2015 SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The Whitney Museum’s Summer Internship program is open to college juniors, seniors and
graduate students. Freshmen are not eligible, and applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of
academic course work. Graduating seniors are also eligible. Under the supervision of a
department head or curator, interns gain first-hand experience with museum work by assisting
with regular departmental activities that range from research and special projects to
administrative tasks.
The Human Resources (HR) Department organizes weekly seminars with department heads
and curators to introduce interns to the museum profession. Curator-led tours and trips to
smaller cultural institutions are also part of the program.
The 2015 Summer Intern Program begins June 1st and ends July 31st. Participants must be
available for nine consecutive weeks of work, five days per week and will need to arrange for
housing independently. There is no stipend, but interns receive two unlimited monthly metro
cards, regular employee discounts at the Museum restaurant, the retail store, invitations to
exhibition openings and free admission to most other New York City museums.
Internships are available in the departments listed below. Applicants should review the list and
state three, in order of preference; however, there is no guarantee that we will be able to
accommodate a preference. Please note that these descriptions refer to the overall
responsibility of the department and not necessarily the work interns will do during the
program.
ADMINISTRATION: Provides management, oversight, and institutional strategic planning.
COMMUNICATIONS: Work with local, national and international media to secure coverage of
the Museum and its programs and activities; seeks out and maintains positive relationship with
critics, reporters and editors who are capable of providing meaningful coverage to the
Museum.
CURATORIAL: Oversees and guides the expansion of the Museum’s permanent collection of
over 20,000 works of art and organizes and generates exhibitions appropriate to the
institution’s mission. Curators produce scholarship and research on the collection. The chief
curator and eight curators oversee a collection paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings,
photographs, film and video and new media. There is also a curator of performance.
DEVELOPMENT: Responsible for the strategic planning, development, management and
implementation of the Whitney’s fundraising efforts in pursuit of its commitment to building
long-term relationships for the financial health of the Museum. Development encompasses the
following areas: Development Records; Institutional Advancement; Major Gifts; Membership
and Special Events.
DIGITAL MEDIA: Develops and manages the Museum’s digital media initiatives, often in
collaboration with other departments, to help realize the Whitney’s programmatic, audience
development, visitor experience and fundraising goals.
EDUCATION: Seeks to advance the field of education through experimental and rigorous
programs that draw on the process, spirit and intelligence of contemporary artists. Educational
programs and resources are designed to make the Whitney's collection of American art and its
comprehensive exhibition program accessible to diverse audiences --K-12 students, teens,
teachers, families, adults, seniors and people with disabilities – through in-depth observation
and discussion of art.
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Oversees development and production of all Whitney visual
communications including advertising, promotional materials, gallery graphics, signage,
whitney.org, invitations and branded merchandise. Applicants must be Graphic Design majors.
MARKETING: Creates and executes promotional campaigns that drive attendance for
individual exhibitions and programs while serving institutional positioning/branding goals. This
includes designing and implementing marketing efforts via print, online, television, social media
and other channels to effectively reach target audiences.
PUBLICATIONS: The Whitney’s collection and exhibition catalogues seek to advance new
scholarship and highlight the holdings of the institution while serving a lasting record of
exhibitions. Responsible for editing brochures, exhibition graphics and other printed materials.
Rights & Reproductions: Responsible for the storage and maintenance of all image assets
pertaining to the permanent collection, including digital photography, transparencies and slides.
Grants permissions, handles licensing and provides imagery for publications.
REGISTRATION: Responsible for the long-term preservation of the permanent collection and
all works of art on loan to the Museum. The registrars maintain best practices while
coordinating arrangements for packing, crating, shipping, framing and insuring works of art for
exhibition, acquisition, storage or loan. Cataloguing and Documentation: Maintain, and
preserve up-to-date, accurate records on the permanent collection. Among other duties, the
department processes and catalogues new acquisitions.
RESEARCH RESOURCES: The Frances Mulhall Achilles Library contains over 60,000 books
and exhibition catalogs as well as over 500 linear feet of vertical files on American art and
artists. Originally the personal collection of the Museum's founder, Gertrude Vanderbilt
Whitney, the library has been collecting research materials on American artists for the past
seventy years. Students must be enrolled in an MLIS program.
QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Internships are open to college juniors, seniors and graduate students (no freshmen) who study
different academic disciplines, have a strong interest in American art and/or museum work.
Candidates should have a strong academic background, internship/job experience and excellent
administrative skills. Applicants interested in curatorial should be aware that preference will be
given to upperclassmen and graduate students who are art history majors and have related
experience.
There is no separate application, and incomplete applications will not be considered. All
materials should be compiled by you, mailed together in one package and include the
following:
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Resume
Cover Letter – include list of 2-3 Museum departments, in order of work preference.
Describe why you are interested in these departments and what skills you have to
contribute to these areas.
A one-page statement of purpose stating why you are interested in museum work, your
reasons for applying to the Whitney Museum and what you hope to contribute and gain
from the experience.
Proposed beginning and ending dates of internship (if different than program dates)
Housing arrangements (include in cover letter)
Letter of recommendation from a college professor or employer (do not send separately)
College transcript. Transcripts can be unofficial, but need to be readable. (do not send
separately)
Availability for an in-person interview in March -- please give dates. We will consider
SKPYE and phone interviews for students who are abroad, far from New York and
meet the qualifications.
ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE POST MARKED BY FEBRUARY 1st
After reviewing applications, the Human Resources Department will contact selected applicants
for in-person or SKPE interviews. Since last minute openings do occur, those not selected for an
initial interview or who are interviewed but not initially accepted, will be placed on a waiting list.
SUBMIT APPLICATION MATERIALS BY MAIL TO:
Human Resources Department
Whitney Museum of American Art
99 Gansevoort Street
New York, NY 10014
Hr@whitney.org (for questions only)
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does
not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or
citizenship, disability, marital status, partnership status, veteran status, gender (including
gender identity), sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum
encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels. This description
shall not be construed as a contract of any sort for a specific period of employment.