Volunteer & Internship Opportunities
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Internships at The LAB are developed in consultation with the prospective intern. Interns gain a wide range of experience working within an arts organization. We require a commitment of at least 100 hours over a minimum of 3 months. If you cannot meet this requirement, there is also the option to volunteer, which does not require a specific time commitment. All internships are unpaid. Interns may focus on one of the areas described below or a combination of the intern’s choice. There is also the opportunity to get involved with a specific event or exhibition of your choice. Interested candidates should email a letter and resume to Kristen Chappa at kristen@thelab.org. Call Kristen at 415-864-8855 with questions or to sign up to volunteer.

PRODUCTION/INSTALLATION: Assist artists with preparing exhibitions, installation and de-installation of artwork, operate lights/sound during events, prepare for opening receptions, and general maintenance of the gallery space. Assist with the documentation of visual art exhibitions and live performances. Workshops will be conducted periodically to train new interns in the areas of sound and lighting production.

CURATORIAL/PROGRAMMING: Work in all aspects of the curatorial process. Review artists’ proposals, prepare and attend monthly curatorial meetings, take minutes of the curatorial meetings, inform artists of The LAB’s submission guidelines, update the curatorial database, schedule studio visits and inform artists of the curatorial committee’s decisions. Work with The Lab staff to develop new audiences and programs for specific events/exhibits.

PHOTOGRAPHY/DOCUMENTATION: Gain professional experience while building your portfolio. This hands-on position involves documenting events and exhibitions for The LAB’s archive library and grant proposals. 35mm slides are taken of all exhibitions; intern candidates must have an education and/or work experience in photography. Photographers need to have their own 35mm camera. Performances and other live events are documented with digital video; experience is preferred but there are opportunities to learn as a beginner. The LAB provides film, processing and DV tapes. Documentation work follows The LAB’s calendar of events; the ideal candidate would be willing to make a six-month to one-year time commitment.

 

ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT: Assist the Managing Director with the development and coordination of membership campaigns, office management and grant applications. Responsibilities may include researching new sources of funding and recent developments in the arts, assisting with front of house for live events and exhibits (box office, ushering, set-up), fundraising, fiscal agency and rental agreements, record-keeping and clerical tasks, distribution of calendars and announcements, and maintenance of audience database and email distribution lists.

PUBLICITY: Publicity interns must have a strong interest in journalism or writing. Interns will work directly with the Co-Directors and assist with writing press releases and calendar text, updating the publicity database, information gathering from artists, and making press calls to local magazines, newspapers, and freelance columnists.

ART HISTORIAN/ARCHIVIST: The art historian or archivist will participate in an ongoing effort to identify, catalogue, and preserve our 20 year history of exhibitions and performances by new and emerging artists. Contribute to this effort to build a digital and physical archive of images, music, sound, video and printed material. Responsibilities include: new research, verification of information and material, contact with artists, critics, and arts administrators, archival preservation of materials, digitizing and cataloguing of slides, audio and video recordings, writing about the exhibitions and performances presented throughout our 20-year history, and database input and editing.