Internships
Houston Center for Photography – Internship Program
The Houston Center for Photography seeks creative individuals with an interest in photography and the visual arts for internship opportunities. Offered year round, internships at HCP provide a platform for undergraduate and graduate students to gain practical, hands-on experience in our exhibitions, education, and development departments. HCP’s programming includes exhibitions, educational classes, workshops, community education programs and initiatives, fellowships, publications, a digital lab, and a library. Our hope is to match each intern with duties that match their interests and learning goals.
Qualifications for an Internship at HCP
- Have strong verbal communication skills, and pleasant telephone manner
- Be energetic, outgoing, enthusiastic to learn
- Have excellent organizational skills and ability to multi-task
- Be a fast learner, team player, responsible
- Require minimal supervision
- Have a familiarity with Windows operating system (Microsoft Word, Excel)
- Visual arts/photography background, knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator and Adobe Acrobat are a plus
- Have a valid driver’s license and transportation for errand running (preferred, not required)
- Must have previous work experience
- A passion for photography, visual arts, and/or culture is essential
- Can commit to a minimum of 3 months
- Pursuing studies in college at the undergraduate or graduate level, or a recent graduate
Benefits
Each intern will receive a small, one-time cash stipend. Course credit can be arranged with the intern’s educational institution. In addition to gaining invaluable experience working in a small, established non-profit organization in the arts, benefits of the internship include a free annual membership at the individual level, enrollment in two photography classes at HCP, and use of the Digital Lab.
Internship Schedule
HCP internships require a commitment of at least 8 hours per week for 3 consecutive months during HCP business hours of Monday–Friday, 10 am–6 pm. Scheduling for this internship is flexible. Weekend and evening hours may be required during special events.
- Summer Internships take place June–August, deadline for applying is March 31st.
- Fall Internships take place from September–December, deadline for applying is July 31st.
- Spring Internships take place January–May, deadline for applying is October 31st.
Application Instructions
To apply for an internship, please email info@hcponline.org with the subject line: Internship Program Application. Attach a single PDF containing your application, cover letter, and three references (non-relatives).
Internship Applications
To apply, please send your cover letter, resume, filled-out internship application and references by email to:
As Exhibitions Intern, you will assist with the planning and execution of several exhibitions and events, featuring celebrated work by well-known artists and cutting edge photographic projects. This position is ideal for someone embarking on a career in Art History, Studio Art or Curatorial Studies.
You will have any or all of the following responsibilities:
• Prepare for installation and de-installation of exhibitions
• Assist registrar processing work received and shipped
• Assist with artist submissions processing and reviewing
• Conduct research on artists in preparation for upcoming exhibitions
• Assist with exhibition materials (press, artist statements, and resumes), filing, and database maintenance
• Maintain exhibition supply and print inventories
• Run errands in preparation for exhibitions
• Assist with archiving of exhibitions material
• Enter information related to exhibitions and artists into database
• Update and create exhibitions pages of the HCP website
• Creation of press packets for exhibiting artists
• Assist with creation and maintain stock of curatorial materials for exhibitions
• Lead exhibition tours to school groups
• Share the responsibility with other interns and staff of monitoring the gallery during open hours
As a Development Intern, you will assist with the administrative and marketing efforts of the organization related to audience development, grant and donor research, social media, and information distribution. This position is ideal for someone embarking on a career in Arts Administration, Museum Studies, or Development.
You will have any or all of the following responsibilities:
• Update member information on database
• Assist with fundraising event planning
• Assist with preparation of fundraising and membership materials and mailings
• Assist with preparation of Membership materials and mailings
• Assist with donor and grant research
• Assist with the planning and implementation of the Annual Print Auction
• Prepare images and artist bio’s for Featured Members section on the website
• Share the responsibility with other interns and staff of monitoring the gallery during open hours
• Research locations for future Capture Crawls
• Lead exhibition tours to school groups
As an Education Intern, you will assist with making available to the public HCP’s educational calendar and schedule of courses and workshops, providing information and technical support to students and faculty, and maintaining student records and course enrollment data. This position requires collaborating with the Director of Education, who works remotely part of the year and is ideal for someone embarking on a career in Photography, Arts Education, or Museum Education.
You will have any or all of the following responsibilities:
• Publish new classes to the website
• Create or update educational web pages as needed
• Consult potential students and provide assistance with enrolling in courses
• Provide technical support to on-site and online courses
• Maintain database info, including students, faculty, courses, and enrollment.
• Organize student rosters, statistics on courses, and class attendance records
• Assist with class evaluations
• Archive class sign-in spreadsheets
• Support during special events
• Lead exhibition tours to school groups
• Share the responsibility with other interns and staff of monitoring the gallery during open hours
As a Communications & Marketing intern, you will assist with the implementation of creative marketing and advertising campaigns online and in print and will collaborate with all departments on content. This position is ideal for someone embarking on a career in Arts Administration, Communication, Marketing, Public Relations, or Studio Art.
You will have any or all of the following responsibilities:
• Analyze data to allow the department to make informed marketing decisions
• Distribute marketing materials around Houston
• Research marketing best practices
• Schedule marketing activity, including social media posts
• Write engaging copy for press releases, e-newsletters, social media posts
As a Community Engagement intern, you will assist with the development and maintenance of HCP’s Community Engagement programs by conducting research in art and museum education, developing educational materials, and assisting with the facilitation of educational programs at HCP and in the community at events or partnering organizations. This position is ideal for someone embarking on a career in Art Education, Museum Education, Arts Administration, and Community Arts.
You will have any or all of the following responsibilities:
- Research potential opportunities for Community Engagement
- Research existing photography-based community education curricula
- Research museum education theories
- Organize and maintain Community Engagement supplies
- Assist with local community fairs and HCP community events
- Develop curricula for various community education programming
- Develop specific learning materials for current and upcoming exhibitions
- Assist Director of Community Engagement with developing guided tour content for current and upcoming exhibitions
- Research potential groups for guided tours
- Lead exhibition tours to school groups
- Assist with designing and distributing promotional materials for various Community Engagement programs
- Assist Community Engagement Manager and Teaching Artists with community programs
- Share the responsibility with other interns and staff of monitoring the gallery during open hours
