Cultural Intern Scheme Placement Proposal

Address where Placement would be carried out / Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Chamberlain Square
Birmingham B3 3DH
Description of the project/s to be undertaken / The Placement aims to give the candidate the experience of a Museum and Art Gallery Exhibition role through the opportunity of working on a range of exhibitions at different aspects of their development. This will ensure that the candidate develops a rounded experience that will prepare them for working with a gallery programme which will at any one time require the skills and experience of exhibition installation, planning and development. Additionally the placement will offer the candidate the opportunity to experience different scales of exhibition and a variety of themes and content.
The programme below will offer the candidate to acquire and develop particular exhibition skills and experience:
·  Deinstallation of A Squash and a Squeeze (November 2013): A Squash and a Squeeze is a national touring exhibition of artwork and activities relating to the best-selling children’s author, Julia Donaldson
·  Photorealism (November 2013): a major international touring exhibition of contemporary art opening on 30th November 2013
·  Gas Hall summer exhibition (Dec 2013-May 2014): an exhibition provisionally of sculpture by the Birmingham artist Roland Emmett planned to open in May 2014
·  West Midlands Open (Jan-May 2014): a regional artists open exhibition
·  World War 1 exhibition programme (Jan-May 2014): a series of gallery displays for 2014-18 which focus on different aspects of World War 1 using both Birmingham Museum Trust’s and local collections
·  Grayson Perry tapestries, New Art West Midlands (Feb 2014): exhibitions of contemporary art opening in 2014
In addition the candidate will gain experience of working in large museums service through networking with museum staff across the nine museum sites, attending departmental and cross-department meetings, internal operation meetings as the day to day operations.
Intern’s role within the main placement project / The candidate will take on the role of Exhibitions Assistant providing support to the Exhibitions Officer and Exhibitions Manager.
The Placement would provide the candidate with a the range of skills required for an exhibitions role through the following roles and activity:
·  Deinstallation of A Squash and a Squeeze (November 2013): practical experience in taking down, packing and administration of a national touring exhibition
·  Photorealism (November 2013): Management of print production for interpretation; installation of artworks; supporting external curators; risk assessments; working a technical team and practical installation skills; public events
·  Gas Hall summer exhibition (Dec 2013-May 2014): planning and development of a major family exhibition; working with project teams; loans and collections management; marketing and press; working with external partners; general administration
·  West Midlands Open (Jan-May 2014): managing and administrating an artists’ open submission process
·  World War 1 exhibition programme (Jan-May 2014): planning and development of gallery displays for 2014-18; liaison with curatorial team and conservation; collections research; liaison with external lenders
·  Grayson Perry tapestries, New Art West Midlands (Feb 2014): providing installation and curatorial support
Purpose of the Placement / The Placement aims to give the candidate the opportunity to experience an exhibitions role through supporting the research and delivery of a busy exhibitions programme which is typical of many museums and galleries. The diversity of projects that the Placement offers aims to give the candidate the opportunity to experience different aspects of exhibitions including their stages of development and implementation; types, scale, themes and content of exhibitions; an opportunity to engage with different exhibition partners.
Birmingham Museum Trust is the largest independent museums service in the UK and as such the candidate will get an excellent insight into working in a large and busy organisation which delivers an exceptionally diverse exhibitions programme. It will enable the candidate to gain understanding of different museum roles such as conservation, curatorial, technical, marketing, loans and customer service, whilst they are at the museum and through their involvement in exhibition project teams and meetings which draw together staff from across the organisation.

In association with the