Based in San Francisco, Letterform Archive is a nonprofit center for inspiration, education, publishing, and community. As a library and museum we offer radical access to a collection of over 100,000 items related to calligraphy, lettering, typography, and graphic design. Reporting to the Associate Curator, the Curatorial Intern will be involved with the team that brings in new collections and interprets them for the public. This position will work primarily on collections projects that involve research and writing, as well as reporting new acquisitions and donations.DescriptionWant to learn about typographic history, develop your writing skills, and help us share a unique collection of graphic design with the world? Letterform Archive’s Curatorial Internship provides a unique opportunity for a college student, recent graduate, or anyone exploring a career in libraries, archives, or research-based writing. You will be immersed in a variety of essential curatorial and editorial tasks while interacting directly with the Archive’s extensive collection. This internship begins in late May 2024, with a flexible end date, optimally a full year.

About Letterform Archive

Established in 2015, Letterform Archive is a San Francisco nonprofit center for inspiration, education, and community. As a library and museum, we preserve over 100,000 artifacts of calligraphy, lettering, typography, and graphic design, and provide radical access to the collection through our blog, social media, exhibitions, publications, hands-on tours, and the Online Archive. We also offer a yearlong certificate program in type design, accompanied by public workshops, lectures, and salons on the letter arts, both in-person and online.

As a close-knit team of typophiles, lettering lovers, graphic design fans, and book arts enthusiasts, everyone at the Archive — regardless of role — helps in some way to promote the collection, assist at events, or engage with the design community at large. The Curatorial Team is specifically responsible for bringing in new collections and sharing them with the public.

Primary Responsibilities

Collaborate with the Associate Curator on collections, editorial, and content management projects, including:

• Document and report newly donated and acquired collections, including counting and recording item types, photographing material, and researching values
• Research, write, and process imagery for articles about Archive collections and other news about the organization
• Assist in writing, editing, and maintaining other website content, including producing pages in the WordPress environment

Secondary Responsibilities

• Assist the Curatorial Team and other teams with other tasks as assigned

Minimum Qualifications 

• Excellent writing skills
• Familiarity with art or design history, and able to tell stories and convey the subject matter in an accessible way
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize and work independently
• Excellent attention to detail and problem solving skills
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to multitask
• Familiarity with Google Docs, macOS, and able to adapt quickly to new software
• Working toward or has completed some level of postsecondary education

Ideal Qualifications

In addition to the minimum qualifications above, an ideal candidate would have some, but not necessarily all, of the following qualifications as well:

• Experience working in archives, museums, or special collections libraries
• Knowledge of or deep interest in lettering, typography, graphic design, and related printing arts
• Proficient in WordPress or similar CMS software for creating online content
• Proficient in HTML and CSS
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud products, particularly in photo editing

Physical Demands

The Curatorial Intern will be required to work at a desk, using a computer screen for extended periods of time, typing, and taking photos of printed material using a phone and copy stand. They will also be required to lift items that weigh less than 10 pounds.

The Archive will provide reasonable accommodations to an employee with a disability who requires accommodations to perform the essential functions of their job.

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

To ensure the health and safety of the Archive’s community, all newly hired employees of Letterform Archive are required to be fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions for medical, religious, or other reasons in accordance with all applicable laws.

Fair Chance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination

Letterform Archive is an equal opportunity workplace, community, and place of learning. The Archive does not discriminate in employment or in offering educational services and programs. Learn more. 

Location

This is a hybrid role that we anticipate working on site at Letterform Archive’s offices in San Francisco two-to-three days per week. This is not a remote position.

Position Type and Work Schedule

This is a part-time internship position working 20–25 hours per week during the Archive’s normal office hours, 10:00 am–6:00 pm.

Compensation

The pay rate for this role is $20 per hour and includes the following perks:

• Waived tuition to Archive workshops
• Complimentary Archive membership

You will be surrounded by and interact with beautiful, meaningful materials from the Archive’s collection, as well as a diverse and dynamic community of those who love letters and design. Your colleagues will be a small group of people who are passionate about our mission to share the joy of letters.

How to Apply

Please apply by submitting a résumé and a short cover letter explaining your interest in this position by Sunday, April 28, 2024.

Address your cover letter to the “hiring team” and limit to one page. The most effective cover letters summarize your relevant experience, explain your interest in the Archive and this position, and make clear how your qualifications match this role’s responsibilities.

Letterform Archive is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance applying or have questions about accommodation during the hiring process, please email hr@letterformarchive.org.

https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit-internship/3da05f659e364a0f95849bcb2944fb4b-curatorial-intern-letterform-archive-san-francisco?utm_source=symplicity&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=listings-api