Special Project Trinkett Clark Internship
In Summer 2025 and 2026, as part of planning the upcoming 2027 exhibition centering Indigenous picture book creators, the Museum has a 12-week Special Project Trinkett Clark Internship. The exhibition and related internship are made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Federal grant award ID: MA-256047-OMS-24). The 8-week Trinkett Clark Internship will be on hiatus.
Special Project Internship details
Founded to honor the life, work, and vibrant spirit of the late Trinkett Clark, a museum curator and the first wife of H. Nichols B. Clark, The Carle’s Founding Director and Chief Curator Emeritus. This internship provides a unique opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing careers in the arts or museums. Participants get practical experience in curation, collections management, and museum education. This position works directly with The Carle’s associate curator and director of education.
The Special Project Trinkett Clark Internship will focus on research projects in conjunction with an upcoming 2027 North American Indigenous Picture Book Art, Past-Present-Future (provisional title) exhibition. The exhibition will bring together Indigenous children’s book artists from across the continent to share their collective efforts to create positive, dynamic representations of historical and contemporary Native lives and cultures. The Carle’s curatorial and education teams will collaborate with guest curator Dr. Lee Francis IV (Laguna Pueblo), an activist, educator, and founder of Native Realities Press, and Indigenous Community Advisory Group members including award-winning children’s book author and publisher Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Nation). Undergraduate and graduate students of Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit background are strongly encouraged to apply.
The intern is responsible for curating a thematic Indigenous book exhibition in The Carle’s Reading Library (opening August 2025) and assisting with exhibition research and the creation of digital interpretive materials for the 2027 North American Indigenous Picture Book Art, Past-Present-Future exhibition. The intern will also gain familiarity with the Museum’s database and a body of research and written descriptions of artworks.
They will also participate in one summer advisory group exhibition meeting, biweekly collections department meetings, monthly check-ins between the guest curator and collections team, and weekly summer intern cohort meetings, gaining an understanding of how different museum departments function within the organization.
The 12-week internship begins with a mutually determined start date in June and requires a 25-hour-a-week commitment. Demonstrated strong research and writing skills, and experience with databases, are required. A love of picture books is important! Undergraduate and graduate students of Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit background are strongly encouraged to apply. This program pays $4,450 and provides an allowance to cover living expenses, including housing and food, and one-time round-trip travel to Amherst. Applications must be submitted electronically by February 1.
The Special Project Trinkett Clark internship is funded in part by H. Nichols B. Clark and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS).