Two Students Smile for the Camera at Art Walk
Image courtesy of Thomas Hager.

Apply for exciting educational opportunities at moca

The internship program at MOCA Jacksonville offers undergraduate and graduate students an exciting opportunity to gain real experience in a contemporary art museum.

Interns are exposed to art and art history, art education, the museum profession, and public programming. Hours are flexible; interns are expected to work at the Museum a minimum of 120 hours to receive three course credit hours. Internship positions are competitive and are unpaid unless otherwise noted. 

Application Deadlines

  • Fall 2019: August 8
  • Spring 2020: December 20 
  • Summer 2020: May 15

Time Commitment

Minimum fifteen hours per week, unless otherwise specified.

Stipend

No financial stipend. To be considered as an intern for MOCA and not a volunteer, college and university credit must be a requirement of your internship. We are willing to work with colleges and universities to satisfy course credit requirements.

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected based upon their skills and qualifications along with an interview with the department manager. Candidates will be notified as soon as a decision is made.

How to Apply

Interested students should send in writing to the intern supervisor: 

  • A résumé including a list of relevant courses taken and references
  • Full contact information including phone, email, and permanent address
  • A cover letter expressing areas of interest and career goals
  • Examples of your work
  • Submissions may be mailed or emailed

Art students from the University of North Florida are required to obtain a recommendation from Dr. Debra Murphy, chair of the Department of Art and Design. This recommendation may be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the intern supervisor under separate cover, or can be made by telephone.

MOCA Jacksonville

333 North Laura Street

Jacksonville, Florida 32202

Phone: 904-366-6911

Fax: 904-366-6901



Marketing Internship

Position description: Under the direction of the director of communications, the marketing intern will write for the MOCA Jacksonville website and assist with marketing/promotion activities and events.

Specific responsibilities might include:

  • Checking in with the director of communications each day the intern is on duty
  • Completing assignments given each week
  • Researching and writing blogs and other assignments
  • Posting to social media platforms, including live coverage of some events
  • Representing MOCA Jacksonville at events inside and outside the Museum
  • Managing and updating a database of media contacts
  • Including diversity in age, gender, race, ethnicity, and ability in coverage
  • Finding compelling and innovative ways to complete assignments
  • Updating information on the MOCA Jacksonville website
  • Maintaining accuracy in all communications
  • Dressing appropriately for Museum business

Requirements: Candidates should have advanced writing skills with excellent attention to detail in spelling, grammar, style, and accuracy; strong smart phone photography skills; expert computer skills including Microsoft Office and website content management systems; strong communication skills; punctuality; dependability; and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Equipment: Intern must provide his or her own smart phone.

Time commitment: Fifteen hours per week. Schedule can be customized to the intern’s class schedule, but 5-9 p.m. Thursday is required. Two other shifts must occur between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Occasional Friday evening and Saturday daytime events and 5-9 p.m. during Downtown Art Walk on the first Wednesday of each month will be negotiated depending on the intern’s availability.

Number of interns: More than one intern could be chosen if the candidates are qualified.


Photography Internship

Position description: Under the direction of the director of communications, the photography intern will shoot programs and events, visitors in the galleries, food at NOLA MOCA, installations of exhibitions, portraits of staff and artists, and other assignments.

Specific responsibilities might include:

  • Checking in with the director of communications each day the intern is on duty
  • Shooting assignments given each week
  • Including diversity in age, gender, race, ethnicity, and ability in coverage
  • Finding compelling and innovative ways to document the events assigned
  • Editing images for quality, content, and color balance
  • Loading images to provided Dropbox folders the day of each assignment 
  • Uploading photos to the Museum website and adding captions and keywords
  • Writing accurate cutline information
  • Posting photos to social media when assigned to do so
  • Dressing appropriately for Museum business

Requirements: Candidates should have excellent photography skills; expert computer skills including Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Internet; strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; punctuality; dependability; and an entrepreneurial spirit. Video shooting and editing skills are a plus.

Equipment: Intern must provide his or her own photography equipment.

Time commitment: Fifteen hours per week. Schedule can be customized to the intern’s class schedule, but 5-9 p.m. Thursday is required. Preferred times include 9 a.m.-noon Monday and daytime hours during one other weekday. MOCA Jacksonville closes at 5 p.m. every day except Thursday. Occasional Saturday events and 5-9 p.m. during Downtown Art Walk on the first Wednesday of each month will be negotiated depending on the intern’s availability.

Number of interns: More than one intern could be chosen if the candidates are qualified.


Curatorial Internship

Position description: Work closely with the curatorial team managing the Museum’s Permanent Collection and facilitating the exhibitions program.

Specific responsibilities might include: 

  • Work with curators in managing physical and computerized records for the Permanent Collection
  • Research artists in the collection and exhibition projects
  • Assist in collection inventory, photography, and digitizing of works in the Permanent Collection
  • Some art handling and gallery preparation with supervision from the curatorial team

Requirements: Applicants should have an interest and preferably some background in the arts and in learning about aspects of art collection management, exhibition curation, experience with Windows-based software systems, some database experience helpful, administrative skills to handle paperwork, attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines required.

