Overview 

The Museum Training Programme at Zeitz MOCAA offers a comprehensive six-month program geared toward individuals who are considering careers in art museums and galleries. It endeavours to give a broad understanding of museum practice, especially on the continent, through both practical hands-on tasks and theoretical engagement. Participants will explore current debates around contemporary art, art museums and platforms that amplify understated narratives from Africa and the African diaspora. Zeitz MOCAA is based in Cape Town which is fast becoming a major global art centre. As a result, the program will offer a rich exploration of the fundamental networks and systems that contribute towards the local and international art scene. 

Working alongside museum staff and with input from local and international art professionals, individuals will spend 4-5 weeks examining each of the following key areas of focus:  art education, curating, collections, exhibitions, communications and institutional advancement. Participants will be encouraged to research and contribute to the current discourse surrounding these areas of focus. Participants will, within designated experimental spaces at Zeitz MOCAA, have the opportunity to collaboratively initiate and realize small-scale projects through the duration of the program. The program is also an opportunity for participants to expand their professional networks within the contemporary art world. 

The Zeitz MOCAA Museum Training Programme aims to: 

• Fill museum education gaps around arts administration and museum management on the continent 
• Offer participants practical experience and exposure to professional standards of international museum work 
• Invest in future art administrators, historians, curators, registrars, researchers and art educators
• Foster meaningful exchange with individuals and institutions from across Africa and beyond
• Offer a platform for contemporary art research 

At the end of the program, we hope that participants would have developed important skills that enable them to: 

•  Communicate effectively with diverse audiences 
• Write effectively about art for different audiences and produce interpretive material for exhibitions 
• Develop and execute family, schools and outreach programming which is based on current exhibitions 
• Understand loan agreements, condition reports, and the storage and movement of objects. 
• Understand exhibition installation logistics 
• Initiate and co-curate an exhibition in a designated experimental space 
• Understand museum patronage 
• Assist in developing and hosting public programs and other museum events 

Background 

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a public not-for-profit contemporary art museum which collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first-century art from Africa and its Diaspora; hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational and enrichment programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and guarantees access for all. Over one hundred galleries, spread over nine floors, are dedicated to a large cutting edge permanent collection; temporary exhibitions; and Centres for Art Education, Curatorial Excellence, Performative Practice, Photography, the Moving Image, and the Costume Institute. 

Program Dates 

1 March 2019 – 15 August 2019 

Participants will be expected to participate in the full six-month program which involves 40 hours a week and working hours between 09h00 to 18h00 including some weekends. 

Structure, Training Methods and Assessment 

On a rotational basis, participants will shadow various museum staff and work in the following areas of the museum: art education, curating, collections, exhibitions, communications and institutional advancement. Within each department, participants can expect monthly assigned tasks and responsibilities as well as suggested readings. Monthly assessments will take place in the form of presentations, discussions, critiques, written contributions as well as practical tasks.  The program will include local studio and exhibition visits and specialized workshops facilitated by local and international art professionals. Participants will be involved in daily guided public tours and museum events. 

Application 

Trainees will be selected for the Zeitz MOCAA Museum Training Programme. Deadline to apply is 15 January 2019. The program commences on the 1 March 2019. To apply please email the following to careers@zeitzmocaa.museum

• a letter of motivation 
• A CV with two references 
• 600-word well thought-out museum-related project proposal that the applicant would like assistance in developing during the program. 
• 3 writing samples (this could include published essays, reviews or a thesis) 

Successful applicants will be contacted by the 25th of January 2019. 

Minimum Qualifications for Admission 

The ideal participant has the following: 

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in an art-related field or equivalent 
• Knowledge of contemporary art from Africa and the African Diaspora 
• Excellent writing skills 
• Interest and/ experience in an art museum or gallery related career 

As a cutting-edge equal opportunity institution, Zeitz MOCAA celebrates diversity in all its forms including gender, race, creed, and orientation. Zeitz MOCAA is committed to Employment Equity and particularly welcomes applications suitably qualified Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDIs) for this position.