The Decorative Arts Trust underwrites curatorial internships for recent Masters or PhD graduates in partnership with museums and historical societies. These internships allow host organizations to hire a deserving young professional who will learn about the responsibilities and duties common to the curatorial field while working alongside a talented mentor.
The Trust’s internship program seeks to provide mutually beneficial opportunities that will nurture the next generation of museum curators while providing essential staffing for the host.
The Trust encourages projects that advance diversity in the study of American decorative arts and will have a defined impact on the professional development of emerging scholars. Preference is given to those internships that provide opportunities for interns to make consequential contributions to exhibitions, publications, public programs, and community outreach. Read about the impact of the internship experience here.
Deadlines and Details
Potential museum and historical society collaborators should apply by September 30. The application should be sent as a PDF by email to thetrust@decorativeartstrust.org. Please combine the sections of your application into one single PDF file.
Find more details on how to apply online here.
We currently offer two 24-month internships with one grant cycle opening per year. For this cycle, the Trust is offering a two-year grant of $40,000 per year for the intern’s salary with additional funding available to offset cost of living adjustments. The Trust requires the host organization to allocate funds for the intern’s health insurance and other available benefits. The host organization need not be in the United States, nor does the intern need to be a United States citizen.
The Trust’s selection will be announced by October 31, with grant funds available as early as January 1 of the following year.
