This summer internship provides intensive, directed training and experience at Charleston’s only art museum.
The Gibbes Museum of Art Vibrant Leaders Development Program aims to give students of color who are currently enrolled in college in the Southeast a structured experience with theoretical concepts and museum functions. Launching in the summer of 2024, the goal of this paid internship opportunity is to diversify the face of museum leadership and create a network of contacts and support for future vibrant leaders in the field.
The Gibbes Museum enhances lives through art by engaging people of every background and experience with art and artists of enduring quality, by collecting and preserving art that touches Charleston, and by providing opportunities to learn, to discover, to enjoy, and to be inspired by the creative process.
The Gibbes Museum of Art is home to the foremost collection of American art that incorporates the story of Charleston. The Museum connects the city and region’s artistic past to a vibrant contemporary art scene. This is what we believe.
Our internship aims to give students a 360-degree experience in an art museum context where they will learn concepts and museum/gallery functions that guide our work. This will include one-on-one mentorship opportunities and culminate in a final project of the applicant's choosing. Our hope is to provide a pathway for students interested in the arts to learn skills that will ultimately help diversify the field.
Training experiences are designed to introduce the intern to a range of issues and activities, including planning and implementing public programs, organizing original field research in support of art initiatives, grant writing, financial planning and administration, marketing, arts advocacy, and relationship-building with local community organizations, schools, and arts agencies on various projects.
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An internship is typically a one-semester/summer work experience highly related to your major or minor. It has a definite beginning and end, includes real-world work experience, and involves direct supervision by an employer. Internships connect your academic coursework to careers, allow you to gain valuable work experience in a field you may want to pursue, and help make you much more marketable to employers after graduation.
The Gibbes Museum of Art is located at 135 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401.
No, this internship is not virtual. Students will be working on-site for 30-40 hours a week (depending on holidays and special programs) at the Gibbes Museum of Art.
College students of color with at least one year of study including coursework in the arts or related field (anthropology, history, American Studies, or other arts and cultural fields) who will also be enrolled during the time of the internship. This applies to current freshmen (rising sophomores), current sophomores (rising juniors), and current juniors (rising seniors), but not to graduating seniors or those students graduating in May before the start of the iternship period.
The internship takes place over the summer months for 9 weeks from June 3, 2024 - August 2, 2024.
Yes, this is a paid internships. Students will receive $15/hour for 30-40 hours a week plus a stipend for housing. Interns are responsible for their own travel.
The Gibbes Museum of Art believes in paid internship opportunities but also recognizes that it is a valuable learning opportunity. Colleges and universities have different regulations around recieving a stipend and credit for an internship. Please contact your school's career office to find out if you are eligible for both and share any additional requirements with your Gibbes supervisor.
Interns will be chosen based on the following evaluation criteria:
Interest in professional arts, curatorial, cultural programming, and administration as a possible career choice
A demonstrated commitment to excellence in their academic and community pursuits
Writing samples
Recommendations
The application has six narrative questions that will take some time crafting. We recommend taking at least an hour to answer all the questions. We also recommend you copy and paste the questions into a blank word document so you can save your progress and edit answers before submitting the application. There is no way to save progress while in the application portal.
This Application is Now Open!
Application Dates
Open: November 22, 2024
Close: February 23, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. EST
Notification: by April 1, 2025
For any questions please contact our team at [email protected].
Danielle Drummond, 2024 Vibrant Leader Intern
College of Charleston, Charleston, SC
