Opportunity with Cooper Gallery
DJCAD Graduate Internship opportunity
Graduates of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design are invited to apply for an internship with Cooper Gallery supported by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art Centenary Fund.
The internship provides a unique opportunity for a recent graduate (undergraduate or postgraduate) of Duncan of Jordantone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) to gain valuable professional development experience, working as part of Cooper Gallery’s team across the full range of the gallery’s work, with a special focus on events production, archiving and evaluation.
The opportunity
Fixed-term (20 weeks, between December 2026 – May 2027)
4 days per week, in person, Tuesday – Friday with some Evening and Saturday working required
Bursary of £11,000 paid in instalments
The internship
Cooper Gallery are seeking applications for a Graduate Intern to join our team during the production and delivery of our 2027 programme. Our aim is to offer professional experience and development in arts and cultural event production and archiving in the context of the wider work of the Cooper Gallery.
This is an opportunity for a recent graduate of DJCAD to work hands-on as part of our small team in a fast-paced environment to develop their skills and experience of all aspects of public event production from planning and coordination to delivery, evaluation and archiving.
The Duncan of Jordanstone (DoJ) Graduate Intern will have a primary focus on contributing to delivery of our 2027 programme that includes a major solo exhibition (to be announced), The Ignorant Art School, our Public Events Programme of curated events and monthly Digital Platform, a sector-wide symposium, as well as support with the engagement activity of exhibition introductions and tours.
Based in Cooper Gallery’s office, the DoJ Graduate Intern will be part of the Gallery team and will receive mentoring from Cooper Gallery’s Director, including regular review sessions. The intern will receive day-to-day management, support and guidance from Cooper Gallery’s Assistant Curator.
About Cooper Gallery
Regarded as one of the top Art and Design colleges in the UK, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) continues to be at the forefront of creativity and innovation – both on a local and global platform. With world-wide credibility for first-class teaching and research, a plethora of accolades and a proud tradition of producing graduates who go on to be experts in their field, DJCAD offers a strong academic and creative culture that supports and encourages personal development in teaching and scholarship.
Cooper Gallery, part of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, is internationally recognised as a distinctive platform in Scotland for its radical curatorial research, international approach and focus on critical discourse in contemporary art and culture. Cooper Gallery’s experimental and transdisciplinary approach to programming utilises exhibition-making as a collaborative process of knowledge exchange and production. At the heart of this dialogue is a sustained critical engagement, between multiple contexts, practices and discourses, which navigates the efficacy and necessity of access, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
To find out more about Cooper Gallery programme, please visit the Cooper Gallery website.
The successful applicant
We are looking for a motivated graduate from DJCAD who is interested to work with Cooper Gallery’s distinctive approach to programming. Applicants should be able to show enthusiasm for our work and an interest in working with artists, public audiences, students and staff. They should have a strong desire to learn and develop within a professional gallery environment and will be required to demonstrate knowledge of the visual arts as well as strong administrative and communication skills. We are seeking applications from someone whose developing practice in curatorial practice, cultural production or the arts more widely would benefit from this experience.
What you would gain experience of:
- exhibition and event production, planning, preparation and delivery
- programme logistics, scheduling and planning
- artist/Contributor support
- audience engagement, development and communication
- research in Disability & Inclusive Practice in the arts sector
- archiving and evaluation
What we are looking for (Person specification)
Essential
- A recent graduate from a DJCAD degree programme at undergraduate or postgraduate level within the last 5 years (including PhD)
- Able to be based in Dundee/Angus or surrounding areas for the period of the internship at Cooper Gallery
- An evident interest in contemporary art and visual culture
- A desire to develop a career in curatorial practice and/ or cultural sector
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
- Good timekeeping and workload management skills
- Experience of working with the public
- Skilled in organising and planning ahead
- Experience of participating/organising public events
- IT confident with familiarity with MS Office, Excel and digital communication platforms
Attributes
- Rigorous attention to detail
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team
- Motivated to try new tasks/approaches/methods
- A solutions-focused attitude
- Punctual and reliable
- Open to learning
- Willing to ask for support when needed
Interests
- Interested in the work of Cooper Gallery
- An interest in public engagement practices of in arts and culture venues
- An interest in audience development and engagement
- An interest in deepening understanding of EDI and Access in the arts
Desirable
- Research, documentation and evaluation skills
- Knowledge of the Adobe suite including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator
Working hours
Hours based on event delivery schedule and agreed with Cooper Gallery.
Four days per week, total of 80 days
Role holder must be present at all events, including occasional evenings and weekend
Majority of working days:
Tuesday – Friday 9am–5pm (7hrs + 1hr unpaid lunch)
Some Evening and Saturday working will be required
Event working days:
Hours to be agreed with Cooper Gallery
Example: 2–9pm (7hrs + x2 30min unpaid breaks)
Duration of the Role:
20 weeks | 80 days
The Role is dependent on external funding therefore there is no further employment offered or guaranteed beyond the duration stated.
Right to work in UK checks done as part of appointment process.
All access and further information enquiries, please email: [email protected]
How to apply
Deadline for applications: 20 November 2026 at 18:00.
Interviews held: Monday 30 November 2026
Please email your application to [email protected] with the subject heading: DoJ Graduate Internship with Cooper Gallery.
Cooper Gallery will acknowledge receipt of your application.
Please apply in a format that feels most comfortable for you. We accept written or recorded responses (voice note / video). We will only evaluate the content of an application, not its format.
Your application should include the following:
- A statement in a word document which sets out your suitability for the role in response to points a,b,c listed below. Your statement should be no more than 1 A4 page.
- A full CV including the names and contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer.
- Your statement: In approximately 300–400 words / 3-5 minutes of audio/video please tell us:
- Your name and pronouns
- Why you want this role?
- Why is the Graduate Internship role of interest to you?
- Why is Cooper Gallery’s programme of interest to you?
- What aspects of the role are you particularly interested to develop skills and experience in?
- What makes you suitable for the role?
Please state and provide examples that evidence your suitability for the role (reference the ‘What we are looking for’ section)
The DoJ Graduate Internship is offered on a part-time basis, four days per week over 20 weeks. The bursary is paid in instalments over the course of the internship. This graduate internship is made possible by the generous support of the Duncan of Jordanstone Centenary Fund and Creative Scotland.
Shortlisted applicants should be available to start in January 2027. Final dates and working pattern will be agreed with the successful candidate.
