Department of Art & Culture OfAfrica Internship for Undergraduate and Graduate Students - Fall & Winter 2019-2020

About the Department of Art & Culture

The Department of Art & Culture is one of two curatorial departments under the Collections and Research Division. It includes collection areas such as Africa, Archaeology of the Americas, Ancient Egypt & Sudan, Ancient Greek & Roman, Canadian, Costume & Textiles, East Asia, European, Indigenous Americas, Indigenous Asia and Oceania, Islam, Middle East, and South Asia. Curatorial staff are responsible for collecting, cataloguing, and housing objects of art and culture from around the world. With the ROM’s expansive collections, curatorial staff produce original exhibitions and publications, research papers for international conferences, and lectures and programs for general and academic audiences.

Art & Culture OfAfrica Internship

The Department of Art & Culture offers one paid position for undergraduate and graduate students with interest in the Arts and Cultures of Africa and the Diaspora to explore museum careers and gain professional experience and training during the Fall/Winter 2019-20. The OfAfrica Internship Program awards a part-time internship of about 300 hours to students interested in a career in the arts and fields related to the ROM’s African Arts & Cultures collections. The internship is designed to provide practical working experience, to complement academic credit, and to inspire students to become the next generation of museum professionals.

The intern will be under the supervision of the ROM curator of African Arts and Cultures and will be working in various capacity with the collection, the database and assist in a range of curatorial and collection management projects. The intern will submit a written final report summarizing their activities at the end of the internship. The report will be evaluated by the supervisor and can be used as confirmation of completion of internship for the student’s academic institution.

Eligibility

The internship is offered to current senior undergraduate-level and graduate-level students. The ideal candidate is a serious student with keen interest in the various aspects of curatorial work in relation to African art and artifacts. These may range from cataloguing to assisting in curatorial research connected to acquisitions, donations and exhibitions. The work will require following instructions, multitasking and independent work, and a high level of professionalism and maturity. We look for an individual with very strong research and writing skills, and the ability to connect, summarize and critique academic and professional literature. Knowledge of African art and/or African history is an asset.

Preference will be given to applicants who self-identify as African or African descendant. The internship will last from October 2019 to May 2020. The part time schedule is flexible and will be arranged between student and supervisor. A stipend of $4,500 will be offered for the entire period.

Dates and Compensations

October 2019 – May 2020

Part time, 300 hours circa

Stipend: $4,500

How To Apply

Applicants are required to submit their resume and include the following supplement materials –

• Personal statement: a personal statement of no more than 500 words, explaining why you are interested in the internship. Please include aspects of your past academic and/or job experience that you feel are most relevant to this application, as well as any specific career or educational avenues you are interested in exploring.
• Transcript: an up-to-date copy of your transcript which must record at least one semester or one quarter of university/college by the time of the application. Please be aware that you may be requested to submit an official transcript later in the evaluation process.
• Contact info for three references, one of which should be academic.

Application deadline is September 29, 2019 at 11:59pm (EST). Interviews (phone, Skype or in person) will be conducted between October 1-4, 2019. All applicants will be notified of final decision by October 11, 2019.

Email personal statement, transcript, and letters of recommendations to worldcultures@rom.on.ca. Your recommendation letters must be submitted by this application deadline. We will not accept any applications, application materials, or recommendations after the deadline.

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About the ROM

Founded in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, culture and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million artworks, cultural objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. As the country’s preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new discoveries, the ROM plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the artistic, cultural and natural world. Combining its original heritage architecture with the contemporary Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, the ROM serves as a national landmark, and a dynamic cultural destination in the heart of Toronto for all to enjoy.