Kress Interpretive Fellow at the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

Our Values

Our museum reflects and deepens our collective humanity; the arts are integral to an inspired and just society.
We respect and acknowledge each of our colleagues’ contributions and expertise across all roles within our organization.
We share in the responsibility to create an antiracist culture built on equity, inclusion, and justice for all, acknowledging that these efforts are intersectional and ongoing.
We encourage and advance a culture of hospitality, empathy, and gratitude for each visitor, supporter, and member of our staff.
We embrace innovation and foster change with a progressive understanding of – and obligation to reconsider – our past.
We sustain an open and dynamic civic platform, inviting and advancing the diverse perspectives of our city, staff, visitors, and supporters.

About The Department

The department of Interpretation develops, advises on, and evaluates narratives and frameworks across our galleries and digital spaces, generating engagement, prompting discovery and exploration, and presenting new perspectives. Interpretation is artwork- and audience-centered: we aim to illuminate the significance of artworks, ensure that our choices for presentation have a positive impact on visitors’ experiences, and create dialogue with visitors, inviting them to bring their whole selves to conversations in our galleries. We are committed to developing accessible interpretive approaches and strategies that celebrate the uniqueness and importance of the Art Institute’s collection.

About The Position

This is a 9-month, term-limited position. The Kress Interpretive Fellow will aid in the Art Institute’s key goal of creating scalable, visitor-centric, diverse content that helps overcome barriers to attendance and improve museum experiences with opportunities that emphasize connectivity and belonging. The Fellow will collaborate closely with the director, interpretation; chair and curator, Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium (AAMB); and collection manager, AAMB.

The Fellow will contribute to a new, focused display of an exceptional loan of ancient coins from private collections in dialogue with coins held by the AAMB department. Their work will enable us to frame the material for our visitors in the most meaningful and thought-provoking ways. As the interpretation lead, the Fellow will play a key role in developing the physical and digital display of ancient coins from conceptualization to installation, working with content specialists to identify key narratives and learning goals. They will also review all texts through an accessibility and narrative lens, collaborate with our in-house digital engagement team on in-gallery resources, and contribute to a larger visitor research and interpretive plan for the entire department.

Additionally, the Fellow will conduct research that will inform future installations and exhibitions organized by AAMB. This research includes investigations of innovative interpretive tools and frameworks that might improve the visitor experience in the AAMB galleries. It will also include hands-on visitor research, such as studies that uncover the perceptions visitors have before entering the museum, explore how those perceptions change, and record any questions that might remain post-visit. This work will involve observing and interviewing visitors and analyzing data. The Art Institute will provide training in appropriate research techniques.

Finally, the Fellow will contribute to additional ongoing projects within the interpretation department, including creating accessibility resources and leading live programming in the galleries.

Responsibilities

Contribute to the planning for an installation of coins from the ancient Mediterranean. Research modes of display, refine narrative goals, review didactic content, and conduct formative research.
Design and execute visitor studies in order to understand the visitor experience in the AAMB galleries and find opportunities to improve.
Research current museological practices related to the display of ancient art of the Mediterranean.
Generate written interpretation of the collection and exhibitions for select exhibitions, installations and digital projects.
Develop tools to increase the accessibility of the collection, including audio descriptions of objects.
In collaboration with Director, Gallery Activation, adapt written interpretive work into gallery programs delivered to a live audience and leads tours and conversations that amplify the narratives throughout the collection.
Contribute to the body of audience research and collect visitor data for select projects. The specialist will assist in defining evaluation objectives and direct research and evaluation, as needed.
Maintain knowledge of museum collection and related content; research information about special exhibitions; and remain current in understanding of art history, theory, and culture.
Contribute to strategic interpretive projects, including assessing labels within the museum and developing tools that advance interpretive writing and encourage inclusive ways of considering collection content.

Physical Requirements

Remain standing or sitting at a desk or with a computer for the majority of the work day
Read and assess the accessibility of exhibition didactics and related materials, including digital interactives
Use a computer to edit manuscript; conduct research using PDFs, Microsoft Word, InDesign, and the Internet
Ability to move across the museum and navigate through all museum galleries to view and assess exhibitions and museum didactics
Communicate with internal colleagues across the museum as well as external partners (artists, authors, curators, community stakeholders, designers, freelancers, etc.) via spoken and written forms; exchange ideas, listen and respond to feedback

Qualifications

BA in Art History, Ancient or Classical Studies or related field required
Masters degree strongly preferred.
Knowledge about ancient art of the Mediterranean, preferably related to coins from that region.
Demonstrated interest in exploring the role of museums in society and the relationship between museums and audiences.
Demonstrated experience with and desire to communicate with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability.
Command of Microsoft Office (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite.
Exceptional collaboration and diplomatic skills, including ability to work flexibly and implement projects as part of a team, operating within a framework of shared authority with a range of departments and stakeholders.
Excellent ability to communicate – not only professionally with a wide range of museum stakeholders, but also publicly with audiences of different backgrounds, levels of knowledge, and types of ability.
Energy and enthusiasm for the mission of the museum and demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Closing Statement

The Art Institute of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits, hires and promotes qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, veteran status or citizenship. The Institute complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the Department of Human Resources.