Opportunities: Exhibitions & Programme Internship
Duration: Three months | Start: June or July 2026 | Commitment: Two days per week, with flexibility | Location: Colstoun House, East Lothian | Salary: Paid — dependent on experience | Closing Date: 17 May 2026
About Colstoun Arts:
Colstoun Arts is a contemporary art organisation based at Colstoun House, a privately held estate near Haddington in East Lothian. We run an invitation-only, carefully considered, and sustained international artist residency programme, exhibitions, and contemporary art collection focused on works directly inspired by nature.
The Opportunity:
We are seeking a candidate for an Exhibitions & Programme Internship for three months during the summer of 2026. Working closely with the founding director, the intern will contribute across exhibition planning, content creation, administration, and programme support.
The position is based at Colstoun House. For the right candidate, a residential arrangement is available — a rare opportunity to live and work within one of Scotland's most distinctive private arts environments. The initial commitment is two days per week, potentially growing across the internship, with some weekend availability required around events.
Responsibilities:
Support exhibition planning and delivery, including logistics, installation support, and preparation of materials
Content creation and management across digital platforms, in keeping with the organisation's editorial identity
General administration, including correspondence, scheduling, and record-keeping
Artwork handling as required
Engagement with resident artists, including critique sessions and career development sessions
Support for future residency research and artist identification
Opportunity for self-directed research and writing — artist notes, collection records and editorial content
Presence during visits from collectors, industry professionals, and institutional partners
Who We Are Looking For:
A recent graduate with a background in History of Art, Fine Art, or Business Management (with a genuine interest in contemporary art). A degree is not a prerequisite — relevant experience matters more than formal qualification.
Experience in a commercial gallery setting is highly desirable. Candidates from a leading gallery background will have a particular advantage. You will be confident in photography and image editing, content creation, social media management, and clear written communication.
Above all, we are looking for curiosity, initiative, and a serious interest in how a programme of this kind is built and sustained.
This internship should be seen as an opportunity to justify a potentially meaningful role in our organisation ongoing.
We are also looking for attention to detail, that includes the manner in which your application is submitted.
What Colstoun Arts Offers:
Direct involvement in a programme of genuine international ambition, working alongside artists, collectors, and professionals. The scale of the organisation means contribution is visible and the learning is real. Colstoun House and its estate — its gardens, grounds, and surrounding East Lothian landscape — are available to the intern throughout their time here.
How to Apply:
Please send a written statement of no more than 350 words via the form below with the subject line "Exhibitions & Programme Internship", outlining your experience and how you could positively contribute to our programme. Applications must be received by 17:00 on 15th May 2026.
Candidates selected for the next stage will be contacted by close of business on 19 May 2026 and asked to provide further materials at that point. If you have not heard from us by that date, your application has not been successful on this occasion.
We are a small organisation and ask that applicants follow the above process very carefully. Please do not send a CV at this stage, and limit any additional correspondence to a single question if necessary. Applications that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be considered.
If application numbers exceed our expectations we will close this opportunity prior to the deadline above so do not delay in applying.
