Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeship

About the role

We’re offering a unique opportunity to take your first steps into the museum and gallery world through a new Curatorial Traineeship. You don’t need previous experience working in an art gallery, or even a degree in art history. What matters most is an interest in art, an openness to learning, and a passion for making collections accessible and inclusive.

The National Galleries of Scotland is delighted to partner with Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums in hosting this traineeship. Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeships are generously supported by The Vivmar Foundation.

The traineeship offers a chance to gain in-depth, hands-on experience across two major Scottish institutions. It is designed to support those who are eager to build a career in curatorial practice, especially individuals from diverse or marginalised backgrounds who may not have previously considered working in the arts.

You will receive structured training in curatorial skills, including practical development in collection management software. Our strong team culture will provide you with guidance, mentoring and ongoing support as you build confidence in working with collections and engaging diverse audiences.

You will spend 16 months based in Edinburgh with the National Galleries of Scotland. From March 2027 you will transfer to Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums for 6 months, with your time split between the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Aberdeen Treasure Hub. There is a travel and accommodation allowance to support the varied locations of this traineeship.

More information about Art Fund and its work can be found at www.artfund.org

The difference you’ll make

At the National Galleries of Scotland you will help deliver key strategic priorities, in particular Equity, Diversity and Inclusion commitments, in relation to the national collection and audience engagement. You’ll have the opportunity to work across the Modern & Contemporary Art and Portraiture & Photography Curatorial teams. Your main focus will be on collaboration across these collection areas (1900 to present day) and related audience-focused outputs.

Playing an active role across our Curatorial teams, your duties will focus on:

• National Galleries of Scotland – responsibilities:
  • Supporting programme planning and delivery for exhibitions at the Portrait and Modern One, particularly working with living artists.
  • Working across day-to-day curatorial activity, including cataloguing and provenance research, and contributing to the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Review of our collection.
  • Undertaking projects or responsibilities as delegated by senior colleagues which will change from time to time.
  • Experiencing the work across our organisation through collaboration with other teams including Learning & Engagement, Research, Conservation and Collections Management, Digital, and Marketing and Communications.

• Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums – responsibilities:
  • Providing project support and delivery. This will involve an on-going artist self-portrait commissioning project and re-display of the Art Gallery’s portraiture gallery.
  • Undertaking research to improve the identification of sitters and supporting figures, and currently unidentified artists within the portraiture collection. This will enhance the museum’s database records.
  • Being involved in the identification of future artists for the commissioning of works to enhance the diversity of the portraiture collection, as well as supporting artists already involved in this work.
  • Supporting the development of and helping to guide the direction of a co-creation project to re-imagine the current Aberdeen Art Gallery portraiture gallery.

Who we are looking for

To succeed in this role, you’ll need the following range of knowledge, skills, and experience:

• Ability to collaborate as part of a team and to work flexibly and calmly under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and communicate effectively with colleagues across the organisation.
• A flexible and proactive attitude, able to adapt to different working environments and manage competing priorities calmly and efficiently.
• Good organisational skills with strong attention to detail, especially accuracy in record keeping, data input, and handling collections or exhibition tasks.
• A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and an interest in making museums and galleries more welcoming and representative of different communities.
• A demonstrable interest in visual art, culture, or heritage through personal experience, voluntary activity, education, or self-directed learning.
• Willingness to learn, ask questions, and take on new challenges with support.

It would also be great if you have:

• Although not essential, experience of working or volunteering in a museum, gallery, library, archive, or cultural organisation would be an advantage.
• Knowledge or lived experience that brings fresh perspective to under-represented stories or voices in museums and galleries.
• Some experience supporting projects, events, or exhibitions in any context (e.g. school, community, digital platforms).
• Research or writing skills, particularly if you’ve used them to explore themes of art, history, identity, or storytelling.
• Familiarity with using digital tools or social media to share ideas or connect with audiences.

Please apply directly via our careers portal. Applications via email will not be accepted.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday, 15 September 2025.

National Museum Directors\’ Council, Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG.