Image: Cali Stuckey, Outreach and Audience Engagement Intern
Deadlines
We offer 10-week internships in the summer, spring, and fall semesters. The next available internships will occur in spring 2026.
We are accepting applications for the spring semester (January 26–April 10, 2025) from now until November 14, 2025.
The NCMA offers an on-site internship program with the possibility of occasional remote work. We are excited to give you the opportunity to have an NCMA staff mentor and a cohort of intern peers from colleges in North Carolina and beyond.
While you are learning and supporting the NCMA, you’ll participate in enrichment activities that may include presentations from staff in departments across the Museum. You’ll also go on tours of the galleries and campus. On-site activities will be modified at the discretion of internship supervisors. Your internship culminates in a presentation for staff and other interns. Internships are currently unpaid.
Eligibility
College students, recent graduates, graduate students, and nontraditional students are encouraged to apply. Although it is not generally required that interns have an art or art history major, Museum departments may individualize their requirements. Eligibility varies for each internship term.
Application Requirements
Please email internships@ncartmuseum.org with any questions.
- Cover letter, including your area of interest. If you are open to any available internships, please make note of that as well, as it will provide more opportunities for you.
- Up-to-date résumé
- Two letters of recommendation, preferably from a professor or professional reference. Allow ample time to request letters.
- Transcript of undergraduate or graduate records. Official or unofficial transcripts are accepted. Applicants must have a 2.8 average on a 4.0 scale.
You must include all of the above items. If any are missing, you will not be considered for an internship. You will receive an email confirmation of receipt of your complete application. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
Review Process
Once the deadline has passed, Museum staff members review application materials. Finalists are contacted for interviews within a month after the deadline. Final decisions are typically made within a few weeks after the interview.
The number of internships available varies. A department may be unable to offer an internship for a particular semester for different reasons.
Time Requirement
Interns must be available to work at least 10 hours per week with flexible schedules.
Academic Credit
Some colleges give credit for internships. Students are responsible for arranging with their schools to receive credit. Internships are unpaid. Select internships for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are available as paid opportunities.
Spring 2026 Internships
Work alongside the NCMA’s Publications team within the Marketing and Communications Department.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Design print and digital materials across departments such as education, marketing, outreach and audience engagement, performing arts, exhibitions, and more.
- Learn about the different design roles within the Publications team and in other areas of the Museum.
REQUIREMENTS
- Current student seeking a college degree in graphic design
- Experience in Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop; animation and UX/UI design a plus
- Experience designing print and digital deliverables
- Portfolio website or PDF required
- On-site availability at the NCMA in Raleigh
The goal of this internship is to provide a future museum professional with a well-rounded, cross-departmental experience. The intern works with the director of interpretive strategies on projects related to exhibitions, gallery rotations, and evaluation and gain a 360-degree view of the Museum. There will be an emphasis on writing and research related to incoming exhibitions. If desired, the intern can meet with and shadow larger organizations such as the North Carolina Museum Council or Southeastern Museum Council. We prefer that the intern works on site, but they can also have a hybrid, flexible schedule. General responsibilities are listed below but will be modified based on the intern’s skills and interests.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Research and write interpretive materials for exhibitions and galleries (e.g., tours, co-created community interpretation, digital interactives).
- Work on evaluation and documents related to exhibitions.
- Attend meetings as they pertain to the intern’s interests and projects.
- Other programs, meetings, and tasks as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum of 10–15 hours per week, mainly on the Raleigh campus
- Currently pursuing degree or a recent graduate in art education, arts management, museum studies, art history, or related field
- Ability to creatively problem solve
- Some experience with public speaking, teaching, or leading small groups
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office
- Proficient research skills
- Strong writing skills in clear, concise language
The North Carolina Museum of Art’s marketing intern will gain hands-on knowledge of PR and marketing efforts within the Museum, working alongside the Digital Marketing team. In addition to ongoing projects, time will be allocated to learn from each team within the Marketing Department—Editorial, Graphic Design, Photography, Videography, and Digital Marketing. The intern will achieve overall insight into marketing and communications development for a cultural arts organization, as well as campaign strategies, audience outreach, and social media projects.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support social media manager with series of content organization and optimization projects across platforms.
- Assist with amplifying and distributing promotional materials such as flyers, posters, digital graphics, and brochures in support of key events.
- Collaborate on upcoming media day, to include press outreach, attendee confirmation, and press packet creation.
- Support ongoing marketing and communications–related research projects and day-to-day tasks.
REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum of 10 hours per week on the Raleigh campus
- Current or rising junior or senior in college
- Major or minor in communications, marketing, English, business, or journalism
This internship provides a hands-on opportunity to assist in planning and delivering community-facing art workshops and public programs at the North Carolina Museum of Art. The intern will work closely with the director of outreach and audience engagement to support programming that connects diverse audiences with the Museum’s exhibitions, collections, campus, and values. This role is well suited to students with interests in arts education, cultural programming, community engagement, and event production.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist in planning, coordinating, and facilitating studio art workshops and large-scale public programs (e.g., museum festivals).
- Collaborate on workshop prompts and assist with developing lesson plans.
- Prepare and organize art materials and supplies.
- Support program logistics: setup, breakdown, participant engagement, documentation (e.g., photos, feedback collection).
- Assist in the curation and installation of participant artwork for pop-up exhibitions.
- Participate in data collection, surveys, and program evaluations.
- Attend planning meetings with artists, educators, and Museum staff.
- Learn and apply the basic use of museum systems, such as Tessitura (event registration) and support the tracking of earned revenue and participation metrics.
REQUIREMENTS
- Availability of 10–15 hours per week, with occasional evening or weekend shifts required
- Currently enrolled in a degree program in art education, studio art, museum studies, nonprofit management, or a related field
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills
- Comfortable engaging with the public and working with artists and Museum staff
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team setting
Are you interested in finding out what happens behind the scenes at the NCMA? The registrars have principal oversight of the permanent collection and provide crucial back-of-house support for a dynamic changing exhibition schedule. This internship will provide the opportunity to participate in the annual inventory, assist the exhibitions registrar with prepping for upcoming installations and deinstallations, and will support the Registration team by organizing and updating the collection, loan, and exhibition files. The internship can be tailored to meet the interests and talents of the individual intern.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Perform data entry following training on the Museum’s database, TMS.
- Prepare forms, including loan agreements and receipts.
- Scan and file collection and loan documentation.
REQUIREMENTS
- 10 hours per week preferred
- Undergraduate or graduate student with a background in art history, history, museum studies, or library science
- Familiarity with Excel, good written and verbal communication skills, and attention to detail are pluses
The Library Cataloging intern will work on both copy cataloging and original cataloging of art monographs as well as processing and cataloging archival collections and vertical files. The intern will be trained and supervised by the head librarian. This internship is ideal for currently enrolled library science students or advanced undergraduate students with an interest in pursuing a career in librarianship. Some cataloging experience preferred but not required.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Perform copy and original cataloging of art monographs.
- Update catalog records.
- Process select archival materials.
- Process vertical files.
REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum of 8 hours per week; total of 200 hours of work in person
- Currently enrolled in or recently graduated from an ALA-accredited MLS/MIS program preferred
- Completion of introductory cataloging, metadata, or archives course or comparable work experience preferred
COMPENSATION
$20/hour