Time commitment: Minimum of eight to ten hours per week.

Number of interns: One

Educational Department Internship

Position description: The intern will do some office support work, participate in our summer camp program, student tours, and outreach activities, and collaborate with the education department to design and execute a project which will be the core piece the intern’s contribution to the Museum.

Sample projects might include:

  • Designing a set of simple hands-on art-making projects which make connections between our collection and our hands-on space for children, families, or adult team building
  • Researching and proposing possibilities for making MOCA Jacksonville more accessible to diverse populations
  • Creating one or a series of one-hour slideshow presentations highlighting the movements and history of an artist and/or works in our collection for the purpose of initiating docents
  • Researching Free Choice Learning and creating a simple one- or two-hour training program for volunteers.

Time commitment: Minimum ten hours per week.

Evaluation: Evaluation of the internship will be based upon the objectives set when the intern proposes his or her unique project and by criteria of average Museum employment expectations. If the student is receiving academic credit, the college/university must identify the criteria necessary for academic credit.

Number of interns: Flexible

NOLA MOCA INTERNSHIP 

Position description: NOLA MOCA, a part of MOCA Jacksonville, is offering an intern position to provide experience for students in the hospitality and food and beverage management fields. 

The following is a sampling of duties and areas that will be covered:

Food safety and preparation  

  • Proper food handling and storage
  • Basic food preparation 
  • Knife skills
  • Proper use of common kitchen equipment

Staff responsibilities and structure 

  • Develop an understanding of a restaurant staff structure
  • Schedule management 
  • Human resource management techniques in the restaurant 

Recording data and fiscal responsibility 

  • Inventory management 
  • Invoice coding and entry 
  • Product pricing and availability 
  • Overhead minimizing 

Customer Relations  

  • Proper tableside manner 
  • Point of sale system use 
  • End of shift revenue accounting 

This position will provide an invaluable opportunity for individuals to not only get to see and participate in the inner workings of an upscale eatery, it also provides an opportunity to see that within a larger structure. It will not only prepare one to work within the industry but provide an understanding of the relationship food and beverage has to a nonprofit institution.  

Requirements: Applicants should have a passion for food and people, a basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel, a clean and neat appearance, and good communication skills. 

Time commitment: Minimum of fifteen hours per week. NOLA MOCA is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, but behind-the-scenes duties allow for flexibility of scheduling. 

Number of interns: Two


Summer Camp Program Internship

Position description: This position provides classroom and administrative support to MOCA’s Education Staff. The intern will assist in designing and executing educational art projects, classroom management, and registration administration. Interns will have the opportunity to design and execute a project which will be his/her core contribution to the museum. 

Specific responsibilities might include:

  • Designing a set of simple hands-on art-making project related to collections or current exhibitions and art education goal
  • Researching and proposing possibilities for making MOCA Jacksonville more accessible to diverse populations
  • Finding outreach opportunities for summer camp marketing

Requirements: Applicants should be pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in art history, education, arts administration, art education, art therapy or museum studies. Previous classroom experience is a must. The ideal candidate will be comfortable with public speaking and interacting with students of all ages.

Time commitment: Minimum twenty hours per week.

Number of interns: Six


Research and Interpretation Internship

Position description: This position provides office, research, and interpretive support to the Curatorial staff. The intern will be responsible for researching MOCA collections as well as loaned works in order to compose interpretive material such as gallery guides and audio tours for upcoming exhibitions. The Research and Interpretation Intern will also assist MOCA staff in editing museum exhibitions-related publications.

Requirements: Applicants should be pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in art history, art education, arts administration, or museum studies. The ideal candidate will have research experience and excellent writing and editing skills. Organization, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines are a must.

Time commitment: Minimum ten hours per week.

Number of interns: One


Survey Internship

Position description: Work closely with the department directors for one or more weeks at a time.

Specific responsibilities might include:

  • Work with curator in managing physical and computerized records for the Permanent Collection. Responsibilities may include some art handling and gallery preparation with supervision from the curatorial team
  • Work with the education department to participate in our summer camp program, student tours, and outreach activities and some office support work
  • Under the direction of the development department team, general development department tasks include marketing/promotion activities, fundraising mailings, and special events.

Requirements: Applicants should have an interest in and preferably some background in the arts and experience with Windows-based software systems, some database experience helpful, administrative skills to handle paperwork, attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines required.

Time commitment: Minimum ten hours per week.

Number of interns: Flexible


Graphic Design Internship

Position description: Under the direction of the Marketing team, the graphic design intern will assist with various projects as needed. General graphic design tasks include marketing/promotion activities, fundraising mailings, and special events.

Specific responsibilities might include: 

  • Maintaining the Museum website
  • Designing and executing email blasts
  • Both computer and multipage print design

Requirements: 

  • Strong layout and design skills
  • Macintosh literacy and knowledge and experience with Adobe Creative Suite (In Design, Illustrator, Photoshop) required
  • Basic HTML required. Proficiency with Flash a plus
  • Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines are a must

Time commitment: Minimum fifteen hours per week.

Number of interns: Flexible