Basque Internship Departments 2022

The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project (GAD) leads the curatorial and programming strategies for the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Museum. This curatorial team develops the curatorial narrative, researches, and proposes acquisitions for the collection. The GAD curatorial team also develops the commissions and implementation plans for the opening installation and uses 3D digital modelling for exhibition planning and test-fits to display the collection and commissions. Ideal candidates should demonstrate an interest in modern and contemporary art and have excellent research and writing skills.

The Advancement department is responsible for cultivating relationships and raising a significant part of the museum’s budget through contributions made by individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies. The department is organized into the following key areas: Corporate, Individual Giving, Institutional and Government Affairs, Membership and Annual Fund, Operations, and Special Events.

Communications guides the branding, marketing, and communications strategy for the Guggenheim Foundation including Special Projects and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and supports the efforts of the network museums by leveraging traditional and digital media to support exhibitions, programs, and other initiatives. The department leads efforts to cohesively position, convey, and protect the Guggenheim’s strong international image and reputation to a diverse range of constituencies including: the media, Trustees, staff, members, visitors, and prospective visitors, both locally and worldwide and through in person as well as digital interactions. Intern placements are offered in a range of program areas including Communications and Public Relations, Digital Experience, Digital Media, Graphic Design, and Marketing.

• Communications and Public Relations

The Communications and Public Relations department is responsible for the transmission of information to both the press and the public. Intern responsibilities include creating press materials, communicating with the media, maintaining press files, and assisting during media previews and other public-relations events. The Press Office also circulates relevant clips internally.

• Digital Experience

The Digital Experience department blends expertise in strategy, user experience, content, and software development to ensure our digital products meet our mission and business needs. Currently, the department’s primary focus is Guggenheim.org and the in-museum digital guide program. Interns in this department may assist with website and app management, and special projects in support of the museum’s program and mission. Tasks may include content production, quality assurance, competitive analysis, research, and reporting. Ideal candidates will have coursework in user experience design, user research, content production, and/or website and app development. Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, basic HTML/CSS, and Microsoft Office Suite is required. Some familiarity with data management and visualization tools such as Google Analytics is encouraged.

• Digital Media

The Digital Media department creates video and audio content in support of our mission and business goals. This content is distributed internally, on the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum digital products and social media channels, and on partner distribution channels. Interns in this department may assist with asset management and organization, content production, quality assurance reviews, and content archiving. Candidates with familiarity with basic audio and video editing programs, writing, script editing, and project management are preferred.

• Graphic Design

The Graphic Design Department oversees the visual direction of the museum. We articulate the museum’s overall brand identity, specific exhibition graphics, seasonal advertising, to more detailed touchpoint communications that include in-building signage, print, digital materials, and other initiatives. We strive to maintain cohesion throughout Guggenheim’s brand and graphic expressions throughout all departments. Working as a part of the Communication Team, we provide visualization of promotional strategies to support our mission and programs. Interns in this department must be fluent in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), and Motion. Web design skills are a plus. Please note when applying, candidates should submit a design portfolio (website or PDF).

• Marketing

The Marketing department is responsible for reinforcing the Guggenheim brand identity and promoting public awareness of the museum, its exhibitions, and its programs. Core department efforts include research, advertising, social media, email marketing, and outreach. Interns will utilize Photoshop and InDesign, and gain experience using sophisticated digital marketing tools including Sprout Social and Marketing Cloud. Applicants should be strong multitaskers. Ideal candidates should demonstrate an interest in communications and art.

The Conservation department is responsible for the treatment, safeguarding, and documentation of the museum’s vast collection of artworks ranging from Impressionist paintings to large-scale multimedia installations and computer-based art. Conservators typically develop specific areas of expertise and therefore focus on particular types of cultural heritage. At the Guggenheim, there are dedicated conservators for sculpture, works on paper, paintings, photographs, and time-based, or electronic media. Although it is important to note that in the case of modern and contemporary art, objects might not always fit into these neat categories. As a result, Guggenheim Conservators frequently work in close collaboration with each other, and rely on direct dialogue with artists to enhance their understanding of the materials used to make a work of art and how to best steward that object over time. Conservators also work closely with scientists who can analyze and identify the medium of a work and help predict modes of deterioration and options for treatment. A background in art conservation is not required for this internship.

