Institute of Contemporary Art
Three Positions Available:
Digital Content Intern, Education Programs Intern, and Teen Programs Intern
Background | Details | Eligibility
Background
The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) strives to share the pleasures of reflection, inspiration, provocation, and imagination that contemporary art offers through public access to art, artists, and the creative process.
The ICA strives to present outstanding contemporary art in all media, including visual art exhibitions, music, film, video, and performance, that is deserving of public attention and has not been presented in depth to Boston audiences. Additionally the ICA provides innovative experiential learning opportunities for people of all ages through direct encounters with artists and art-making and designs interpretative programs that provide context for, develop appreciation of, and add meaning to contemporary art and culture.
Details
INTERNS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM.
Postion #1: Digital Content Intern
Overview
The ICA invites full time rising college juniors and seniors to apply for a paid, nine-week internship within the marketing department through the Studio Institute Arts Intern Program. The Digital Content Intern’s primary areas of focus will be widening audience engagement through social media and web initiatives and collaborating on a range of public-facing digital materials (with an emphasis on short-form vertical video) promoting exhibitions, performance, and other programming at the ICA.
The Intern will receive a crash course in social media management and content creation for the museum and will come away with a portfolio of materials in a range of formats, plus experience working collaboratively and within established content and design guidelines.
Responsibilities
Research trending social media formats
Brainstorm and ideate social media post and campaign ideas that align with the ICA’s brand and trending social media formats, including both video and traditional social media
Capture video content on site for social media
Produce and edit vertical videos for social media
Assist in building content for the website using WordPress content management system
Assist in image and video library upkeep
Other tasks, as assigned
Requirements, Qualifications, and Skills
Must have demonstrate communication skills, social media fluency, and creative thinking.
Filming with mobile phone, video editing, and basic graphic design experience required
Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Premiere; familiarity with InDesign/Illustrator a plus
Prior experience with WordPress or other content management systems a plus
Familiarity with social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
Ability to take constructive feedback and work in a collaborative, iterative environment
Background or interest in contemporary art and art history
Availability to attend summer events outside of typical work hours to create content as needed
Must pass a CORI screening
Must meet Arts Intern program eligibility and work requirements
Physical Requirements:
Possess mobility to work in an office setting and use office equipment; travel offsite and to different locations; ability to understand printed materials
Ability to see, listen, and talk for extended periods in person, over the telephone, and computer
Visual acuity: color perception, close vision, accurate depth perception, and distance vision
Very frequent sitting, standing, and movement throughout the museum
Ability to type on a keyboard and grip
Compensation
$22.50 per hour
INTERNS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 9 – August 8
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: The schedule is 9:00 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Arts Intern program days will take place weekly on Fridays, including site visits and virtual meetings.
PROGRAM DAY:
On Fridays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
The ICA is located at 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, and is accessible by public transportation Red and Silver Line.
Other Locations:
Seaport Studio:100 Pier 4 Blvd, Second Floor Boston, MA 02210
ICA Watershed: 256 Marginal Street, Boston, MA 02128
Position #2: Education Programs Intern
Overview
In partnership with Studio Institute’s Arts Intern Program, the ICA invites qualifying undergraduate students to apply for our nine-week, paid summer internship. The Education Programs Intern will work closely with ICA Education staff on the implementation and evaluation of programs and resources for a range of learners, with a specific focus on family and K–12 audiences. This internship offers a student the opportunity to deepen their understanding of contemporary art and the day-to-day operations of a mid-sized art museum’s education department.
Throughout the summer, the Education Programs Intern will assist with studio programs, tours and group visits, and events for multigenerational audiences including Play Dates and Watershed Block Parties. The Education Programs Intern will also research and develop K–12 teacher resources for the ICA’s fall 2025 exhibition An Indigenous Present, an exhibition that celebrates an increasingly visible and expanding field of Indigenous contemporary art.
Responsibilities
Work with ICA Education staff to prepare and implement public studio programs for a range of audiences in the Bank of America Art Lab.
Support visitors of all ages in their artmaking; facilitate artmaking experiences that are inclusive and developmentally appropriate.
Maintain studio spaces and ensure that materials are accessible, frequently replenished, well organized, and presentable.
Assist teaching staff during K–12 group visits in the Bank of America Art Lab.
Greet K–12 groups and provide orientations.
Research and develop An Indigenous Present teacher resources, including a slide deck, discussion questions, and a bibliography of resources.
Work with ICA Education staff to collect and update program data.
Provide support for other education department programs and initiatives, as needed.
