ORGANIZATION
The mission of the Contemplative Sciences Center (CSC) is to advance the study and application of human flourishing at all levels of education—K-12, undergraduate, graduate, professional, and lifelong. In particular we are focused on how educational institutions can better understand and facilitate the types of knowledge, mindsets, and practices that promote flourishing. We at CSC are pursuing our mission through a variety of programs and initiatives in academic classrooms, residential life, digital technologies, research, scholarship, application, and social innovation. In 2024, we will open a state-of-the-art new facility, the Contemplative Commons, to significantly expand this work and reach wider audiences. The Commons will offer a number of innovations in form and function over traditional lecture halls, including an abundance of natural light and highly interconnected indoor-outdoor spaces that reflect the importance of nature exposure to health and well-being.
MENTOR
Maggie Guggenheimer, Contemplative Commons Director
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This internship will prepare interns for careers in any of the following:
- Academic Research and Administration
- Communication, Outreach, and Publishing
- Industry and For-profit
- Non-profit
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
This internship will provide experiences to develop and polish the following skills:
- Communication (Written and/or verbal)
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Knowledge of Sector and Networking
- Marketing
- Problem-solving and Analytical Thinking
- Project Management
- Thought Leadership and Innovation
MENTORING PLAN
The student will meet with the mentor on a weekly basis to review project load, receive guidance, and share updates and feedback. Between meetings, we will communicate by email and Slack and monitor project progress through the Asana project management tool. The intern will be invited to relevant meetings regarding the Contemplative Commons building logistics and other arts-related programming. Ideally, the intern will also build a small advisory group during the exploration of partnerships across the University and local community, then work with that group on a monthly or quarterly basis to review the exhibitions plan and strategy as it takes shape. Key partners include the Equity Center, art department students and faculty, the university museums, and local artists and arts organizations.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The student will learn:
- How to manage a curatorial project from conceptualization to installation using project management software
- How to research potential approaches to curatorial strategy and make recommendations based on research
- How to ensure a curatorial strategy aligns with an organizational mission and practical constraints
- How to collaborate with partners and colleagues to garner support for ideas
- How to develop high-quality supporting materials for exhibitions including internal timelines and planning documents as well as front-facing promotional pieces and interpretive text
RESPONSIBILITIES
The student will work closely with the mentor to plan a curatorial strategy for visual art at the Contemplative Sciences Center’s new Contemplative Commons building, scheduled to open in early 2024. The process involves first collaborating with the building design team to understand and catalogue in detail all available exhibition and installation space in the facility.
The student will engage in research to explore potential curatorial approaches to programming the available exhibition/installation spaces, including a combination of rotating and permanent exhibitions. This research will involve a thorough review of potential partners at all levels of the University and in the local community, as well as potential mission-aligned visiting artists. Dedicated attention will be paid to CSC’s equity lens and goal to highlight the work of Black and Indigenous artists.
The student will collaborate with CSC colleagues to become familiar with the parallel “transformative tech” art spaces in the building (immersive video room, immersive sonic and light conservatory, Ninfeo installation chamber by Wolfgang Buttress), to ensure that the visual art exhibitions complement and enhance the Commons’ transformative tech experiences. In collaboration with the mentor and potential advisory group(s), the student will then propose a visual art curatorial strategy that most closely aligns with the goals of the building to promote flourishing for all and stays within the budgetary and staffing constraints of the project.
Once approved, the student will develop a written description of the exhibitions approach, a timeline for initial and rotating installations, promotional materials, and detailed plans for interpretive/educational text throughout the building that enhances opportunities for generative and contemplative experiences in relation to visual artwork and exhibitions.
DESIRED QUALITIES
Experience working with artists and visual art exhibitions Experience in museum/gallery education or curatorial work Project management skills Written communication skills
MODE OF INTERNSHIP
Hybrid (Combination of in-person and virtual work)
DURATION
Combination of semesters (Summer 2023, Fall 2023, or Spring 2024)