Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) Curatorial Research Internship

The 9-month Internship is for the 2026-27 academic year, running from October 2026 - June 2027. The Curatorial Research Assistant will work 10-20 hours per week and receive an hourly rate of $17/hour. The candidate must be a current graduate student or recent graduate.

The Curatorial Research Intern will conduct research for upcoming exhibitions; process, catalog, and organize research materials; prepare indexes and finding aids; support artists and curators with reference requests; and assist with image rights and catalog production. The intern will also help organize curatorial resources within the ICA's Google Workspace.

This position is ideal for students with strong research, writing, and organizational skills and an interest in contemporary art, curatorial practice, and socially engaged public programming. Those with an interest in contemporary art and arts education are strongly encouraged to apply.

Graduate students pursuing an MFA degree that have been assigned an assistantship are ineligible to hold secondary employment at VCU. 

What You'll Gain

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  Experience in curatorial research, exhibition planning, and production

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  Exposure to contemporary artists and socially engaged artistic practices

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  Insight into the work of a contemporary art institution and its engagement with wide audiences

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a current graduate student or recent graduate.

• Strong research, writing, and organizational skills