Internships at the Owens
The Owens’ role as a teaching museum is extended through numerous work-integrated experiential learning and internship opportunities in all facets of museum of work for current students and recent graduates. The Owens has a long-standing commitment to the mentorship of emerging museum professionals.
Current Internship Opportunities
Community Engagement and Access Assistants
2026 Bourne Internships at the Owens Art Gallery and Colville House
Application deadline: 22 February 2026
Term: 18 weeks, from 5 May to 5 September 2026
Salary is $18.00 per hour, 35 hours per week
Schedule: Five days a week, Tuesday – Saturday (some evenings as needed)
Applicants must be able to work the full 18 weeks
The Owens Art Gallery and Colville House are seeking two summer interns to fill the role of Community Engagement and Access Assistants. Working closely with the full-time staff of the Owens Art Gallery, the interns will play an important part in the administration and delivery of summer programs and community engagement activities at Colville House and the Owens, as well as related research, accessibility, and data management projects. They will be responsible for coordinating appointments and visitor engagement for Colville House, a small house museum devoted to artist Alex Colville; welcoming and orienting visitors to the Owens Art Gallery; assisting with ongoing accessibility services and collection data management projects; helping with Convocation and Reunion Weekend activities (May 9-11); and supporting the delivery of school tours in June.
This position requires a welcoming approach, flexibility, and attention to detail. Candidates must be Mount Allison University students with knowledge of visual and media arts practices through study in Fine Arts, Art History, Museum and Curatorial Studies, Indigenous Studies, or Canadian Studies. Intermediate computer skills are required, although the Owens can provide training and experience in these areas.
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] no later than 11:59 pm on Sunday 22 February 2026. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
These internships are made possible thanks to a generous gift from Mount Allison alumni Ian and Heather Bourne (both Class of ’69).
Mount Allison University is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from members of racialized communities, Indigenous people, disabled people, and members of all sexual and gender identities. We seek candidates with qualifications and knowledge to contribute specifically to the further diversification of our campus community. While the Owens Art Gallery is partially accessible, Colville House is not accessible.
Information Desk Student Assistants
Student Assistants are the first point of contact for all visitors to the Owens and represent the Gallery with warmth, enthusiasm, and genuine interest in connecting people with art. This position requires a welcoming approach, flexibility, and attention to detail. Ideally, the applicant will be a returning student who has experience working with the public.
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing visitors with a warm welcome, orientation to the Gallery, and information about exhibitions, programs, and visitor resources
- Answering visitor questions about the Gallery’s exhibitions, collections, or events
- Answering the phone, fielding inquiries, and transferring phone calls
- Opening and closing the gallery, including using the security panel
- Operating audio-visual technologies included in exhibitions
- Monitoring the artworks on display and the gallery security cameras
For news about upcoming Student Assistant employment opportunities, please join our email list.
