Summer Internship

The application period for our 2024 Summer Internship has closed. Join the Mailing List below to be notified of next year’s internship.

For nearly two decades, Provincetown Art Association and Museum has opened its doors to aspiring future museum professionals and educators to serve as a hands-on learning environment for focused professional growth.

Through its comprehensive Museum Internship Program, PAAM offers a diverse range of opportunities in the areas of education, collection management, and exhibition development. The PAAM Education and Engagement Internship is generously supported by the Dave Roberts Fund.

As a PAAM intern, you will split your time between our Education and Exhibition Departments as well as work at the intersection of the two, depending on department needs and your strengths and interests. Interns will work alongside both exhibition/collection staff and education staff, receiving practical training in multiple museum departments. You will have opportunities for hands-on work with the collection, as well as gain experience in studio classroom, gallery, and office settings.

Core responsibilities in Education will include: working with Teaching Artists in a studio classroom setting; assisting with Youth Education classes; assisting with administrative tasks for Adult Education workshops and assisting with the set-up, breakdown, and maintenance of our classroom studios. 

The core responsibilities in Exhibitions will include: assisting with physical installation of exhibitions including hanging and labeling artwork; pulling and putting away artwork for exhibitions and workshops; and creating checklists and labels for exhibitions.

In addition to your core responsibilities, you will also be responsible for the development of a longer term creative project that will be used in PAAM exhibition programming. Still in its early stages, The Artist’s Eye: A Self-Guided Tour of the Provincetown Art Community, highlights artworks from PAAM’s permanent collection and rotating exhibitions, providing tour participants with important information about the artworks and artists who produced them. The project will consist of a printed map and guide. Working on this project will provide you with creative opportunities for research using PAAM’s collection and archives, the exploration of Provincetown history and geography, as well as the development of project management skills. 

This summer internship entails a 200 total hour commitment. Hourly commitment per week and number of weeks negotiable, with an expectation to work during weekday office hours. Limited evening and weekend attendance may be needed for special events. Please see Salary and Additional Information section below for more logistics.

Upon completion of this internship, you will have gained:

• A comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day workings of an active exhibitions and education department at a renowned art museum
• Greater insight and experience into non-profit arts administration
• Practical experience in setting up museum-quality exhibitions
• Hand-on opportunities to explore a centuries-old historic collection
• Experience interacting with and supporting professional curators and exhibiting artists
• Experience in a studio classroom setting, including:
  • Working with students of all ages (both youth and adult)
  • Exposure to Teaching Artists with a wide range of styles and methodologies
  • Exposure to various studio processes and demonstrations
• Immersion in the historic arts and LGBTQ sea-side community of Provincetown, where PAAM is deeply embedded
• Resume-ready final project

Qualifications:

• College students or recent college graduates, or applicants of commensurate work experience and research interests
• Enthusiasm for learning
• An interest in art, art education, exhibitions, and/or museum visitor experience
• Creativity and self-motivation
• Excellent and proactive communication skills
• Ability to take direction and ask clarifying questions when necessary
• Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Adobe Suite
• Previous work or internship experience
• Experience or interest in non-profit arts administration
• Art handling experience

Salary and Additional Information

This is a paid position with no additional benefits. Interns will have the opportunity to seek additional summer employment in Provincetown should they wish. The salary is $19/hour for a total commitment of approximately 200 hours. Hourly commitment per week and number of weeks negotiable. 

Since this internship works across multiple departments, you will be working alongside all our staff, but interns will directly report to Curator of Museum Education Ruby T, Curator of Community Education Grace Emmet, and Collections Manager & Registrar Madeleine Larson. Get to know us more here.

Provincetown is a remote location, and interns will need reliable transportation if they are commuting from another town on the Cape.

PAAM cannot offer housing to interns at this time. 

PAAM welcomes and encourages individuals of all backgrounds to apply, specifically those who have been historically underrepresented in careers related to museums and art education based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, economic status, ability, immigration status, spoken languages, and more.

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This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

In accordance with Federal law and the U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, and familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call 800.795.3272 (voice), or 202.720.6382 (TDD)