The Museum Guild is a group of undergraduate students from local colleges and universities who are advocates and ambassadors for the RISD Museum and interpreters of its collection and exhibitions. Working as a group and with the guidance of the Associate Educator, Public & Academic Programs, Guild members explore questions of current relevance at the Museum, developing projects and programs that activate the galleries and connect students and faculty to the Museum.
What do you mean by “projects and programs”?
Guild members develop ways of interpreting the Museum’s collections and exhibitions for public audiences through a couple of large-scale, student-centered projects each year. We begin with a collaborative brainstorming process that is open to diverse perspectives and experimentation, then narrow down the projects into something fresh, captivating, and achievable.
In addition to the projects we plan as a group, members divide into small working groups to take responsibility for Museum programs (monthly Work in Process, hands-on art-making, and student performance programs on Third Thursdays) and take on individual responsibility for tasks like social media.
What kind of commitment is this?
Guild members are encouraged to serve in the group until graduation, and are responsible for managing self-directed work that the Museum will rely on. This means that members need to be responsive, responsible, and able to plan ahead.
Okay, I can handle responsibility. What’s in it for me?
Participation in the Guild is not equivalent to a Museum internship; we are looking for students with a wide range of skills, interests and career plans. However, Guild members gain experience adapting to different work-based challenges and get an inside look at programming and community engagement in the arts. Our members have developed decision-making, collaboration, delegation, and communication skills as well as strengthened their creative and professional voices. There are opportunities to meet other staff, faculty, and students who are thinking about museum practice and issues that interest us.
If you’re looking for preprofessional experience for a career in museums, check out our summer internships and THAD fellowships!
When does Guild meet?
The Guild meets weekly on Monday evenings.
Applications are open until September 9, 2018. Contact museumguild@risd.edu with questions.