IULM Scholarship 2022 – Daniela Stefanelli

Among the initiatives completed in 2022, AIMIG is pleased to announce the resumption of the scholarship for Italian university students for an internship in Israel, which had been suspended in recent years due to the pandemic.This year, through the creation of a training project in collaboration with IULM University, Daniela Stefanelli (a student in the Bachelor’s degree program in Arts, Performing Arts, and Cultural Events) completed a two-month internship in July and August at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Gerusalemme, 29/08/2022

The Israel Museum in Jerusalem is among the leading museums in the world, as well as the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel. It houses works ranging from prehistory to the present day, organized into four main areas: Archaeology, Fine Arts, Jewish Art and Life, and the Youth Wing, each further divided into departments according to specific themes and historical periods. The organizational structure is highly developed and involves a wide range of highly qualified professionals, including technical, administrative, and managerial staff, as well as experts with academic backgrounds in the humanities, history, and the arts.

During my internship at the Museum, I was involved in various activities:

• In the Collections Database department, in collaboration with the Information Center for Israeli Art, I contributed to a research project focused on collecting information on artists of Israeli origin. This involved hands-on work with different media and sources, such as the Museum’s physical and digital archives and the internet, in order to update the dedicated website: https://museum.imj.org.il/artcenter/newsite/en/;

• Through collaboration with a research project in the Image Resource department, focused on updating copyright information related to works of art, I acquired knowledge of the dynamics surrounding image rights holders for the commercial and educational use of artworks;

• A particularly interesting project concerned the correspondence between Arturo Schwarz and important figures such as Marcel Duchamp, Tristan Tzara, and Umberto Eco, whose letters are preserved in the Prints & Drawings department. Aimed at the future creation of an interactive map, the project required coordinating the digital cataloguing of written content in Excel and matching it with photographic shots produced in the Photography Lab, which will later be uploaded to the Museum’s database;

• Within the International Relations and Development department, I was able to further develop my organizational skills through the planning of events such as VIP guided tours and the upcoming trip to Venice organized by the Association of Israeli Friends. I also contributed to editing updates for the “Support Us” section of the Museum’s website.

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In addition to the projects proposed by the Museum, during the same period I continued to collaborate with the Association of Italian Friends of the Israel Museum on the planning of upcoming events and carried out on-site research for my Bachelor’s thesis (Competitive Strategies and Fundraising in the Museum Sector: The Case of the Israel Museum Jerusalem).

The Museum’s internship program is structured in line with the individual interests and inclinations of each participant, increasing efficiency and encouraging a proactive, multitasking approach. Although adapting to a different country and coordinating all the activities described required significant effort, working in a dynamic and multicultural environment such as the Museum proved to be a highly stimulating experience, rich in insights and opportunities for reflection. The activities and responsibilities I undertook allowed me to acquire and refine skills and knowledge that will be valuable for any professional path in the cultural sector.

Laureanda nel corso di Laurea Triennale in Arti, Spettacolo ed Eventi Culturali presso l’Università IULM di Milano