The Culture and Inclusion department is responsible for championing the organization’s core values and the Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) plan. We ensure all policies and processes across the organization are fully aligned with DEAI principles and values. We use diversity as the framework for all museum areas, including people, collections, audience engagement, and programming. We work closely with leadership to implement innovative staff orientation, on-boarding programs, coaching, counseling, and professional development opportunities.

Curators are responsible for the collection, exhibition, and interpretation of artworks with the goal of providing expanded insights into the diverse practices of modern and contemporary artists. Interns in this department may assist with the planning of exhibitions and related publications, website content, and programming. Interns may also conduct research on collection artworks and prospective acquisitions. Ideal candidates should demonstrate an interest in modern and contemporary art and have excellent research and writing skills.

The Director’s Office has a dual function: the Museum Director’s Office is responsible for the overall direction and administration of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, establishment of goals, and the planning and development of policies for the museum; the Foundation Director’s Office manages the museum within the scope of the Guggenheim Foundation, including its relationship with the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project.

The Education department provides innovative and inclusive learning opportunities for diverse museum visitors across all age groups. Through collaboration with artists, scholars, and cultural practitioners, the department creates meaningful in-person and online experiences. The Education Department is dedicated to creating paths that lead to a more inclusive and diverse institution by valuing the lived experience of our multi-generational audiences, providing opportunities for our visitors to nurture their curiosity, offer a sense of belonging through partnerships, and produce visionary content that supports our collection and community. Intern placements are offered in a range of program areas including Academic Engagement, Interpretation and Access, Public Programs and Public Engagement, and School, Youth, and Family.

• Academic Engagement

Academic Engagement supports undergraduate and graduate students with varied interests. We bring students and faculty together to learn from and connect with the Guggenheim’s staff, collection, and unique architecture. Through our Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion plan, we are committed to amplifying the voices of, training, and mentoring young adults from a range of disciplinary, cultural, economic, social, and educational backgrounds. We offer online and onsite programs that provide experiential learning, encourage student experimentation, and support curricular goals.

• Interpretation and Access

Interpretation and Access is committed to providing experiences that engage multiple senses by integrating verbal description, conversation, and creative practice, through content on our digital platforms and onsite. We offer individualized programs that serve visitors with disabilities and develop content with a universal design framework. Access Programs include the Mind’s Eye program for participants who are blind or have low vision. In addition, we partner with organizations to provide individualized tours for groups, and America Sign Language interpreters for public programs.

• Public Programs and Engagement

Through endowed lectures, conversation series, and architecture-focused programs, we create connections and encourage exchange between creatives, thought-leaders, scholars, and participants. We provide opportunities to nourish curiosity and expand ways of seeing through art, architecture, design, and visual culture by presenting performances and commissions, yearlong program residencies, as well as dynamic virtual programs.

• School, Youth, and Family

School, Youth, and Family programming offers young learners an opportunity to begin a lifelong relationship with art, museums, and their own creative potential. Programming includes Learning Through Art (LTA) artist-in-residency school partnerships, free museum visits for all New York City public school classes, and educator workshops that build trust and partnership with classroom teachers to best serve their unique student needs. In addition, the GuggTeens initiative provides high school students with an opportunity to strengthen their unique perspective, agency, and skills while working alongside museum professionals across the institution. We also collaborate with community partners to bridge important connections with our local and international audiences. Programming is geared towards intergenerational groups and includes in-gallery drop-in activities and small group gallery tours.

 

The Exhibition Design department designs and oversees the installation of exhibitions in all Guggenheim museums and outside venues for travelling exhibitions. The department is a repository for architectural information: museum drawings and models, and a library of maquettes of the collection. The department works with curators to determine the layout of exhibitions and designs aspects necessary for the installation of artwork. Interns in this department usually come from an architecture background and must be fluent in 3D-imaging software such as CAD or Vectorworks. Please note when applying, candidates should submit a design portfolio (website or PDF).

