Gallery Intern

Please visit us at https://niadart.org/pages/work-at-niad to view the complete Job description with instructions to apply.

The Gallery Intern is a paid, hands-on introduction to exhibition production, art preparation, and gallery

operations in a working contemporary art organization. Working with the Director of Exhibitions &

Partnerships and Assistant Registrar and Preparator, the intern helps turn exhibition plans into finished

installations at NIAD and partner venues.

The role is especially focused on the physical work of exhibitions: safe art handling, packing and unpacking,

framing and unframing, preparing gallery spaces, measuring and laying out exhibitions, installation and

deinstallation, lighting, labels and signage, and maintaining exhibition spaces. The Gallery Intern also

supports gallery events, art sales, and the movement of artwork through the department.

Because NIAD is a small collaborative organization, the Gallery Intern will also gain experience with

inventory, photography, shipping, records, and other back-of-house tasks that support exhibitions and

sales. This is a job designed to teach, and a strong fit for an emerging professional interested in preparator

work, exhibition production, gallery operations, curatorial practice, or related museum and gallery work.

Like all NIAD staff, the Gallery Intern shares responsibility for upholding NIAD’s commitments to

confidentiality, accessibility, and person-centered practices.

4. Essential functions and responsibilities

The groups below are listed in general order of priority; the balance among them shifts with the exhibition

calendar and departmental needs.

Exhibition production, installation, and art handling

Work with NIAD staff and outside art handlers on installation and deinstallation of exhibitions at NIAD and,

occasionally, at off-site partner venues.

Pack and unpack artworks safely and prepare works for installation, storage, transport, or return.

Frame and unframe artworks and assist with other basic artwork preparation.

Measure and lay out exhibitions; assist with placement of artworks, labels, signage, and interpretive

materials.

Use basic installation tools and equipment — including drills, hammers, levels, measuring tools, ladders,

and related equipment — with training and supervision.

Prepare and maintain gallery spaces, including patching and painting walls, painting pedestals, building or

installing simple shelves, installing vinyl, and making minor exhibition-related repairs.

Assist with exhibition lighting and placement of pedestals, display furniture, and other exhibition

equipment.

Handle artwork using professional best-practice standards and learn principles and best practices of

accessible exhibition design.

Pull and stage artworks for upcoming exhibitions and return works to appropriate storage locations after

deinstallation.

Gallery operations, events, and art sales

Help create exhibition checklists, price lists, labels, installation materials, and online collections.

Maintain the professional appearance and functionality of NIAD’s 23rd Street Galleries, including wall

surfaces and exhibition furniture.

Prepare for receptions and events, including studio sales, food and beverage set-up, event set-up and

takedown, workshops, entertainment, and related logistics.

Support artist talks, gallery hours, tabling, and other exhibition-related programs at NIAD and satellite

venues.

Receive and assist gallery visitors, process in-person sales as needed, and support artwork pick-ups.

Pack and ship sold artworks and artworks traveling to exhibitions.

Run occasional local errands to purchase supplies and materials or drop off/pick up artworks for exhibitions

and sales.

Inventory , collections, and documentation support

Assist with processing newly completed artwork for sale and ensure artwork is organized as it enters the

department.

Photograph and scan artworks for inventory and assist with organizing image files according to naming

standards.

Wrap and label artworks neatly and return pulled works to their correct storage locations.

Maintain organization of artwork storage spaces and flat files with direction from the Assistant Registrar

and Preparator.

Assist with sorting recent artwork and other collections-care projects as needed.

Update inventory and sales information online or in departmental systems as assigned.

Maintain records of artists’ participation in online, on-site, and off-site exhibitions and support updates to

artist bios, CVs, and professional records when needed.

Contribute to alt-text descriptions and other accessible artwork information for online use.

Collaborative spring intern project

During the spring term, the Gallery Intern and Collections Intern will collaborate on a substantial project that

draws on the skills developed through both internships. Depending on NIAD’s exhibition calendar and

organizational priorities, the project may take the form of an online exhibition, an exhibition presented with a

partner venue, or another special curatorial, collections, interpretive, or public-facing project.

With mentorship from Exhibitions & Partnerships staff, both interns will participate in research, planning, project

management, communication, implementation, and evaluation. The Gallery Intern will take particular

responsibility for exhibition planning, artwork preparation, installation and presentation, gallery logistics, and

visitor experience while collaborating closely with the Collections Intern on the project as a whole.

