Internship Description 

The Compass Award supports a project-based internship which provides financial and professional support to new and early-career colleagues in the arts information field. The award is open to individuals who identify as racialized and/or BIPOC. The internship will broaden their perspectives and experience in the field of art, architecture, special collections, and museum libraries and archives. While eligibility does not require a degree in an arts-related field, the internship experience must focus on information in the arts.

The award will support the completion of a project-based internship as proposed by the applicant. The project may be research-oriented or fall in the scope of a creative endeavor and may be conducted in-person, virtually, or hybrid. The proposed work will be carried out under the guidance of a supervisor. The supervisor is expected to advise the awardee and help establish a network of support. Applicants are not required to have a predetermined institution or arranged supervisor. The Compass Award Committee is not responsible for matching candidates with an institution or mentor, but can assist with the process by providing the applicant with resources (such as connecting them with a professional colleague or an institution) to strengthen their application if requested. The award cannot be used for an internship that is already in progress.

The internship will entail a minimum of 100 hours of work to see a project through to completion. Ideally, the applicant will identify a supervisor, and if relevant to the project, an institution. Responsibilities for the project-based internship experience, including its scope, hours, and product, will be determined by the awardee in collaboration with the supervisor and/or the supporting institution. The Compass Award Subcommittee is available to answer questions throughout the duration of the internship and for consultation should challenges arise.