Museum Registrar traineeship opportunity in Leeds from September 2024
The Royal Armouries, Leeds Museums and Galleries, and the University of Leeds are offering an opportunity for an exceptional candidate interested in developing a career as a museum registrar.
Registrars Training for the Future is a training initiative that offers practical hands-on experience in two museum organisations. It also includes a programme of academic study to help support the trainee as part of the MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies at the University of Leeds, culminating in a Postgraduate Certificate in Art Gallery and Museum Studies.
Museum registrars are often described as the conscience of the museum and hold a huge amount of responsibility, managing multiple risks that have the potential to be reputationally damaging including legal, ethical and financial risks. The registrar is responsible for objects coming into the collections, their care while they are there and their loan to other museums and sometimes, the de-accessioning of objects.
This is a funded, fixed term traineeship for 30 hours a week over four or five days, running from September 2024 to July 2025 (to coincide with the academic year). Candidates must be UK residents and cannot be studying for another degree at the same time.
Mainly office-based in Leeds, the post-holder will work for a stint in the Registrar team at either Leeds Museums and Galleries or the Royal Armouries and, following this, complete a stint in the Registrar team of the other organisation. During this, they will attend the University of Leeds for one day per week during term-time.
Some remote and off-site work may be required, including to the Royal Armouries’ sites in London and Fareham.
Leeds City Museum. Image © University of Leeds.
Abigail Harrison Moore, Professor of Art History and Museum Studies, said of this opportunity:
“We are delighted to announce the 13th year of the trainee scheme, supported by Arts Council England, and run via a unique partnership between Leeds Museums and Galleries, the Royal Armouries and the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds.
“The traineeship sees the successful candidate working across the two museum services with the Collections Teams and reflecting critically on their practice as part of a PG Certificate in Art Gallery and Museum Studies. They are expected to act as an advocate for registrar and collections work amongst other students.
"Each of our previous trainees have secured posts in the field, including last year’s trainee, Ellie, who is Assistant Registrar at the Royal Armouries. This year’s trainee, Nuria, has been a brilliant addition to the cohort – even establishing a networking event for our students at Royal Armouries.
"We look forward to appointing our next amazing trainee to the Registrars Training for the Future programme.”
More information
The closing date for applications is 30 June 2024 and interviews will take place on 10 July.
Read full information about this exciting opportunity, including how to apply.
More details of the programme and stories of past trainees.
Image
The 'Hall of Steel' at Royal Armouries, Leeds. Photo by Andy Lord.