The Exhibition Management department oversees the planning and effective execution of exhibitions as well as exhibitions that travel to various sites. From the initial development phase to the official opening, exhibition managers set project goals and timelines that guide the numerous departments involved to help ensure milestones are met. Exhibition Management works closely with the Curatorial, Registrar, and Conservation departments in the initial planning phases to structure budgets and schedules around a project’s end to end process, from its kickoff to implementation and finally to the debrief around the project’s trajectory.

The Exhibition Services department is focused on all aspects of art handling at the museum and collaborates with the Exhibition Management, Registrar, Curatorial, Conservation, Exhibition Design, Construction, and Fabrication departments in the planning, preparation, and installation of exhibitions. The department also works with Special Events, Security, Education, and Theater departments as necessary. The internship is limited to observation of the art handling process, assisting with movement of works as needed, and maintenance of exhibitions in the galleries.

The Finance department is responsible for the budgeting, planning, and accounting of the financial operations of the museum. The department works collaboratively across the museum to prepare budgets and forecasts as well as ensure that the actual financial results are properly recorded. An ideal candidate will have a strong interest in nonprofit finances and accounting.

The Legal department is responsible for the oversight of all legal matters for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, including in the areas of non-profit governance, exhibition and collection related work, development, employment, intellectual property, tax, and litigation. Departmental responsibilities include advising on the structure of initiatives, drafting and negotiating agreements, evaluating and drafting policies, overseeing litigation matters, and performing legal research. Interns would have exposure to matters of relevance at the time of the internship. This internship is intended for candidates who are currently enrolled in or have completed J.D. programs (or the international equivalent).

The library consists of published resources focused on modern and contemporary art, architecture, and photography, with an emphasis on the museum’s international collections and exhibitions, and serves the research needs of museum staff. The archives contain primary-source documentation that reflects the museum’s history, exhibitions, and collections, and is open to museum staff and qualified researchers. Library and Archives staff are responsible for the maintenance and management of the archives and library holdings. Ideal candidates will have familiarity with library and information sciences. Candidates who have taken coursework in cataloging, rare books, library services, archival managements, and/or digital preservation are also encouraged to apply.

The Photography department is responsible for photography of all art objects in the Guggenheim’s collections. The museum’s photographers also create architectural views of the Frank Lloyd Wright building, photograph installation views of all exhibitions shown at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and take on a variety of special projects, often related to the Guggenheim’s exhibition program. All current photography is created digitally, and the department also manages a substantial archive of historic Guggenheim images on film. Interns in this department will need to be fluent in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom image-handling software. Candidates with experience in photography archiving and digital asset management are also encouraged to apply.

Furthering the Guggenheim’s mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of art, the Publications department publishes exhibition and collection catalogues and books distinguished by the depth of their scholarship as well as the high quality of their design and production. The department additionally collaborates with teams across the museum, providing editorial and production expertise toward the creation of educational materials, exhibition didactics, and digital initiatives.

The Registrar department is responsible for the maintenance of records relating to the collections of the museum, and oversees the movement, packing, transportation, and storage of objects in the museum’s collections. The Registrar department communicates with all exhibition lenders and oversees all loan agreements, developing and implementing policies and procedures pertaining to the acquisition, management, and disposition of collections. The Registrar department also handles arrangements for accessions, loans, shipping, customs, and insurance.

The Theater department services the Peter B. Lewis Theater, the New Media (Film) Theater, and events on the Rotunda floor of the museum. The department works closely with the Public Programs department to showcase lectures, panel discussions, symposia and performances, Works & Process (the performing arts series at the Guggenheim), Special Event rentals, and internal events. An internship in this department will provide a variety of experiences in the fields of production management, lighting, sound, projection, and stage work.

The Visitor Experience department supports the operations and programming of the museum by creating and promoting a welcoming environment for our local and global audiences. Visitor Experience staff foster visitor engagement by staying informed of initiatives and programming relating to the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright building, permanent collection, and special exhibitions. Among many other things, Visitor Experience is responsible for ticketing, tracking, and reporting on attendance figures, analyzing demographics and visitor habits, booking group visits, coordinating the volunteer program, and creating a welcoming and accessible space for all visitors to the museum.