Museum of Inuit Art 207 Queen’s Quay West , 416-640-1571 [email protected]

Museum of Inuit Art ‘Collections Management’ Internship May—August 2013

Job Outline and Description

The award-winning Museum of Inuit Art (MIA), a public non-profit institution, opened its doors to the public in June 2007. MIA is the only public museum devoted exclusively to Inuit art. MIA's permanent display and extraordinary rotating exhibition space features ongoing exhibitions of hundreds of works of Inuit art ranging from sculpture carved from stone, antler, ivory and bone, to ceramics, prints and wall hangings. The Museum of Inuit Art is located within the historic Queen's Quay Terminal at Toronto . Open 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Sunday.

Further information is available at miamuseum.ca.

The Collections Management internship will provide skills in object cataloguing and photography, care of collections, management of databases, and research.

Key tasks: The key focus of this internship will be assisting the development of MIA’s collections database. Currently, MIA has a number of objects that need to be catalogued, photographed and inputted into a database created using Access. During the course of the internship that role will involve the care and preservation of a collection consisting of a variety of materials, from the very robust stone to sensitive materials, such as ivory, ossified whalebone, paper and textiles. The position will involve the following tasks:

● Background reading on Inuit art and culture

● Training around object handling and research by staff

● Cataloguing objects noting their dimensions, weight, material, location of origin, date, and artist as well as their current condition

● Photographing the objects and editing images as needed

● Inputting the associated information into the database

● Creating packages for our ‘Adopt an Object’ program, a fundraising initiative recently launched at MIA

MIA is a fast-paced workplace and new tasks constantly arise as we pride ourselves in being responsive to the needs of our visitors, stakeholders and the local community. As such, new projects will likely arise throughout the duration of the internship. The job description can be adjusted according to interns’ specific interests and skillsets in consultation with their supervisor.

Work Plan:

Weeks 1-2: Introduction, Background Research and Training The first two weeks will involve an introduction to MIA, the database and an overview of objects currently in the collection. The intern will be introduced to the museum space and storage room and will have the chance to read catalogues and other books related to Inuit art in order to gain foundational knowledge of the materials used in Inuit art and identifying characteristics of works produced in different regions. In association with the internship supervisor, the intern will receive training in object handling and weighing, cataloguing and entering information into the database. They will also learn techniques in photographing objects.

Week 3-10: Cataloguing, Photography and Data Entry The majority of the internship will involve assisting in the collections management and preservation initiatives put forth by museum staff. The day-to-day workload will be by split across cataloguing and photographing the collection, and inputting data into the database and editing photographs. Other tasks may include doing daily facility checks, assisting with the moving, packaging and/or installation of objects, and ensuring our space adheres to museum standards.

This internship will also assist staff with researching and increasing access to the museum’s collection when appropriate. This might include writing a Collections Highlight blog on a weekly basis and assisting in writing detailed descriptions of pieces included in the Adopt an Object program.

MIA would endeavour to ensure the intern could shadow MIA staff and help with events or projects of interest when possible.

Week 11-12: Reporting In the final two weeks the intern will write a report detailing what they have accomplished in terms of collections management for the museum, suggestions for future action to be taken by the museum to further the care of its collection and reflections on his/her experience during the internship in general. The intern will also receive an exit interview with their supervisors in order to discuss strengths, accomplishments, and areas for development if they choose to pursue a career in collections management in the future.

The internship will be supervised by: Alysa Procida, Associate Curator, Museum of Inuit Art (Email: [email protected])

For more information about the internship or to apply for the position, please contact Alysa Procida at [email protected]. Please submit a cover letter and resume.