Amherst Select - Communications Internship at the MacDowell Colony Artist Residency 2019
About the MacDowell Colony
Established in 1907, MacDowell is the nation's first and leading artist residency, welcoming writers, visual artists, composers, filmmakers, playwrights, interdisciplinary artists, and architects from around the world. The Colony nurtures the arts by offering creative individuals of the highest talent an inspiring environment in which they can produce enduring works of the imagination. Comprised of 450 acres of lush woodlands and fields in idyllic Peterborough, NH, MacDowell has awarded Fellowships to more than 8,200 artists. Recent Fellows include authors Michael Chabon, Alice Sebold, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Jeffrey Eugenides; composers Meredith Monk and Ned Rorem; filmmaker Michael Almereyda; and architect Leslie Robertson. Learn more: http://www.macdowellcolony.org/
About the Internship
This position is designed for a strong writer and exceptional communicator with an interest in arts and culture. Reporting to the MacDowell Colony communications manager, the intern will work in the areas of marketing communications, video production, media relations, and social media, and provide community event support. The intern will also help plan and staff the Colony’s annual Medal Day ceremony, which honors an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to national culture. Recent MacDowell Medal recipients include composer Stephen Sondheim, author Toni Morrison, and filmmaker David Lynch.
Responsibilities:
o Draft and edit press releases, newsletters, articles, and Fellow profiles
o Execute video projects and provide video production support
o Update and maintain sections of the MacDowell website
o Conduct research and data entry on current and past Fellows
o Assist with community outreach initiatives
o Occasionally contribute to social media postings through photography
Qualifications:
o Be an upper-level undergraduate with education, experience or interest in the arts, art administration, video editing and production, communications and marketing, and social media. Graphic design skills a plus.
o Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills.
o Solid organizational skills, as well as resourcefulness, flexibility, and attention to detail.
o Ability to self-motivate, manage time, set priorities, balance multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
o Positive attitude, enthusiasm, and desire to learn.
o Interest in non-profit marketing and communications and in learning about and supporting the MacDowell Colony’s mission.
Details:
o Monday-Friday, 35 hours/week for 10 weeks, flexible start date
o Must be available to help staff Medal Day, typically held the second Sunday in August
o Funded through Amherst College's Loeb Center for Career Planning and Exploration (deadline for funding: April 1, 2019)
o Car required for transportation to and from the Colony
To Apply:
o Please direct your resume and the names of two references to Martha Umphrey and send them to Heather Grimes (hgrimes@amherst.edu) by February 15, 2019
o Please include a short paragraph telling us why you’re interested in interning at the MacDowell Colony, along with 2-3 writing samples.
o Links to examples of video work are welcome, but not required.