Curate This! - UCSC Internship Program 2026 - 2027

Program Overview & Requirements

  • This internship is open to History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) Students at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)

  • Students will need to be able to meet in person during our office hours for a team meeting once a week (Wed-Fri 12:00pm to 5:00pm). Total work time, in person and otherwise, about 5 to 10 hrs commitment a week. You will need to complete 60 hours per quarter 

  • Academic Credit Option: Students can earn up to 2 units of credit per quarter (total of 4 units for the full program). To receive credit, students must log 60 hours per quarter and complete the Internship Learning Contract.

  • Core Objective: Plan, promote, and execute a juried, open-call exhibition of student artworks from Bay Area colleges, culminating in the official HAVC Pop-Up Exhibition at SCAL, on view February 5, 2027 through February 26, 2027.

Quarterly Task Breakdown

Fall Quarter 2026: Planning, Outreach, & Shadowing

  • Outreach & Setup: Create submission registration forms (Google Forms) and draft/review the artist Loan Agreement forms.

  • Campaigns: Plan and launch the marketing, email, and social media outreach campaign for the Open Call.

  • Collaborate: Actively coordinate with the UCSC History of Art and Visual Culture (HAVC) department and various other UCSC and Cabrillo departments to drive submissions and student involvement.

  • Hands-on Experiential Learning: Shadow and assist SCAL staff with the logistics of the upcoming Exhibitions, including the annual Luck of the Draw exhibition and fundraiser, to learn the ropes of drop-offs, layout, installation, and reception hosting.

Winter 2027: Jurying, Installation, & Exhibition

  • Jurying & Selection: Review open-call submissions with SCAL staff and send acceptance letters.

  • Exhibition Prep: Catalog selected entries, write didactic texts (labels, place cards, and interpretive panels), and design the gallery layout.

  • Exhibition Logistics: Coordinate the drop-off and pick-up of student artworks.

  • Promotion: Execute the local PR campaign, write newsletter blurbs, and post active social media coverage.

  • Installation & Hosting: Assist in installing the show, host the opening First Friday reception, de-install the gallery, and complete final reflections.

More info and date outline linked HERE.

How to Apply

Interested students should email their application to admin@scal.org with the subject line "Application: Curate This!"

Please attach your resume and submit a short response (up to 250 words total) addressing:

  1. Your motivation for applying and your unique qualifications.

  2. Your proposed theme for the HAVC Pop-Up and your reasoning behind it.

  3. How you plan to drive submissions from student artists across the Bay Area.

See previous Curate This! Exhibits:

Beyond Closed Doors: Containments of Expression and Identity

Transmutation

Santa Cruz Art League

526 Broadway, Santa Cruz CA 95060

(831) 426-5787

scal.org