2026 MoMA Summer Internship Marketing and Audience Strategy, Creative Operations

About the Summer Internship Program

The Summer Internship Program provides undergraduate and graduate students and beginning professionals with practical experience in a specific area of museum work at The Museum of Modern Art. Interns participate in weekly professional development activities designed to increase understanding of the Museums various collections exhibitions and departments. The Museum hosts approximately 25 interns in various departments across our institution. Participants may arrange for academic credit through their school but it is not a requirement.

MoMA Summer 2026 internships require a commitment of four days per week. The schedule is Monday-Thursday 9:30 a.m.5:30 p.m. One must have a minimum of two years of college completed (or equivalent) by June 2026 in order to apply.

All summer intern applications are due by Sunday March 1st by 11:59 PM EST.

Duration:

June 8August 13; Ten Weeks

Application Deadline:

March 1 2026

Decision Notification:

April 20 2026

Stipend:

$6160

Department Projects & Tasks

The Image Rights Intern will assist the Creative Operations team in coordinating policies and procedures for acquiring and reviewing intellectual-property rights for the Museums marketing and branded materials covering collection objects loaned works and commissioned photography/videography. Projects will include:

• Support the Creative Operations team by coordinating image research assessing rights status and attaining permissions for marketing assets
• Update internal tracking documentation and databases to share relevant information across the Marketing and Audience Strategy department
• Work closely with Curatorial Design Studio artists and estates rights agencies and individual rights holders to research and clear image rights for marketing and other branded materials
• Catalogue photoshoots in DAM and Google Drive to share assets across the museum with clear rights and usage terms
• Route captions and crediting to copy editors Curatorial teams rights holders and designers as needed for approval and application
• Contribute to shoot pre-production administration and enforce subsequent usage terms as needed

The intern will support the team on assisting in codifying rights clearance processes for Design Studio projects; updating all related internal and shared resources with the latest agreement and relationship information; and contributing to administrative solutions to enable the best possible creative outcomes through cross-functional and external partner collaboration. The intern will assist in maintaining our artist relationships and provide key attention to detail.

Department Skillset Requirements

Candidates should have:

• Strong communication organizational writing and detail-oriented administrative skills
• Capacity to think independently and creatively while collaborating with designers copy editors project coordinators and other internal stakeholders to enable the best possible outcomes
• Ability to balance multiple projects with competing demands and short deadlines while leading with solutions
• Extensive knowledge of standard Microsoft Office and Google Suite software and a general familiarity with creative software e.g. Adobe Creative Suite Figma
• Basic understanding of digital-imaging standards and formats and how theyre utilized throughout the creative process

Preferred candidates will have:

• Familiarity with US copyright laws public domain and fair use either from legal/business affairs OR creative production experience/education (international copyright knowledge a plus!)
• Familiarity with typical photographer/director and talent usage terms
• Proficiency with reviewing licensing agreements and other legal documents related to usage rights
• Ability to comfortably and respectfully persuade and negotiate
• Bonus: Familiarity with TMS and digital-asset management systems

How to Apply

The following items are required as part of your online application through MoMAs UKG Recruiting Portal:

1. Essay

One essay submitted in PDF format. Essay should be no longer than 650 words and answer the prompt below as follows:

Why are you interested in participating in an internship at The Museum of Modern Art In response be sure to address both:
a) The role of museums and how you envision their potential for evolution
b) Individual or an experience that has influenced your perception of the arts

2. Résumé

Your résumé/curriculum vitae in PDF format directly uploaded to your application.

3. Letter of Recommendation

At least one letter of recommendation in PDF format directly uploaded to your application.

4. Transcript

Transcript(s) of undergraduate and/or graduate records in PDF format directly uploaded to your application.

Unofficial transcripts are accepted. If you do not have access to an unofficial transcript allow sufficient time to order a transcript from your college or university to attach as a PDF by the deadline.

Please note: we will not review applications received after the deadline and we will only review complete applications.

Select applicants will be contacted to arrange interviews in late March. If we request an interview with you we will contact you to arrange a convenient date and time for you.

For a complete list of available internships at MoMA please go to Employment Opportunity Policy Statement:Equal Employment Opportunity has been and will continue to be a fundamental principle at the Museum where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race color religion sex age national origin disability pregnancy genetic information military or veteran status sexual orientation gender gender identity or expression marital and civil partnership/union status alienage or citizenship status creed genetic predisposition or carrier status unemployment status familial status domestic violence sexual violence or stalking victim status caregiver status arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law credit history or any other protected category as established by applicable law including the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL).

Required Experience:

Intern