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Collections Interns, The Charleston Trust

  •  South East
  •  Â£20k-25k
  •  Full time
  •  Closes April 27, 2026
  •  Ellie Lambert
  •  jobs@charleston.org.uk
  • #Combined arts
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Description

Job Summary

Join us as we prepare to relocate Charleston’s collection from Firle to a new accessible home in Lewes. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain your first experience in a museum environment, learning practical skills in collection care and best practice. No previous museum experience required!

Job Description

Collections Interns

Reporting to: Collections Audit Officer

Contract: Fixed Term - 6 Months

Salary: From 1 April 2026, £12.71 per hour

Hours: 35 hours, Monday to Friday

Location: Primarily based at Charleston in Firle (BN8 6LL), with some work also required at Charleston in Lewes (BN7 1FB).

Charleston was the home and studio of the painters Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. It was a space where some of the 20th century's most radical artists and writers gathered together, known collectively as the Bloomsbury group. The collection consists of over 15,000 objects, full of works by the Bloomsbury group such as paintings, drawings, ceramics, and sketchbooks, as well as books, letters and photographs.

This internship will focus on caring for our collection of objects. This is an exciting opportunity to gain your first insight into working in a museum or gallery.

You don't need to have worked in a museum or gallery before, but some transferable skills and enthusiasm are key!

This role is made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to develop our long-term plans for Charleston in Lewes to create a permanent cultural centre for the town including the establishment of the National Bloomsbury Gallery.

Job Requirements

Essential skills

  • An interest in cultural heritage, archives, or collections.
  • Strong organisational skills and excellent attention to detail.
  • Willingness to learn about best practices and procedures for collections care.
  • Good digital skills and willingness to learn about data entry.

Job Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

On the job training will be provided to help the intern carry out the following tasks;

  • Assist with the audit of Charleston's collection, carefully reviewing and recording information.
  • Maintain up-to-date object information in the collections database.
  • Carry out basic condition checks and identify objects that may require conservation.
  • Develop understanding of best practice and sector policies such as the Museums Association Code of Ethics.
  • Contribute to records management for internal and external reporting.

Useful Links

How to Apply

We are recruiting four interns over a 12 month period, with two interns joining at each intake (June and December 2026). Applications are invited for the June 2026 intake. Deadlines for subsequent intakes will be published in due course.

Charleston is committed to equal and equitable opportunities, and to
becoming a workforce that represents the diversity of our community. We
positively encourage applications from Disabled people, Global Majority
people, and working-class people, as people from these groups are currently
underrepresented in our organisation.

Deadline for applications: 9am Monday 27 April 2026
Interviews: to be confirmed

To apply, please email a covering letter of no more than 1 page detailing how you
meet the person specification, along with a CV to [email protected].

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