Opportunities

Honorary Fellowship – Scholars, researchers, and other individuals working in textiles, material culture, and design thinking in ways that connect to the goals of the center may be eligible to become honorary fellows of the center. This fellowship is available to academic staff and people from outside the UW–Madison network.

Exhibition Proposal – Are you interested in exhibiting with the center in one of our galleries? We collaborate with artists, curators, designers, scholars, and more to create meaningful exhibits that support curriculum, research, and community interests.

The center will accept proposals for the 2027-2028 academic year beginning in fall of 2026.

Faculty in Residence – UW–Madison faculty have the opportunity to work directly with the CDMC in a year long partnership that may result in a meaningful exhibition, project, or program.

Affiliate – Available to  UW–Madison faculty, affiliation with the center enhances the opportunity to study and program around the three pillars of the center, textiles, material culture, and design both for the center and the affiliate.

Gallery Assistant – This position is available to undergraduate and graduate students interested in public facing museum work. Gallery attendants steward the Ruth Davis Design Gallery and Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery making them accessible to the campus and local community. Gallery assistants also assist with the centers’s public facing presence including social media and our website.

These positions are typically filled at the change of the semester so check back for new openings.

Collection Assistant – This position is available to undergraduate and graduate students interested in museum collection management. Collection assistants work hands-on with the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection in object handling, accessioning, provenance research, and more.

These positions are typically filled at the change of the semester so check back for new openings.

Exhibition Prep Assistant – This position is available to undergraduate and graduate students interested in exhibition installation. Exhibition prep assistants assistants work hands-on in the Ruth Davis Design Gallery and Lynn Mecklenburg Textile Gallery in object handling, gallery installation and deinstallation, and more.

These positions are typically filled at the change of the semester so check back for new openings.

Research Assistant –  Typically reserved for graduate students, this position centers on conducting in depth research. In this position, graduate students work towards an exhibition by assisting with research centered on a few objects or a theme.

These positions are typically filled on an as needed basis so check back for new openings.

Internship – The center occasionally offers internships for undergraduate students interested in learning opportunities surrounding one of our three pillars, the study of textiles, material culture, and design. These internships are filled through work in our galleries and/or the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection.

Contact us for more information about these internships.

Summer Undergraduate Fellowship – In partnership with the Chipstone Foundation, the center offers a summer undergraduate research fellowship. Students are given the opportunity to conduct research in one of the three pillars of study for the center, textiles, material culture, and design.

WIP Lab Workshop Instructor – Graduate and advanced undergraduate students are encouraged to propose compensated, hands-on making workshops.