements
The volunteer intern must be able to complete 240 hours within a fourteen-week period, be computer literate, and have junior, senior or graduate-level status. This non-compensatory internship is appropriate for students from the following majors: museum studies, art history, art, anthropology, archaeology, history, and library science. Academic credit can be arranged. Hours are flexible between 8 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday.

The ideal candidate should have knowledge of basic museum collections management practices, collections care, documentation, information systems, and have the ability to work independently. Preference will be given to students with a serious interest in pursuing a museum career. 

To Apply
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Nancy Russell, Registrar's Office, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036; or email jmeraz@lacma.org; or send a fax to to 323 857-6213.

Deadlines for Application

• November 1 for spring semester (January–April)
• March 1 for summer (May-August)
• July 1 for fall semester (September–December)