Requirements, Qualifications, and Skills
Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student (rising junior or senior), studying studio art, arts education, art history, and/or related course of study; knowledge of contemporary art, a plus
Strong interpersonal skills; background working with family and youth audiences, a plus
Demonstrated interest in teaching or facilitation, comfort with public speaking, teaching studio-based lessons and workshops in visual arts to a range of audiences
Strong communication (written and oral), research, and organizational skills
Experience in customer service; ability to solve problems with creativity and care, a plus
Ability to work independently as well as on a collaborative team
Spanish fluency, a plus
Must have Saturday availability
Must pass a CORI screening
Must meet Arts Intern program eligibility requirements
Physical Requirements:
Possess mobility to move about throughout the museum, office, and Art Lab
Prolonged periods of standing and/or moving about during programs and events
Ability to lift up to 15 pounds, pushing and pulling, keyboarding and gripping
Must be able to exchange accurate information with visitors, staff, departments, and with diverse and multigenerational audiences
Ability to see, listen and talk for extended periods in person
Ability to understand printed materials
Ability to remain calm when working with youth and families
Travel to Watershed via water taxi requires traveling down a dock ramp and transferring to the boat (boarding boat requires stepping over/on and three steps down)
Compensation
$22.50 per hour
INTERNS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 9 – August 8
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: The Education Programs Internship requires onsite presence at the ICA’s Seaport offices (100 Pier 4 Blvd, Second Floor Boston, MA 02210). The schedule is 9:00 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Arts Intern program days will take place weekly on Fridays, including site visits and virtual meetings.
PROGRAM DAY:
On Fridays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
The ICA is located at 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston, and is accessible by public transportation Red and Silver Line.
Other Locations:
Seaport Studio:100 Pier 4 Blvd, Second Floor Boston, MA 02210
ICA Watershed: 256 Marginal Street, Boston, MA 02128
Position #3: Teen Programs Intern
Overview
The Teen Programs Intern will work with a specific ICA Teen Program, the Teen Digital Cooperative program. The intern will also participate in related events for the ICA’s Teen Programs, including Teen Digital Cooperative events and End of Program Celebrations. Through their time in this internship, the Teen Programs Intern will learn skills related to arts-programming administration, youth work, and facilitation.
Responsibilities
Work closely with Teen Programs staff including the Teen New Media Programs Manager, Teen New Media Programs Assistant, and the Teen Digital Cooperative (TDC) Teaching Artist to complete assigned tasks
Support our summer media production program, TDC
Work with our Teen New Media Programs Manager & TDC Teaching Artist to track teen attendance, teen project completion, teen onboarding documentation and support, with the daily check in and check out for students
Distribute, track, and debrief data collected through participants of TDC program
Observe and support in additional programming with teens that take place on days when TDC does not. The Teen Programs Intern’s responsibilities on these days would be to support the Teen New Media Program staff with tasks such as ensuring the space is prepared for teens, observing the program, and tracking attendance
Create Exhibition Guides for Teaching Artists and teens
Requirements, Qualifications, and Skills
Demonstrated interest in facilitation and working directly with high school aged teens
A preferred candidate for this position would also have media production skills such as photography, video production, or graphic design.
Demonstrated written, oral communication, and organizational skills
Skills in using Google Applications such as Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Google Drive
Ability to solve problems with creativity and care
Ability to work independently as well as part of a collaborative team
Must pass a CORI screening
Must meet Arts Intern program eligibility and work requirements
Physical Requirements:
Possess mobility to move about throughout the museum, office, and Art Lab
Able to handle prolonged periods of standing and/or moving about during programs and events
Ability to lift up to 15 pounds, pushing and pulling, keyboarding and gripping
Must be able to exchange accurate information with visitors, staff, departments, and with diverse and multigenerational audiences
Ability to see, listen and talk for extended periods in person
Ability to understand printed materials
Ability to remain calm when working with youth and families
Travel to Watershed via water taxi requires traveling down a dock ramp and transferring to the boat (boarding boat requires stepping over/on and three steps down)
Compensation
$22.50 per hour
INTERNS WILL WORK 28 HOURS PER WEEK AND ATTEND A MANDATORY OFFSITE PROGRAM DAY ONE DAY PER WEEK WITH THEIR COHORT.
Internship Period: June 9 – August 8
Total Weeks: 9 weeks
Work Hours per Week: 28
Total Hours: 252
Workdays: 4 days onsite per week (Mon., Tues., Wed., & Thurs.) 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Schedule is subject to change.)
PROGRAM DAY:
On Fridays, interns will attend an offsite program day with their cohort.
These hours are separate from the internship hours.
The ICA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an EOE/AA employer dedicated to fair and inclusive employment practices for all individuals. The ICA is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities.
To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact HR-EOE@icaboston.org or 617-478-3171.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Arts Intern 2025, you must be pursuing a bachelor’s degree and:
Currently enrolled as a full-time rising junior (a current sophomore)
– or –Currently enrolled as a full-time junior – or –
Currently enrolled as a full-time senior graduating by fall 2025.
You must either reside or attend college in Boston.