Internship: Public Archives Intern
In fall 2019, Public Space One (PS1) and Public Access Television (PATV) merged nonprofits. As a result, PS1 initiated a new program, the Media Arts Co-op (MAC) and became the torchbearer of PATV’s community-driven, media production programming mission as well as the caretaker for an archive of 40 years of community produced television and video programming.
We are looking for a humanities archivist to do a deep dive into this material and imagine ways to adequately represent and re-present it. In short, we want to activate the archive!
The intern’s work will be focused on assessing, organizing, and activating the PATV archive with the ultimate goal of creating a plan for (and potentially initiating) a publicly accessible project or series of projects (video document, web platform, podcast, or other) that are both historic and forward-looking. The work may also involve:
• conducting interviews with current and former PATV/MAC members
• researching community media and/or arts organizations’ archives practices
• initiating conversations with potential organizational partners
The resources of the MAC (equipment and members) and PS1 staff will be available to support this project. There is ample room for creativity, self-direction, and involvement in other aspects of PS1’s summer 2021 work.
Key Responsibilities:
- Research and devise structures for housing, presenting, and archiving media material
- Conduct outreach and interviews with past PATV members and organizational partners
- Work holistically with PS1 staff, board and volunteers
Qualifications & Skills Preferred:
- Experience and/or interest in community engagement and collaboration
- Experience and/or interest in archival work
- Interest in and/or knowledge of topics related to community media, public access television and/or contemporary art (including visual art, performance, cinema, and/or literature)
- Ability to make “cold calls” and meet with a variety of stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work both independently and in close collaboration with colleagues
Supervisor: John Engelbrecht, Director, Public Space One
uihumanitiesforthepublicgood.com 