Summer Quarter 2025

Applications Due: April 18 5pm pst

Position Start: June 9 2025

Position End: august 15 2025 (EST.

TITLE: Emerging Arts Leader Interpretation

DEPARTMENT STAFF MENTOR: Associate Director for Interpretation

FLSA Status: Temporary NonExempt

Compensation: $20.77 per hour

Benefits: TemporarySAM Staff have access to an onsite fitness facility and SAMs museum library can access a nocost Employee Assistance Program resource enjoy a 20 discount at the SAM Museum Shop and a 10 discount at SAMs MARKET cafe receive 2 SAM guest passes per quarter worked can access 8 Home Free Guarantee cab rides home per year and accrue paid sick leave at a rate of .0385 per hour worked.

SAM Interns are also eligible for a Tier III membership to the American Alliance of Museums access to member rates for ticketed events at SAM and access to a subsidized ORCA card.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Seattle Art Museum connects art to life. SAM strives for its employees volunteers and interns to reflect the community in which it exists. Emerging Arts Leader internships are intended to open career pathways for individuals who bring dynamic backgrounds and perspectives to their work in art museums or community engagement.

While diversity can embody many characteristics this internship program is intended to engage with historically underrepresented groups in the museum field including but not limited to individuals of African American Asian Latino/Hispanic Native American or Pacific Islander descent.

EMERGING ARTS LEADER Interpretation

Partnering with SAMs Interpretation team and the Seattle Public Library this intern will develop several audiencespecific book lists for an ingallery reading area that will be featured in the upcoming exhibit Farm to Table. The intern will accomplish this by:

• Reviewing past book lists for exhibit reading areas
• Liaising with Seattle Public Library to create book lists and source materials
• Create docent resources to support ingallery teaching and facilitated learning

Additionally this intern will research one artwork of their choosing in SAMs permanent collection and develop a smartphone tour stop for use in our galleries.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This internship will offer an introductory look at the creation of ingallery learning activities. In addition to gaining foundational knowledge about museum education strategies and building on research and writing skills this intern will also learn more about how SAMs Interpretation team partners with Education staff docents and other stakeholders when developing content for a new exhibition.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

15 hours per week for 10 weeks. Schedule is flexible within MondayFriday 9am5pm office hours. Start and end dates may be flexible depending on intern needs and academic schedule.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Research past exhibition reading rooms ingallery activities and smartphone tour stops at SAM.
2. Learn about fundamental concepts for museum education and interpretation including creation of learning outcomes and best practices for engaging visitors of diverse cultural backgrounds age ranges and ability.
3. Create lists of 25 books for both adult and youth visitors. Intern may partner with SAMs Librarian to source books.
4. Develop a smartphone tour stop focused on 1 object in SAMs permanent collection. This will include research writing and identifying relevant images video or other digital media.
5. Develop and deliver a gallery presentation related to your internship project or interests in art museums or community.
6. Complete a job shadow with frontline volunteers during open hours.
7. Attend exhibit openings workshops informational interviews and checkins as available.

WERE LOOKING FOR

1. Some familiarity with museum education interpretation or engaging with visitors of various age ranges is recommended but not required.
2. Clear understanding of concepts related to racial equity intersectionality and social justice.
3. Demonstrated proficiency in general computer use including Microsoft Office (Word Excel Outlook PowerPoint) and the internet.
4. Ability to independently take initiative prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
5. Ability to work accurately with close attention to detail.
6. Ability to ask for help and accept supervision and evaluation of your work.
7. Ability to work with coworkers volunteers and peers at other institutions with integrity and tact.
8. Ability to adhere to museum policies and support management decisions in a positive professional manner.

EDUCATION & REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

This internship does not require previous professional or museum experience and is most suitable for those who are newly entering the museum field and seeking to learn more about this work. At minimum a high school diploma or equivalent is required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Exposure: Work areas are primarily inside in a climatecontrolled environment with light background noise. Work is occasionally performed at other indoor and outdoor sites.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED FOR ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Stationary Work: Approximately 80 of time is spent stationary while working at a desk. Balance of time (approximately 20 is spent moving around the work area. Occasional extended periods of standing may be required when assisting at Museum events.

Communication: Clear and effective communication with volunteers donors members the public and coworkers is necessary.

Moving: The ability to move up to twenty pounds on occasion is necessary for moving files equipment and supplies. Must be able to regularly position self to access files.

Office Work: Ability to effectively and regularly operate a computer keyboard and other office productivity machinery such as copy machines and printers and ability to inspect prepare and use paperwork files equipment and supplies is necessary.

APPLICATION PROCESS (APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 18 AT 5 PM)

Applications are only accepted via the online form at application should include:

• Application Form (completed online)
• A Personal Statement or Cover Letter of no more than 500 words detailing:
  • How your personal background or academic/professional experiences inform your perspective on the importance of engagement in museums community and the arts.
  • How questions of equity and inclusion shape your personal and professional goals.
  • What you hope to gain from this experience and how it might enhance your education and career plans.
  • How you consider yourself meeting the specific criteria set out in the job description for this internship.
• Resume which describes experience you believe is relevant to this internship and your professional goals. This may include professional experience volunteer work extracurricular activities community service and academic projects.
• At least one Letter of Recommendation ideally from a teacher supervisor or mentor. References should be emailed directly to emailprotected with the applicant name noted in the Subject line.

For additional information or to request reasonable accommodations for the application or interview process please contact Human Resources at or at emailprotected.

Celebrating difference. At Seattle Art Museum our members visitors and local community come from all walks of life and so do our employees volunteers and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences and as such our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination its ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace and a sense of belonging for each and every employee because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.

SAM is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race color creed religion national origin age sex (including pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions) marital status ancestry sensory physical or mental disability genetic information military or veteran status gender identity or expression sexual orientation citizenship or immigration status or other applicable legally protected characteristic. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need please let us know at The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of the role. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process please contact For candidates we ask that if possible you wait until youre invited to a screen online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.

We encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace and a sense of belonging for each and every employee because we know our organization is at its best when we include celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application even if your experience doesnt feel like a 100 match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they dont see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.

Requirements for employment. In order to be employed by the Seattle Art Museum you must reside in the state of Washington. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing and maintenance of clearance in both a federal and state criminal background check.

Want to learn more If you havent already check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.

Though wed love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk due to the high volume of applications we receive our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates inquiries about hiring timeline or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!