Internships and Residencies

The Metal Museum offers a variety of opportunities for young and emerging artists and museum professionals, including the two-year Blacksmith and Museum Apprenticeship, general museum internships, 3 - 12 month artists' residencies, and library research residencies.

Blacksmithing Apprenticeship

The Metal Museum has a two-year apprenticeship program that provides housing, insurance, a living stipend and studio facilities. The intern works in the blacksmith shop and assists with exhibit design and installation during regular business hours.  The intern has unlimited access to the blacksmith shop and foundry.  At the end of the two-year period, the intern has a body of his or her own work, as well as experience working on large scale projects designed and produced by the Museum. Applicants must have completed undergraduate work in metals or have comparable training. Our current intern is Jacob Brown.

The next available internship begins in June, 2010.  Deadline for applications is January 8, 2010. Applicants must submit a letter of interest, a resume, 20 images of current work and three references.  Please send applications to Carissa Hussong, The Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, TN  38106 or to carissa@metalmuseum.org.  For more information »

General Museum Internships

The Metal Museum offers general museum and library internships.  Participants will learn about collections management, exhibition design and installation, fundraising, marketing and much more.  Internships can last any length of time and are designed to meet the individual goals and needs of the participants.  For more information »

Artist-in-Resident

The Metal Museum's Resident Artist Program affords artists the opportunity to live and work in a stimulating, supportive museum environment. With full access to the on-site smithy and foundry, artists are able to focus on their art and create a new body of work over the course of three, six, or twelve months. The program welcomes self-motivated, focused individuals working in various forms of metal arts including foundry, conservation/small metals and blacksmithing work. Housing, health insurance, studio space, and some materials are provided.

Accommodations

The Museum is located on 3.2 acres on the Mississippi River in a former merchant marine hospital. Artists are housed in the east side of a duplex that once served as the Junior Officer’s Quarters. The residence can accommodate up to four people at a time - three rooms for extended stay residencies and one room for guests. There is basement room with private bath and living area, the second floor south room with private bath and the second floor north room with shared bath and private porch. Rooms are assigned as available. All residents share the common areas, including the kitchen, dining room, living room and basement laundry facilities. There is also one short-term visitor guest room that shares a bath with the north room. Secured onsite parking is provided. Artists may elect to live off-site.

Expectations

Artists are expected to dedicate at least 36 hours per week for artists living on-site and at least 18 hours per week for artists living off-site to creating a body of work as outlined in their statement of intent. In addition, artists are expected to commit 2 - 4 hours per week assisting with shop maintenance (i.e. cleaning, repair, upgrading). Artists are also asked to donate one artwork to the Museum for the permanent collection, to be mutually agreed upon by Museum and artist. The residency does not include a living stipend. Opportunities to do limited, contractual work, such as assisting the Museum with educational programs, are available. Applications
Applications may be submitted at any time. Residencies are awarded based on merit and availability.

Applicants should submit

Please send applications or further inquiries to Carissa Hussong, The Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, TN, 38106, or to carissa@metalmuseum.org. 

Research Residencies