Shared responsibilities of all NIAD staff

Treat artists as professional artists and colleagues: honor each person’s autonomy, preferences,

communication style, and consent.

Maintain confidentiality of artist, collector, staff, and organizational information in accordance with NIAD

policy and applicable law.

Participate in team meetings and required trainings.

Engage with artists, colleagues, collectors, and the public in a friendly, professional manner.

Perform other reasonably related duties as assigned.

5. What you bring

Required

Currently or recently enrolled in a college-level art, art history, museum studies, design, or related program

— or comparable experience and a clear interest in building a career in the arts.

Care and attention in handling artworks and willingness to learn professional art-handling and installation

practices.

Interest in exhibition production, preparator work, gallery operations, curatorial practice, or contemporary

art.

Comfort learning to use basic hand tools, ladders, measuring tools, framing equipment, and other

exhibition-production equipment safely.

Strong visual and spatial awareness and attention to detail.

Experience with, or genuine interest in, working alongside disabled people.

Willingness to learn the digital tools the team uses — e-commerce platforms, image editing, databases and

data entry, and point-of-sale software.

Ability to manage several tasks at once and reorganize priorities when the exhibition calendar shifts.

Clear, professional communication and ability to meet deadlines independently and as part of a team.

Preferred

Experience with art handling, installation, framing, fabrication, carpentry, painting, or other hands-on studio

or exhibition work.

Experience with digital photography or image editing, or willingness to learn.

Prior experience in a gallery, museum, collection, archive, art studio, theater, or exhibition environment.

Familiarity with disability culture or Disability Justice.

Spanish, ASL, or another language spoken by NIAD artists and families.

Research shows that people from historically excluded groups often apply only when they meet every listed

qualification. If you are excited about this internship and believe you can contribute, we encourage you to apply

even if your experience does not match every item above.

6. Training and compliance requirements

Criminal record clearance. Because NIAD is licensed by the California Department of Social Services,

Community Care Licensing Division, this position requires fingerprint-based criminal record clearance

through the California Department of Justice and FBI (Health and Safety Code § 1522), completed after

a conditional offer of employment. NIAD will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction

records in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act and licensing requirements.

Health screening. Documentation of a negative tuberculosis test or risk assessment dated within the

past two years, provided after a conditional offer.

Required NIAD trainings. Confidentiality; safe artwork handling; ladder and equipment safety;

emergency procedures and assisted evacuation; Workplace Violence Prevention Plan; harassment

prevention (within 6 months of hire and every 2 years thereafter).

Work authorization. Proof of eligibility to work in the United States (Form I-9) within three business

days of the start date.

7. Physical requirements and work environment

The requirements below describe the physical demands and environment of the essential functions of this

position. NIAD provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them

to perform the essential functions.

Lift and carry artwork, crates, and equipment up to 40 pounds; assistance is used for anything that

cannot be safely handled by one person.

Bend, reach, kneel, and access shelving, racks, and flat files.

Climb and work from ladders to hang and light artwork and maintain gallery walls.

Use basic hand tools and exhibition equipment with training and supervision.

Periods of desk and computer work for checklists, inventory updates, image processing, and related

exhibition documentation.

Stand and move about the gallery and storage areas for extended periods, including during

installations, receptions, and gallery hours.

Work in a hybrid gallery, office, and studio environment where noise and interruptions are common,

with exposure to art materials such as paints, clays, glazes, and fibers.

Occasional travel within the Bay Area to off-site storage and satellite exhibition venues.

8. Compensation and terms

Pay: $20 per hour. This is a paid, hourly, non-exempt position and is eligible for overtime as required by law.

Schedule and breaks: 10-15 hours per week, 2-3 days per week, not to exceed 8 hours in a day, scheduled

around your availability and departmental need and set on hire. You will receive meal and rest breaks in

accordance with California law. Occasional evening or weekend hours in support of receptions and events

are scheduled in advance.

Term: This is a temporary, fixed-term position for one academic year, [September 2026 through June 2027],

with the possibility of renewal through [mid-August 2027].

Benefits: As a temporary position scheduled under 21 hours per week, this internship is not eligible for

NIAD’s medical, dental, or vision coverage, or for paid vacation. You accrue paid sick leave as required by

California law.

Academic credit: If your program offers academic credit for an internship, NIAD will work with you and

your school to support it. Credit is in addition to payment for hours worked, not instead of it.

Pay: $20.00 per hour

Expected hours: 10.0 – 15.0 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person