School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Job Details

Description

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, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

The Experience Design team is the creative studio at the heart of the museum, hosting a multidisciplinary team of visual designers, architects, video and audio producers, developers, project managers and integration specialists. The Visual Design team is responsible for all things visual in the museum—ranging from exhibits, to print materials, digital products, environmental and service design, and brand.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The McMullan Arts Leadership Internship in Visual Design, under the mentorship of the Creative Director, Senior Designer and Associate Designer, offers the opportunity for a designer early in their career to explore their interests and refine their skills through a broad range of creative projects.

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

• Expected Range: $16.73 per hour
• Job classification: Intern
• Grade level: Not applicable

Goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program

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. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help shape a diverse group of leaders whose actions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, varying career paths, and values inspired by their own lived experiences.

INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES:

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

• Support creative concepts by designing inspiration research, interpreting creative briefs, and generating design ideas that interpret the goals for exhibitions, printed material, campaigns, and brand work.
• Support production design by assisting the design team with production across many visual design formats including: exhibition graphics, wayfinding and campus signage, marketing campaigns, digital products, moving image, and printed materials.
• Participate in the design process by collaborating with other members of the Visual Design team and participate in group design crits and feedback sessions. They will be regularly encouraged to provide and receive constructive feedback.
• Contribute to authentic and original creative work by supporting the unique voice and identity of the Art Institute and its dynamic programming. They will help explore a rich visual vocabulary to find the best solution for the design challenge.
• Support the museum in its commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• On-site Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am–5 pm.
• Be present for installations, stakeholder work sessions, and key meetings.
• Execute poster, signage, and label layouts in InDesign; trim and mount materials as needed.
• Conduct color studies to support production.
• Present design research and project development as identified in collaboration with mentors.
• Participate in weekly design critiques; must be comfortable sharing conceptual work and project processes in a collaborative team setting.
• Transport signage and materials throughout the museum (may include vinyl rolls or medium-to-large pieces).
• Assist with measurements and installations, including use of ladders or step-stools.

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;
• Strong interest in developing typographic skills and understanding of grid systems;
• Creatively approach to the use of typography, image, and color;
• Proficiency in Adobe’s Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro);
• Comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to group discussions as well as receiving feedback;
• Collaborative approach to problem solving;
• Ability to balance multiple projects in a fast-paced studio environment.

APPLICATION:

You must upload all of the requested materials below (résumé and essay responses) into only one pdf document and list your last name and “AY 25-26” in the title of the file (example: [LAST NAME]_AY 25-26.pdf.) Please upload your materials where asked in the online application. Please make the digital portfolio present as an accessible website, Dropbox, or Google Drive hyperlink in your résumé. Please upload your materials where asked in the online application.

PLEASE NOTE: You will not be considered if any requested application element is missing.

To apply for this internship, tell us your story. We want to understand who you are, what motivates you, how you think, and where you’re coming from. Please submit the following materials:

• Résumé
• Design portfolio prioritizing personal work and interests. Professional work is welcome, but not a requirement.
• Instead of a traditional cover letter, please respond to the following questions in short essays (no more than 300 words per answer.) We encourage you to provide specific examples to support your answers or to illustrate your ideas:

o What about this job description interests you the most?

o With the mission of the McMullan Arts Leadership intern program in mind, what perspectives might you bring to this role that you think museums need more of?

o How do you envision this opportunity helping you towards your professional goals?

o What are the throughlines in your creative work? For example, can you describe connections between your projects that aren’t specifically connected to style?

DEADLINE: The deadline to submit an application to this position is Friday, July 25 at 11:59 pm CDT. We will not accept late applications. We will contact the candidates we want to interview within three weeks of our deadline.

INTERNSHIP INFORMATION

Duration of Position: 32 weeks / September 2025 (start date anytime during the week of September 22–26) through April 2026 (end date anytime during the week of April 27–May 1)

Compensation: Paid / $16.73/hr / part-time / Temporary

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.

Hourlong 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 be 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; technological accommodations will be provided by the Art Institute of Chicago based on necessity.

Number of openings: 1

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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